Copyright: Bitworx


Inimaker 3

Note: Inimaker uses COMCTL32 version 4.72 or later.

An update from microsoft is shipped with this version is started

if inimaker detects that an older version is installed on the system.

Inimaker is a frontend for Autorunner.

Autorunner is a autorun frontend for CDs (or whatever). Inimaker is used to

create the ini file that autorunner uses.

Publisher: 	Bitworx

Coding:	Joakim Lundberg

Smtp:	bitworx@dataphone.se

Http:	www.dataphone.se/~bitworx

Version:	3

Features

The Toolbar

Basics

The inifile format

Autorun.inf

Translation


Features

Inimaker reads file_id.diz files (if present in the same dir as the file added) and uses them as descriptions. Only the first row is used.

Inimaker can write file_id.diz files containing your description to every file and directory you add.

Inimaker extracts File_id.diz files from zipfiles automatically.

Inimaker automatically updates systemfiles if needed (comctl32.dll).

Inimaker copies all the files autorunner needs to your CD project.

Custom Icons can be used.

About information and logo can be customized.

The output file contains a language template that enables you to translate the Autorunner menus to any language.

A project can be reopened and edited after you have saved it.

WYSIWYG editor. All items can be edited once added.

Support for adding http/ftp etc shortcuts (not local physical files).

Inimaker 3.x is  compatible with inimaker 2.x.

Inimaker can check how much space you have used.

The Basics


The Toolbar

Any of the menu items can also be accessed by right clicking in the listview area.

 Add item

Add an item to autorunner. This starts the add file wizard which guides you through the process. Files can also be added by dragging one or more files to the listview area. Add a name for the item (visible under the icon), a description (visible on the statusbar) and select an icon.

 Remove Item

Remove the currently selected icon

  Properties

Displays the item's properties. You can also change settings for the item here.

This windows also pops up if you double click an item.

 New Project

If you create a new project, all the current settings will be blank. You will have to select the directory containing the files that you will add to your CD.

Therefore all files that you want to add to your CD should be placed in the directory structure that you want to use. You cannot move the files afterwards.

more...

 Load Project

You can load any project again and continue to edit the properties.

 Save Project

Save the current project. The filename should be Autorun.ini and it should be placed in the \Autorun directory of your project (which also is the default filename and location).

 File_Id.diz

Create file_id.diz files for all your files. The file will be created in the directory containing the file, or in the directory if you add a directory. URLs will be disregarded when writing file_id.diz files.

 Refresh

Update the display for all icons (you do not need to use this very often).

 Sort

Sort all items by name.

 Cd Check

Calculate the amount of space used on your CD (% of 650 MB).

The subdirectories of all items will be calculated. This meter can show

to high results if you add an item that is in a subdirectory of an already existing item (the directory will then be counted twice).

 Exit

Exit inimaker without saving.

FAQ and coverage of the basics.


Basics
The Basics

Making a  CD Project

Make a directory somwhere. Copy all the files you want to add to that directory (or make subdirectories as needed). Organize your files as you want them to be on the CD before you start. You cannot move the files once you have added them to inimaker.

Start inimaker:

Create a new project

When you create a new project a few events takes place:

- An Autorun.inf file is created in the root of your project.

- An Autorun directory will be created in the root of your project.

- Autorun.exe, Autorun.Hlp and Autorun.Cnt is copied to the autorun directory.

- Any sound and bitmaps used in the project is copied to the autorun directory.

- An Autorun.ini file containing your settings in the autorun directory.

- An Icon directory containing the icons displayed are created.

- A Start.bat fil will be created in the root of your project.

The bat file can be removeed. Some users has turned off autorun notification, and some users requested this feature. The file can be removed.

The autorun directory will contain a file called 40Comupd.exe.

This is an update from Microsoft.

If Inimaker detects that the system has an older version of comctl,

the update will automativally be started.

The file can also be downloaded from:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/developer/downloads/files/40comupd.htm

Relative Paths?

Inimaker creates relative paths for all items you add. That means that they are referred to depending on their relative position in the filesystem.

Example.

If you have the following structure under the root you selected:

\Autorun

\Files\MyApp.Exe

If you add MyApp.Exe to inimaker the relative path will be set to ..\Files\MyApp.Exe.

Therefore Autorunner must be in a directory under the root. You can't move it.

You do not have to manage the relative path, but if anything goes wrong you should now about them.However, if you add files that are not under the root you selected. The relative path will be wrong. Organize and copy your files before using inimaker.

Adding a web document or a OS file.

If you whish to add a link to an URL or a file in the windows directory you should press the Add item button. Select not to manually browse for a file. Then add the link. http:// (ftp:// etc) must be used for urls. If you whish to start (ex) Notepad you just type 'Notepad' and nothing more

Starting any file type

Autorunner can execute any file as long it is associated with another executable in windows (ex DOC with Winword.exe and HTML with Netscape). Windows handles this automatically, but if you add a filetype that the person who runs the menu doesn't have an association for, it will not work.

Many files, such as text are associated files with notepad,  are associated automatically by windows.

COMCTL32.DLL

Inimaker uses COMCTL32 version 4.72 or later.

It comes with various software (such as MSIE 4) but may not be present on the users system.

Inimaker starts the the COMCTL update from microsoft if on older version was detected.

What about the toolbar?


Inifile format
The format of the INI file

[AUTORUNNER]

Properties for autorunner goes here. use ";" before a setting to cancel it (remark).

Caption=[Text]

Caption is the caption of the Autorunner main window

Message=[Text]

A message displayed when autorunner is starting.

Scroll=[Text]

A text that will be scrolled in Autorunner.

Sound=[Filename.wav]

A sound that will play once in autorunner. The file must be in the autorun directory.

Loop=[Filename.wav]

A sound that will played in a loop. The file must be in the autorun directory.

Maximize=[0/1]

toggle Maximize property of the the autorunner window

Background=[filename.bmp]

A bitmap that will be displayed as a background to the items.

WindowWidth=[Size] (Default=330)

The width of the window

WindowHeight=[Size] (Default=370)

The height of the window

AboutImage=[Filename.bmp]

The image displayed in the about form.

AboutText= The text displayed in the about form.

Splash=[Filename.bmp]

The image displayed as a splash screen

Font=[Font Name]

Font to use in autorunner.

FontSize=[Font Name]

Font to use in autorunner.

ButtonBackground=[0/1]

Show a backgound on the toolbars

ShowPopupMenu=[0/1]

Hide/Show the right click popupmenu in autorunner

[Items]

The items below are displayed in autorunner.

The keys must be unique (data1, 2, 3 etc)

Sections are separated with a "%".

Data0=name%description%[relative]path or URL%icon[0-14]

Data1=name%description%[relative]path or URL%icon[0-14]

Data2=name%description%[relative]path or URL%icon[0-14]

[Inimaker]

Inimaker settings goes here.

SourceDir=[Directory]

This enables inimaker to find your files if you reopen your project

[RawItems]

The items below are used if you reopen your project in inimaker.

The syntax is same as for the [Items] section, except that the path is not relative.

RawData0=Name%Description%[Path or URL]%Icon [0-14]

RawData1=Name%Description%[Path or URL]%Icon [0-14]

RawData2=Name%Description%[Path or URL]%Icon [0-14]

[Language]

You can translate Autorunner into any language!

this is the name of the buttons and what comes after the "=" is how they will be shown in Autorunner. The settings below are the default (if the section is omitted).

Exit=Exit

ExitHint=Exit

Explore=Explore

ExploreHint=Explore this drive

Media=Media

MediaHint=Toggle Media on/off

Contents=Contents

ContentsHint=Show Contents

View=View

ViewHint=Change Viewmode

About=About

AboutHint=About this software

Error1=The command could not be executed by Windows

ListViewHint=Click an item for more info

Learn the basics.


Autorun.inf spec
Supporting AutoPlay

(http://www.microsoft.com/win32dev/uiguide/uigui276.htm)

Windows supports the ability to automatically run a file when the user inserts removable media that support insertion notification, such as CD-ROM, PCMCIA hard disks, or flash ROM cards. To support this feature, include a file named Autorun.inf in the root directory of the removable media. In this file, include the filename of the file to run, using the following syntax.

[autorun]

open = <e>filename</e>

Unless you specify a path, the system looks for the file in the root of the inserted media. If you want to run a file located in a subdirectory, include a path relative to the root; include that path with the file as in the following example.

open = My Directory\My File.exe

Running the file from a subdirectory does not change the current directory setting. The command-line string you supply can also include parameters or switches.

Because the autoplay feature is intended to provide automatic operation, design the file you specify in the Autorun.inf file to provide visual feedback quickly to confirm the successful insertion of the media. Consider using a startup up window with a graphic or animated sequence. If the process you are automating requires a long load time or requires user input, offer the user the option to cancel the process.

Although you can use this feature to install an application, avoid writing files to the user's local disk without the user's confirmation. Even when you get the user's confirmation, minimize the file storage requirements, particularly for CD-ROM games or educational applications. Consuming a large amount of local file space defeats some of the benefits of the turnkey operation that the autoplay feature provides. Also, because a network administrator or the user can disable this feature, avoid depending on it for any required operations.

You can define the icon that the system displays for the media by including an entry in the Autorun.inf file that includes the filename (and optionally the path) including the icon using the following form.

icon = <e>filename</e>

The filename can specify an icon, a bitmap, an executable, or a dynamic-link library file. If the file contains more than one icon resource, specify the resource with a number after the filename -- for example, My File.exe, 1. The numbering follows the same conventions as the registry. The default path for the file will be relative to the Autorun.inf file. If you want to specify an absolute path for an icon, use the following form.

defaulticon = <e>path</e><idx id=10_RGSTR.DOC-1265>

The system automatically provides a pop-up menu for the icon and includes AutoPlay as the default command on that menu, so that double-clicking the icon will run the Open = line. You can include additional commands on the menu for the icon by adding entries for them in the Autorun.inf file, using the following form.

shell\verb\command = <e>filename</e>

shell\verb = <e>Menu Item Name

</e><idx id=10_RGSTR.DOC-1268>

To define an access key assignment for the command, precede the character with an ampersand (&). For example, to add the command Read Me First to the menu of the icon, include the following in the Autorun.inf file.

shell\readme\command = Notepad.exe My Directory\Readme.txt

shell\readme = Read &Me First

Although AutoPlay is typically the default menu item, you can define a different command to be the default by including the following line.

shell = verb

<idx id=10_RGSTR.DOC-1273>

When the user double-clicks on the icon, the command associated with this entry will be carried out.


Autorun.inf - The concept
Autorun.inf

Simple Example:

Here is an example of an Autorun.inf file:

[AutoRun]

OPEN=Autorun\Autorun.exe

ICON=Autorun\Autorun.exe

Tip:

- The icon file can point to an Icon file instead of en exe file (Autorun\Icon.ico).

- You can use "ICON=Autorun\Autorun.exe,0" if several icons are stored in the file

  (0 is the first).

(Full Specification.)

Advanced Example:

[autorun]

open = setup.exe /i

icon = setup.exe, 1

shell\install = &Install...

shell\install\command = setup.exe /i

shell\readme = &Read Me

shell\readme\command = notepad help\readme.txt

shell\help = &Help

shell\help\command = winhlp32 help\helpfile.hlp

Taking it line by line, this says:

- The default AutoPlay command will be "setup /i"

- The icon for the CD will be the first icon in setup.exe

- Four commands will be added to the right-click pop-up menu:

'Configure...' - which will run "setup /c"

'Install...' -  will run "setup /i" (same as auto-run in this case)

'Read Me' -  launches notepad.exe to display "readme.txt"

'Help' -  displays a 	helpfile with the Win95 help facility


Add custom icon

Go into the \icons dir in the autorun directory (or in the \icons  directory of your CD project) and replace the icons you want. The icons are loaded at runtime.

If you change the icons in the program files directory, all the new projects will have the new icons. Changes to the icons in the project directory only affects the icons used in the current project.

The icons should be 32*32 in size.


Translation

The labels and captions in autorunner can be translated (or changed).

Use the "Tranlsation tab" in inimaker or edit the inifile to update the settings.

See the inifile format for more information about what the settings are.


The Settings
Settings Tabs

The tabs can be used to set the settings. See the inifile format for more

information about what the settings do.