Silent Installs

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Note:Assumes knowledge of Windows Command Prompt commands and environment variables.

How to make a silent installer for TextPad.

First, extract the MSI file from the downloaded ZIP file as follows:

1. Extract SETUP.EXE from the ZIP file using Explorer.
2. setup.exe /s /x /b"C:\FolderInWhichMSIWillBeExtracted" /v"/qn"

Then, MSIEXEC can then be used to install TextPad with that MSI file. Its command-line options are documented here:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... 85%29.aspx

For example, to specify the installation folder in silent mode:

Code: Select all

msiexec /quiet /i c:\path\to\textpad.msi TARGETDIR=C:\UserApps\TextPad

The MSI file can also be edited to create any registry keys and install the license key file, using a tool such as Orca:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/window ... i/orca-exe

To create the license key file the first time, run the downloaded setup program normally, and follow the instructions in the email you receive after purchasing TextPad. Afterwards, look for TextPadPKE.xml in the following folders, in this order:

1. %PROGRAMDATA%\Helios\TextPad
2. %APPDATA%\Helios\TextPad

This article explains how to use Orca to add an external file, such as TextPadPKE.xml, to an MSI:

https://www.advancedinstaller.com/edit- ... ative.html

Last edited on 2023/08/24 to change the above URL.