Exe file for IDE setup is built successfully, but it doesn't start.

[francescoflo]

Today my colleague liusen raised an issue with the setup.exe file built (squirrel installer). Basically, the build log said SUCCESS, but nothing happens once we execute the .exe file. Could you please share here the file you can create on Windows so that we can check the differences?

[jonah-iden]

i uploaded my squirrel installer here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JBj4mKA4H6_hef_UbGHqTRRGZKAxL4th/view?usp=share_link
and the zip from my package here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dpAthb03le3Wrjw5anxxmCxsw3hvBrvY/view?usp=share_link

Both work fine for me on my windows machine

[francescoflo]

Hi, I have built the squirrel package with the latest source code and this is the result:

I have tried to run the .exe file and it started after 3 minutes. This is the video of the run:
https://github.com/TypeFox/huawei-ide/assets/129846629/01252cc4-ea1f-4299-aeef-62e7c3d89f7a

Almost the same behavior as the .exe downloaded from Jonah build.

Once the installation is completed, I can find the IDE in the folder C:\Users\${user}\AppData\Local\oniro_ide_electron\app-0.0.0 and start the file oniro-ide-electron.exe takes seconds.

May I assume is it the correct behavior?

[jonah-iden]

yes thats correct. This is sadly really slow right now, but will be optimized alot when this PR eclipse-theia/theia#12412 from mark gets merged and we update to the Theia version containing it

[francescoflo]

Can a loading bar be added to show the users the installation is going on?

[jonah-iden]

not that i know of. The whole installer is not really in our hands when using Squirrel. Here is the documentation for it https://www.electronforge.io/config/makers/squirrel.windows. Though for me a window is popping up as soon as i start the installation, with some animation.
We could try using https://www.electronforge.io/config/makers/wix-msi instead. But its not recommended and needs some prerequisites on the building machine.
The only other option i can think of is to build our own installer based on the zip file

[jonah-iden]

or maybe appX is a possiblility? https://www.electronforge.io/config/makers/appx. This creates files for windows store type apps

[francescoflo]

Ok, thanks for the detailed answer. For now, it's not a priority, but a good way to let the users know the installation is going on. I will have a look at the links you share :)

[qcjxs]

why not use Electron Builder which contain progress bar? https://www.electron.build/ .

[jonah-iden]

because Electron Builder is an old 3rd party tool, which we don't know how long it will still be supported.
Electron forge is supposed replace it as the new standard

[jonah-iden]

Another option i just found is that Windows.Squirrel lets you define a custom Gif file which will be displayed while the installation is running. So we could create our own Gif with a loading animation the Huawei Logo and a Message saying this takes a few minutes.

[jonah-iden]

Hi, i created a PR here for building MSI installers for electron.
Those have a progerssbar by default and can further be custimized alot though configuration as seen here: https://js.electronforge.io/interfaces/_electron_forge_maker_wix.MakerWixConfig.html

The downside with this is just that the prerequisites can be quite bothersome to setup

[qcjxs]

Both exe and msi are used by Windows. Are we talking about switching from electron-forge to Electron Builder?

[jonah-iden]

Are you referring to the squirrel installers with exe? In previous meetings we discussed that the squirrel installers weren't working for you and you wanted a more classic windows installer with progress bar. Thats why this was a much easier and quicker solution than switching over to electron builder.

[qcjxs]

We want to implement an NSIS-based installation, which electron builder can do, so we want to abandon squirrel installers and choose electron builder.

[jonah-iden]

oh ok. In that case the project needs to be migrated to electron-builder. It's probably best we discuss this in the Meeting in an hour

[jonah-iden]

Here is a PR for using electron-builder wth NSIS installers configured for windows #83

[msujew]

#83 has been merged. Please let us know whether that works for you @qcjxs.

[qcjxs]

Yes, we've tested it. It does work. Thank you.@msujew