Confused? Have a look at the side-by-side features comparison between our
installer products.
The completed package was compact, the software was well thought
out and easy to use. [...] There should be more software like it [Roger D.]
| |
QuickInstall 2
|
ExpertInstall 3
|
Installer 5
|
| |
 |
 |
 |
| Price |
US$99 (per developer) |
US$398 (per developer)*
*$199 with individual/small business discount |
US$398 (per developer)*
*$199 with individual/small business discount |
| Audience |
Casual developers |
Professional developers |
Professional developers |
| Approach |
Ready-made installer |
Full-featured and fully authorable |
Full-featured and fully authorable |
| Trial period |
Unlimited |
Unlimited |
Unlimited |
| Royalty-free |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Technical support |
Free |
Free |
Free |
| Installer types |
Tarma native v2 installers |
Tarma native v3 installers
MSI installers |
Tarma native v5 installers |
| MSI support |
n/a |
Yes |
Only merge module import |
| .Net support |
n/a |
Yes (ExpertInstall 3.1 and later) |
Yes |
| Windows SxS support |
n/a |
n/a |
Yes (Installer 5.1 and later) |
| Windows Vista Restart Manager support |
n/a |
n/a |
Yes |
| Windows Mobile support |
n/a |
n/a |
Yes (Installer 5.2 and later) |
| Installation platforms |
Windows 95, 98, Me, NT4, 2000, XP, and later |
Tarma: Windows 95, 98, Me, NT4, 2000,
XP, 2003, Vista, and later including x64 editions
MSI: Windows 98, Me, NT4, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, including x64
editions |
Desktop: Windows 95, 98, Me, NT4, 2000,
XP, Vista, and later, including x64 editions.
Server: Windows NT4 Server editions, Server 2000, 2003, 2008, and
later, including x64 editions and Windows Server 2008 Core installations
(both GUI and non-interactive modes are supported on Core versions).
Mobile: PocketPC and SmartPhone 2003 and later, including Windows Mobile
5 and 6. |
| Installs 64-bit executables on 64-bit Windows |
n/a |
Yes, with some limitations |
Yes, fully supported |
| Development platforms |
Windows 98, Me, NT4, 2000, XP, and later |
Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, and later |
Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, and later,
including x64 editions and Server editions. |
| Development environment |
...combines the benefits of a wizard approach
with instantaneous access to each part of your project, full drag
& drop support, fill-in-the-blanks editing, more than 200 different
preflight checks, and extensive context-sensitive online help |
Same (more than 450 preflight checks) |
Same (more than 500 preflight checks) |
| Installs and removes |
...programs, documents, images, multi-media
files, TrueType® and OpenType® fonts, ActiveX controls, COM
servers, type libraries, WinHelp files, device drivers, services,
registry updates, INI files, environment variables, program groups,
shortcuts, and third-party tools |
Same, with many new options and additional
support for .Net assemblies |
Same, with many new options and additional support
for .Net assemblies, automatic .Net and MSI prerequisite installation, and Windows side-by-side assemblies with automatic fallback on older systems. |
| Platform-dependent installations |
...allow you to specify the exact Windows
versions for each installation item |
...allow you to specify the exact Windows
versions for each component |
Same, with additional processor options (x86, x64, ia64) |
| Multilingual support |
...in 27 languages,
including localized Readme and License texts and language-dependent
file installation |
...in any language supported by Windows, for
any text and screen in the installer. Translations into 12 languages
included. |
...in any language supported by Windows, for any
text and screen in the installer. Translations into 16 languages included. |
| Single-file distributions |
...with Authenticode® signatures for secure
Internet downloads, CD-ROM distribution, or any other channel |
Same |
Same |
| Password-protected |
...installation packages for greater security |
Same |
Same |
As I said, this package is wonderful. I downloaded several install
constructors and tested them and this was the only one with an interface and
flow that I actually liked to work with. [Joe B.]
| Development environment |
| Smart defaults |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Preflight checks |
More than 200 |
More than 450 |
More than 500 |
| File and project import |
Tarma Setup 1.x
Visual Basic 5/6 projects
REGEDIT4 files |
Tarma Installer 2.x
MSI databases
MSI merge modules
Visual Basic 5/6 projects
REGEDIT4 and RegEdit 5.00 files |
Tarma Installer 2.x
Tarma ExpertInstall 3.x
MSI merge modules
Visual Basic 5/6 projects
REGEDIT4 and RegEdit 5.00 files |
| Dynamic file inclusion |
n/a |
Yes, per-folder watch lists allow you to specify
wildcard patterns of files for automatic inclusion in the project. |
Yes, with enhanced recursive per-folder
watch lists. |
| Multiple build configurations |
n/a |
Yes |
Yes |
| Build-time variables |
n/a |
Yes, you can define configuration-specific
variables for use in build-time conditions and as regular variables. |
Same |
| Build-time conditions |
n/a |
Yes, components and features can be selectively
included or excluded from a build based on build-time conditions |
Same |
| One-keystroke project builds |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Preflight checks only |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| GUI build mode |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Batch build mode |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Custom build actions |
Pre-and post-build |
Pre-all, pre-check, pre-build, post-build,
post-all |
Same |
| Build log |
Yes |
Yes, plus separate build manifest |
Same |
Anyway, we haven't spoken before, but I just wanted to drop you
a note and say that I love your installer product! Small and to-the-point!
With code bloat at amazing levels these days, it's cool to see that people
know how to make things tiny and powerful still. [Brian M.]
| |
QuickInstall 2 |
ExpertInstall 3 |
Installer 5 |
| Approach |
Ready-made installer |
Full-featured and fully authorable |
Full-featured and fully authorable |
| Setup stubs |
32-bit ANSI |
Tarma: 32-bit ANSI, 32-bit Unicode
MSI: System-provided |
32-bit ANSI, 32-bit Unicode, x64 Unicode |
| Compression method |
Deflate |
Deflate or LZMA (Tarma), Cab/LZX
(MSI) |
Deflate or LZMA |
| System requirements |
Windows 95, 98, Me, NT4, 2000,
XP, Vista, 2003 |
Tarma: Windows 95, 98, Me,
NT4, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, and later including x64 editions
MSI: Windows 98, Me, NT4, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, including x64
editions |
Desktop: Windows 95, 98,
Me, NT4, 2000, XP, Vista, and later, including x64 editions.
Server: Windows NT4 Server editions, Server 2000, 2003, 2008, and
later, including x64 editions and Windows Server 2008 Core installations
(both GUI and non-interactive modes are supported on Core versions).
Mobile: PocketPC and SmartPhone 2003 and later, including Windows
Mobile 5 and 6. |
| Installation package |
| Packaging styles |
- Self-extracting installer
- Plain file installer
|
- Self-extracting installer (Tarma)
- Standard .msi package (MSI)
- Self-extracting bootstrap loader with optional MSI download and
updates (MSI)
|
- Self-extracting installer
- Plain file installer
- Loader + Archive (with disk spanning)
- Loader + Download
All packaging options can be mixed in each installer; see Installer
packaging.
|
| Package identification |
VERSIONINFO resource reflects
product name, version, copyright, etc. (self-extracting installers
only) |
VERSIONINFO resource reflects
product name, version, copyright, etc. (self-extracting installers);
Summary info reflects product name, version, copyright, etc. (standard
.msi packages) |
VERSIONINFO resource reflects product
name, version, copyright, etc. |
| Custom icon |
Yes |
Yes (not on standard .msi packages) |
Yes |
| Password protection |
Yes (self-extracting installers only) |
Yes (not on standard .msi packages) |
Yes |
| Digital signatures |
Yes (Authenticode), self-extracting
installers only |
Yes (Authenticode) on all package
styles |
Yes (Authenticode) |
| Installation features |
| Platform-dependent installation |
Yes |
Yes (Tarma only) |
Yes |
| Language-dependent installation |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Component-based installation |
n/a |
Yes |
Yes |
| Feature-based installation |
n/a |
Yes |
Yes |
| .Net assembly installation |
n/a |
Yes (3.1 and later) |
Yes |
| Installation of Windows side-by-side assemblies (e.g. VS2005 and VS2008 runtime libs) |
n/a |
n/a |
Yes (Installer 5.1 and later) |
| Conditional installation and
actions |
Limited |
Yes, full conditional expression
syntax |
Yes, full conditional expression syntax
with further enhancements |
| Nested installations |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Reboot management |
Manual or automatic |
Manual, automatic, or programmatic |
Manual, automatic, or programmatic;
interacts with Vista Restart Manager where required. |
| Uninstaller options |
Register/Do not register |
Normal, Hidden, None |
Normal, Hidden, Add-on, None. A/RP Change option can be suppressed. |
| File and folder installation |
| General installation |
Yes |
Yes, with many new options |
Yes, with many new options |
| Version checks |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Reference counting |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Windows File Protection (WFP) compliance |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Automatic rollback and restore |
n/a |
Yes |
Yes |
| Delayed file copying for in-use files |
Yes |
Yes, with additional protection |
Yes, with additional protection |
| Folder installation options |
Create on demand |
Create on demand, Create always |
Create on demand, Create always |
| Folder removal options |
Remove if empty |
Remove if empty, Remove with files, Remove with files and subfolders (not all supported by MSI) |
Remove if empty, Remove with files, Remove with files and subfolders |
| File installation options |
Always, Newer, Already present, Not present |
Always, Newer, Not modified, Already present, Not present (not all supported by MSI) |
Always, Newer, Not modified, Already present, Not present |
| File removal options |
Always |
Always, If installed, Restore original, Keep (not all supported by MSI) |
Always, If installed, Restore original, Keep |
| System editing |
| App Paths registration |
Yes (main executable only) |
Yes, any executable file (Tarma
only) |
Yes, any executable file |
| Registry keys and values |
Yes, any type |
Yes, any type; many new options |
Yes, any type; many new options |
| INI files |
Yes |
Yes, with many new options |
Yes, with many new options |
| Environment variables |
Yes |
Yes, with many new options |
Yes, with many new options |
| Key installation options |
Create on demand |
Create on demand, Create always |
Create on demand, Create always |
| Key removal options |
Remove if empty |
Remove if empty, Remove with values, Remove with values and subkeys (not all supported by MSI) |
Remove if empty, Remove with values, Remove with values and subkeys |
| Value installation options |
Replace, Append, Keep existing |
Overwrite, Append, Prepend, If present, If not present (not all supported by MSI) |
Overwrite, Append, Prepend, If present, If not present |
| Value removal options |
Always, Never |
Remove always, Remove if not modified, Remove partial, Restore original, Keep (not all supported by MSI) |
Remove always, Remove if not modified, Remove partial, Restore original, Keep |
| File types (incl. extensions
and shell verbs) |
(via registry editing) |
Yes |
Yes |
| MIME types |
(via registry editing) |
Yes |
Yes |
| COM classes and servers |
(via registry editing) |
Yes |
Yes |
| DCOM servers |
(via registry editing) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Typelibs |
(via registry editing) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Services and drivers |
(via registry editing) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Installer extensions |
Extension DLL
Custom actions (executable or ShellExecute) |
Extension DLL
Custom actions (14 Tarma, 9 MSI) |
Extension DLL
Custom actions (many) |
| Pre-installation features |
| Installation levels |
Administrator or no check |
Administrator, All Users, Current User, or
no check |
Administrator, All Users, Current User, or no check |
| Target system requirements |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes, including CPU architecture |
| Installation of prerequisites |
n/a |
MSI runtime (MSI only) |
.Net and MSI runtime predefined, plus unlimited custom handlers |
| Readme information |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| License Agreement |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Customer registration with validation |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Previous version uninstall |
Yes |
Yes (Tarma only), plus arbitrary product uninstalls |
Yes, plus arbitrary product uninstalls |
| Multilingual support |
| Language selection |
User or automatic |
User or automatic (Tarma only) |
User or automatic |
| Localized Readme and License
Agreement texts |
Yes |
Yes (all installer resources
are localizable) |
Yes (all installer resources are localizable) |
| Language-dependent file installation |
Yes |
Yes (all components can be language-dependent) |
Yes (all components can be language-dependent) |
| Language model |
Multilingual or per-language
installers |
Multilingual or per-language
installers (MSI only per-language) |
Multilingual or per-language installers |
| Languages included |
27
languages included (Arabic, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional,
Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German,
Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian,
Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Serbian, Spanish (Modern),
Spanish (Mexico), Swedish, Turkish) |
12 languages included (Czech,
Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish,
Swedish); you can add your own translations with the built-in localization
editors |
16 languages included (Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Czech,
Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese
(Brazil), Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish); you can add your own
translations with the built-in localization editors |