11- How to create your own libraries of object and install them on other computers.

The use of this tutorial is at your own risks.  Read it once up to the end before trying anything.
(If all this looks too complicated to you, try the tip #16 instead.)

In the early versions of DecoTech™, we have made an utility program named Library Packer Program to help us in the creation of the compressed installation files.  No documentation has never be written for this utility program because it has been created only for our own internal use.  However, because some advanced users frequently asked us to send them this utility program to let them to create and to distribute their own library, we have decided to include it on the DecoTech™ CD-ROM.

You can find this utility program in your hard disk at this location : "....\DecoTech\bin\packer.exe"

If you do not matter to pack unnecessary files, go directly to Part #2.  This utility program is very rudimentary, so if you do not want to pack all but only some specific files in a specific category, you will need to delete then from your hard disk before starting the compression.  Part #1 explains how to do it safely.

The available categories are listed in the "....\DecoTech\bin\packer.exe" program when you select the Customize button.  Do NOT select the Start compression button for the moment.

Part #1 of 4 : Preparing each category by eliminating unwanted files.

You will need some disk space, so, before going any further, verify if you have enough free space.

First, use the Windows Explorer program to make a copy of your "....\DecoTech\" folder.  We will work with the "....\Copy of DecoTech\" folder and it is in that folder that we will delete the unwanted files.  In the "....\Copy of DecoTech\bin\" folder, double-click on the "dt_se.exe" file to run the Scene Editor program.  Do not use the existing shortcuts or icons because they point to the original folder.

Now within the Scene Editor program you can delete the unwanted Scene files, Image files, Adding Preferences files, Group-Object files, etc.  See tip #9 for more information about how to delete many object files at the same time.  If you plan to not pack a specific category, you do not need to delete any file in that specific category.  Use the Pattern Editor program to delete Patterns files, the Cabinet Editor program to delete Cabinet files and so on.  Always run a program by double-clicking on its file name in the "....\Copy of DecoTech\bin\" folder.

When you will have finished to delete all the unwanted files, you will be ready to go to Part #2.

Part #2 of 4 : Packing the files.

Run the Library Packer Program by double-clicking on the "....\DecoTech\bin\packer.exe" or "....\Copy of DecoTech\bin\packer.exe" program file name.

Select the Customize button to unselect, in each section, the category items that you do not want to pack.  Always unselect in each section the Program item, Electronic User's Guide item and Micro Help Text Files item.  Always unselect all items in the Miscellaneous and System Files sections.

Be careful with the following items because they can generate very huge compressed files : Scene Sample item, 3D Perspective Samples item and Animation Samples item.  Unselect them if you do not need them.  The size of a compressed file cannot exceed the capacity of the medium you will use to save it.  Floppy disk = 1.44 MB, Zip disk = 100 MB, CD-Rom = 650 MB, etc.

Tips : If you select the Apply next selection operation on all sections check box, next time you select the Select All button, Inverse All button or Unselect All button, the action will be applied to the items of all the sections.

When you will have finished to unselect all the unwanted categories, you will be ready to start the compression by selecting the Start compression button.

Part #3 of 4 : Preparing the installation files.

All the compressed files have been saved into a newly created folder named "....\DecoTech\PSZFILES\" or "....\Copy of DecoTech\PSZFILES\".  Use the Windows Explorer program and go to that folder.  If all the contents of this folder can fit on one unit of the medium of your choice (like a zip disk), your task will be easy. Otherwise, it will be a little more complicated because you will need to save the compressed files on several units (disks).  We will take the second case for our demonstration and we will supposed that we will use 1.44 MB floppy disks.

Copy the "FSZFILES" folder in the root directory of disk #1.  Not its contents but the folder itself.  Copy the "DISK0001.ID" file in the root directory of each disk but rename it "DISK0002.ID" for disk #2 and so on.  Double-click on the "########.TXT" file name.  The file will normally open in the Notepad program. (The signification of the ######## number is MMddHHmm : MM = month[01,12], dd = day[01,31], HH = hour[00,23] and mm = minute[00,59]).  From the File menu select Save As... and save the file in the root directory of disk #1 under the "INSTALL.INI" file name.

In the "INSTALL.INI" file you can set only the following entries : Install_Mode, Request_Mode, Version, Revision_Date, Revision_Time, Installation_Title.  Possible values and restrictions are listed at the top of this file.  Revision_Time entry uses 24 hours format.

Add and set extra Disk_Name_#### entries for each extra disk that you need.  Use Disk_Name_0002 for disk #2 and so on.   From the File menu select Save to reserve enough space on disk #1.

Copy the ".PSZ" files to fill disk #1, then disk #2 and so on.  To avoid wasting space, it is easier when you begin with larger files and finish with the smaller ones to completely fill each disk.

Back in the "INSTALL.INI" file, set the DiskNumber field of each Item_#### entry to the disk number where you have saved its ".PSZ" file.  The corresponding ".PSZ" file name of a specific Item_#### entry is written in its FileName.PSZ field. (Item_####: "Datas Name", DiskNumber, "FileName.PSZ", UnpackSize)

Finally insert disk #1 in drive and from the File menu select Save, then select Exit.  If you are sure that you have copied all the files, delete the "PSZFILES" folder.

Part #4 of 4 : Testing the installation of the files.

If you are using a re-writable medium (disk), it will be a good idea to set it as Read-only.

From the target DecoTech™ folder, where you want to install the files, run the Library Installer Program ("....\DecoTech\bin\libinst.exe").  In the next window, select the source folder or the drive where you have inserted the medium (disk) #1.  If you have setup correctly the "INSTALL.INI" file, the installation will work perfectly.  Otherwise, find your error and retry.

If you have done Part #1 and if the testing of the installation was successful, you can now delete the "....\Copy of DecoTech\" folder from your hard disk to free space.