Inno Setup is a free and open source software for creating Windows installers. It was developed by Jordan Russell and Martijn Laan and originally released in 1997. Written in the Pascal language, the software generates an easy-to-use, user-friendly installer. One advantage of Inno Setup over other installer creation tools is that it is small, efficient, and easy to learn and use. This makes it one of the go-to installer creation tools for various types of software such as open source projects, commercial applications, and more.
Basic steps of using Inno Setup software:
-
Download and install the Inno Setup software and open it.
-
Choose New from the File menu to open the New Script Wizard dialog box.
-
Select the template you want to use on the Select Template page. Inno Setup software provides a variety of templates to choose from, including regular templates, custom templates, game templates, etc. After selecting a suitable template, click "Next".
-
Fill in the application information on the "Application Information" page, including application name, version number, company name, etc. Click "Next".
-
On the File Preparation page, add the files and folders that the application needs to install. You can choose to add files from a local folder or add files manually.
-
Set the installer icon on the Application Icon page.
-
Set the folders and shortcuts that Setup adds to the Start menu on the Start Menu Folders page.
-
Review the installer settings on the Ready to Complete page, and click Finish.
-
View and edit the generated Inno Setup script in the dialog box of the Save Script Wizard, and you can change the menu, protocol, configuration file and other settings in the script.
-
Click the "Compile" button, Inno Setup software will generate an executable installation program.
The above are the basic steps of using Inno Setup software. Inno Setup also supports many advanced options and custom settings to meet more needs.