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Visual Installer 2015 has now been released

We have now released a new version of our setup tool SamLogic Visual Installer. The name of the new version is SamLogic Visual Installer 2015 and the version number is 10.5. Some new features in the new version are:

• Support for Windows 10.
• Support for Office 2016 and Office 365.
• Support for Visual Studio 2015.
• Support for AutoCAD 2015 and AutoCAD 2016.
• You can now install both 32 bit and 64 bit files from the same installation.
• Clickable e-mail addresses and web addresses can be included in setup dialog boxes.
• Setup packages can now be built without user interaction from build servers and batch files.
• Visual Studio’s solution files (.sln files) are now supported.
• Improved code signing functions.
• Improved support for installation and uninstallation of Excel Add-Ins.
• Improved handling of license keys.
• Improved support for Twitter.

A detailed list with new features in Visual Installer 2015 is available on this web page. In the following blog posts we will describe some of the new features in Visual Installer 2015 in detail.

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CD-Menu Creator 2015 has now been released

A new version of our menu designer tool SamLogic CD-Menu Creator has now been released. The name of the new version is SamLogic CD-Menu Creator 2015 and some of the new features in the new version are:

• Support for Microsoft Windows 10.
• A wizard to create a system with a main menu and sub menus is now available.
• Full Unicode support. You can now create menu interfaces in any language in the world.
• The social media functions now also support Pinterest and Instagram.
• Menus can now be built without user interaction from build servers and batch files.
• The social media functions now also support Pinterest and Instagram.
• The logotype in the menu interface can now be clickable.

A more detailed list with the new features is available on this page. In coming blog posts we will describe the new features in CD-Menu Creator 2015 in more detail.

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An update of Visual Installer 2014 is now available

There is now an update of SamLogic Visual Installer 2014 available. The version number is 10.0.27, and some of the news and improvements in this version are:

• A German language file is now included. Texts in setup dialog boxes and message boxes etc. can now be displayed in German in an easy way. Read more.

• A new script command: UNINSTALL_XRUN. Can be used to run a program during an uninstallation. It works like XRUN, but the command is executed during the uninstallation process. This command is useful if some special processing must be done during the uninstallation process, for example to uninstall a Windows service that was installed during the installation process. The picture below shows an example of usage. Read more.

• A new script command: UNINSTALL_MSIEXEC. Can be used to run an external MSI installation or uninstallation during an uninstallation process. By combining MSIEXEC with UNINSTALL_MSIEXEC you have a nice and easy way to handle both installations and uninstallations of MSI files. The picture below shows an example of usage. Read more.

• Improved error handling when using the code signing functions in Visual Installer.

• Improved error handling when adding files to Visual Installer’s file list through a .DEP file.

• Easier to install side-by-side system files / runtime files like MFC42.DLL.

We have also fixed some bugs and other issues that have been reported. For example:

• Forward slashes in the main destination folder made the installation to fail. Visual Installer now converts forward slashes (“/”) to backslashes (“\”) automatically.

• If the source path was a UNC file path (a file path that starts with “\\”) the installation sometimes failed. Visual Installer now checks that the source path starts with a drive letter.

• Some updates in the English languages file. We have removed some outdated text.

How to download the update
If you have Visual Installer 2014 and a 12 months maintenance plan you can download the update from the following download page:

> Download – Visual Installer 2014 – Latest update

If you have an older version of Visual Installer, for example Visual Installer 2012, you can upgrade to the latest version of Visual Installer from this order page:

> Upgrade to Visual Installer 2014

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A German language file is now included in Visual Installer

In the latest update of Visual Installer 2014 (version 10.0.27) we have included a German language file. So you can now use German text in your setup packages in an easy way.

German text

To choose German language to a setup project you must first open the Special – Language menu item in Visual Installer’s editor. And thereafter you choose the GERMAN.LNG language file in the list that is shown.

Some project specific texts must be entered via the Dialog boxes tab in Visual Installer’s editor, just as before. For example text that you want to show in the Welcome dialog box.

See also
> How do I change language for my setup dialog boxes?
> The ‘Program Files’ folder in different languages (Technical Article)

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How to install and uninstall a Windows service using Visual Installer

The Visual Installer installation tool can be used to install and uninstall a Windows service. By combining the XRUN script command with the new script command UNINSTALL_XRUN this is very easy done. UNINSTALL_XRUN is a new script command that vi added to Visual Installer’s scripting language in the version 10.0.27 update of Visual Installer. UNINSTALL_XRUN runs a program during Visual Installer’s uninstallation process.

XRUN can be used to install (register) the Windows service and UNINSTALL_XRUN can be used to uninstall (unregister) the Windows service. In this new tip on our website we will explain in detail how to install and uninstall a Windows service using the scripting language in Visual Installer 2014 / Professional:

> Tip: How to install a Windows service using script

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New script command in Visual Installer: UNINSTALL_MSIEXEC

Earlier this year we added the MSIEXEC script command to Visual Installer’s script language. MSIEXEC is used to run an MSI installation from a Visual Installer setup package. Windows Installer is used for the setup process. We have now added a new script command that functions like MSIEXEC but it is run during the uninstallation process instead. The name of the new script command is UNINSTALL_MSIEXEC.

Just like MSIEXEC, the UNINSTALL_MSIEXEC command takes three parameters:

%Filename : Full path to the MSI setup package
%Param : Command line parameters to send to Windows Installer
%Wait : Pause Visual Installer until Windows Installer is ready

By combining MSIEXEC with UNINSTALL_MSIEXEC you will have a nice and easy way to support both installation and uninstallation of a MSI setup package in a single Visual Installer project. The picture below shows how to use these two commands in a Visual Installer project:

As you can see, only two lines with script code is needed to handle both an installation and uninstallation of a MSI setup package. MSI_EXEC is run during the installation process and UNINSTALL_MSIEXEC is run during the uninstallation process.

Tips
We have published tips on our website that explains in detail how to use the MSIEXEC and UNINSTALL_MSIEXEC command. Click on the links below to read the tips:

> Tip: How to run an MSI installation from script
> Tip: How to run an MSI uninstallation from script

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Presentation of MultiMailer 2014 / Enterprise

There are three versions of MultiMailer 2014 available, as described in this blog post, and one of the versions has the name MultiMailer 2014 / Enterprise. The Enterprise version is the most feature-rich and powerful version of MultiMailer.

MultiMailerFeatures
Some unique features for the Enterprise version of MultiMailer is:

• Can handle mailing lists with up to 500,000 contacts each.
• Supports encrypted SSL communication with e-mail servers.
• Can be installed on a server and shared by many users.
• Supports virtual machines.

MultiMailer - Enterprise

500,000 contacts
If you need to send e-mail newsletters to hundreds of thousands contacts at once Enterprise is the version for you. Enterprise can handle mailing lists that contains up to 500,000 contacts each. And by using the powerful statistics and analysis functions you can follow when people open your newsletters in real-time.

SSL communication with e-mail servers
MultiMailer / Enterprise can communicate with e-mail servers that requires an encrypted SSL connection, for examples Google’s e-mail server (Gmail’s server).

ServerCan be installed on a server
MultiMailer / Enterprise can be installed on a server on a network and shared by many users. 1 license of MultiMailer / Enterprise can be shared by 10 users.

Supports virtual machines
A virtual machine is a software simulation (emulation) of a computer. By using a virtual machine, many instances of a particular operating system can be run on one physical computer. A virtual machine allows also different operating systems to be installed on the same physical computer. Virtual machines are typically run on servers, but can be run on clients also.

Use of virtual machines is very common today. These allow large companies to reduce the number of physical computers to save money. Many of our customers use virtual machines and we have therefore optimized MultiMailer Enterprise for use in virtual environments. We are also counting licenses in different way, so one license of MultiMailer / Enterprise can be run on 10 virtual machines at the same time (shared by 10 users at the same time).

What does MultiMailer 2014 / Enterprise costs?
If you want to check how much MultiMailer 2014 / Enterprise costs, or order the product, you can visit the following web page:

> Order – SamLogic MultiMailer

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MultiMailer is now available in an Enterprise version

MultiMailerSamLogic MultiMailer 2014 / Enterprise is a new version of our e-mail newsletter marketing tool. The Enterprise version of MultiMailer is adapted for use on servers and is specialized on handling of large mailing lists. One license of MultiMailer / Enterprise can be shared by up to 10 users.

Three versions of SamLogic MultiMailer
There are now three versions of MultiMailer available: Standard, Professional and Enterprise. Below we will describe what the differences are between the three versions:

• MultiMailer / Standard: Suited for those who send a few thousands newsletters per month and do not need statistics and analysis functions.

• MultiMailer / Professional: Suited for those who send up to 50 000 newsletters per month and who needs powerful functions for statistics and analysis.

• MultiMailer / Enterprise: Suited for those who send up to 500 000 newsletters per month and/or want to install MultiMailer on a server. Functions for statistics and analysis are included.

Prices and Order
If you want to check the prices of the different versions, or if you want to make an order, you can visit the following web page:
> Order – SamLogic MultiMailer

More information
> SamLogic MultiMailer 2014 – Features (Standard / Professional / Enterprise)
> Presentation of MultiMailer 2014 / Enterprise

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Updated CD-Menu Creator 2014 with many improvements

We have now released an update of SamLogic CD-Menu Creator 2014. The version number of the update is 7.5.9 and contains many improvements of the tool. Below are some examples of news in the updated CD-Menu Creator:

– CD-Menu Creator supports now the OpenType font format.
– The menu template gallery has been extended with more menu templates. Read more.
– More menu interface examples have been included. Read more.

How to download the update
If you have CD-Menu Creator 2014 and a 12 months maintenance plan you can download the update from the following download page:

> Download – CD-Menu Creator 2014 – Latest update

If you have an older version of CD-Menu Creator, for example CD-Menu Creator 2012, you can upgrade to the latest version of CD-Menu Creator from this order page:

> Upgrade to CD-Menu Creator 2014

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USB AutoRun Creator can now handle SD memory cards

SD memory cardWe have now released version 2.0 of USB AutoRun Creator and the new version of the tool has been extended to also support SD memory cards (for example SDHC cards and a SDXC cards). So it is now possible to add AutoRun capabilities also to SD memory cards.

It works in a similar way as USB flash drives. When the user inserts the SD memory card into the card slot, a menu interface, a program or a document is opened automatically. Or if you prefer, a video starts playing automatically on the screen.

The same security system is used for SD memory cards as for USB flash drives, so only files distributed from you will be opened automatically. If somebody changes the contents after creation, nothing will happen.

Supports all Windows from Windows XP to Windows 8.1
The following operating systems are supported by the updated AutoRun function (that handles SD memory cards): Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.

More information
More information is available on the following web page:
> USB AutoRun Creator – Add AutoRun to a SD Memory Card