[Mono-dev] Mono Windows setup suggestions

[Kornél Pál]

Hi,

As I see Windows setup was not released yet so I have some suggestions
regarding the setup:

1) GDI+ is required by Mono (System.Drawing) but is not installed.
GDI+ is a redistributable component so we have the right to redistribute it.
Download it from:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=6a63ab9c-df12-4d41-933c-be590feaa05a&DisplayLang=en

Extract gdiplus_dnld.exe then gdiplus.exe, and you will get gdiplus.dll.

There are no special install requirements for gdiplus.dll. But it has to be
installed to the bin directory of Mono not to the Windows system directory.
In addition don't copy this file to Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 or
later. Installing to system directory may cause DLL hell problem, installing
on Windows XP or later versions may cause problems as these operang systems
have their own versions.

Doing what I described is permitted (and may be the only permitted)
redistribution of GDI+.

[Files] line:
Source: gdiplus.dll; DestDir: {app}\bin; Components: mono; OnlyBelowVersion:
0,5.01

2) cyg prefix from DLLs was kindly removed by Zoltán, so you don't have to
take care about it anymore.

3) A would appreciate an option to add Mono\bin to the PATH environment
variable.

4) I don't know the system requirements (especially Windows version and
other required components, Internet Explorer version for example) of Mono on
Windows but it should be documented at least and when possible checked by
the setup.

Just by looking at the functions imported by Mono I think the following:
NT is required because Unicode functions. unicows.dll may be used but the
binaries has to be recompiled so the installer has no support for 9x.

Internet Explorer 5.0 is required because of a bunch of version 5.0 shell
calls.

I think the following should be used
[Setup]
MinVersion=0,4.0sp6

When compiling with unicows.dll the following could possible used:
[Setup]
MinVersion=4.1,4.0sp6

Kornél