Simple but strange CD-ROM setup problem

[Phasar]

I have a series of html based learning modules linked using relative links which I want to burn on a CD-ROM. I want a setup.exe that will only place a shortcut and icon off the CD to the desktop and to the start menu. The shortcut should point to a variable CD-ROM drive and the file index.html. An autorun.inf will run setup.exe when the CD is loaded. I can't find anything in the v6 help file to instruct me how to do this. Can someone help me?

Thanks
Frank

[Phasar]

I forgot to mention my icon is desktop.ico

[Mark]

Hi,

If your installation will be launched from your CD-ROM you should use a CREATE SHORTCUT action. Your action will probably look something like this:

Folder: %Desktop%
Shortcut Description: Index
Target File: %SrcDrv%\Index.html
Command Line Arguments:
Icon Index: 0
Use external icon file: Checked
External Icon Path: %SrcDrv%\Data\Desktop.ico
Working Directory: %SrcDrv%
Run Mode: Normal

mark.

[Phasar]

So, I guess I shouldn't use the project wizard? SHould I remove all the files it has listed and then use the Create Shortcut function?

[Lorne]

If you don't want to actually install the files off the CD-ROM, but only install shortcuts that the user can use to run the files directly from the CD? Then the answer is: yes, you can remove those files.

[Phasar]

Should I leave the desktop.ico in the file list?

[Lorne]

Probably, but it depends.

If you set the properties of the Create shortcut action the way Mark described, you'll want to put the desktop.ico file on the CD in a %SrcDrv%\Data folder (or somewhere else on the CD so long as you adjust that path).

Note that if you use that method, your custom icon will only be used when the CD is in the CD-ROM drive. (After you install the shortcut, Windows will "remember" the icon even if the user removes the CD, until the next time they reboot or log off/log back in. In that case Windows will use whatever the default icon is for the kind of file pointed to by the shortcut.)

If you want your custom icon to be used even when the system boots without your CD in the drive, then you'll need to install the desktop.ico file somewhere on the user's system (I'd recommend somewhere like %ProgramFiles%\%ProductName%) and adjust the path to the icon file in the Create shortcut action accordingly.

Important: although this will make your custom icon be shown even when your CD is in the drive, the user will still need the CD in the drive in order for the shortcut to "work" when they double-click it. Also note that the CD will have to be in the same drive for the shortcut to work, something to keep in mind if the user has 2 CD-ROM drives.

[Phasar]

So if I setup a new project with just the desktop.ico in the file list, and if I specify subdirectories etc then the desktop.ico will be copied to the users hard drive, and the shortcut will be installed using that .ico and pointing to the cd-rom drive they originally installed from?

[Lorne]

Yep. Just make sure you put the actions on the appropriate action tab (e.g. After Installing) so the desktop.ico file will already be "in place" when the Create shortcut action is performed.


[This message has been edited by Lorne (edited 01-21-2002).]