SamLogic Software Blog - Page 2 of 29 - This blog contains the latest news about our software

2023-06-272023-06-27

An update of Visual Installer 2022 is now available

There is now an update of SamLogic Visual Installer 2022 available. The version number is 12.0.10, and we have fixed some bugs and made som minor improvements in the new version. We have also added some new script commands to Visual Installer’s script language:

SHOW : Opens a document.
SHOW_AFTER : Opens a document – when the installation is completed.
RUN_AFTER : Runs a program – when the installation is completed.

These new script commands give more flexibility when external programs are run or documents are opened during an installation. See this blog post for more information.

How to download the update
If you have Visual Installer 2022 and a 12 months maintenance plan or an active subscription on Media Tools / Development Tools you can download the update from the following download page:

> Download – Visual Installer 2022 – Latest update

If you have an older version of Visual Installer, for example Visual Installer 2018 or Visual Installer 2020, you can upgrade to the latest version of Visual Installer from this order page:

> Upgrade to Visual Installer 2022

2023-06-272023-06-28

How to run a program or open a document via script

In the previous two blog posts we described how to run a program or show a document after an installation, when running a setup package created with Visual Installer. It is also possible to run a program or open a document via Visual Installer´s script language.

One benefit of using script for running a program or opening a document is that you can use a conditional check before you run/open the file. You can for example run different versions of a program depending on which operating system the installation is run in. For example:

// Run only in Windows 10
IF OS=WIN10
RUN %DESTDIR\MyWin10App.exe
END IF

// Run only in Windows 11
IF OS=WIN11
RUN %DESTDIR\MyWin11App.exe
END IF

In the same way you can open and show a particular document based on a condition. For example:

// Open and show only in Windows 10
IF OS=WIN10
SHOW_AFTER %DESTDIR\For_Win10_Users.pdf
END IF

// Open and show only in Windows 11
IF OS=WIN11
SHOW_AFTER %DESTDIR\For_Win11_Users.pdf
END IF

The RUN command above (example 1) is executed immediately and the SHOW_AFTER command above (example 2) is executed when the installation is completed. Read more below.

Script commands in Visual Installer that run programs
These three script commands can be used to run programs during an installation:

RUN : Runs a program.
XRUN : Runs a program – with additional options.
RUN_AFTER : Runs a program – when the installation is completed.

Script commands in Visual Installer that open documents
These two script commands can be used to open documents during an installation:

SHOW : Opens a document.
SHOW_AFTER : Opens a document – when the installation is completed.

The RUN, XRUN and SHOW commands are executed immediately, when the script line is executed, but the RUN_AFTER and SHOW_AFTER commands delays it execution till the installation is completed and the last setup dialog box has been closed.

The RUN_AFTER and SHOW_AFTER commands are new commands that were included in version 12.0.10 of Visual Installer (read more).

2023-06-182023-06-18

How to show a document after an installation

In this blog post that we posted last week on our blog we described how to run a program after that an installation (created with Visual Installer) is completed. It is also possible to show a document (for example a PDF document) after the installation, and below we will describe how to do that.

In the tip below we assume that you want to give the user an opportunity to open a PDF document with the name ReadMe.pdf. Reading the document is optional, but if the user want to read it, it will be opened when the user closes the last installation dialog box in the setup wizard. Below are the tip steps:

1. Select the document file in the installation project’s file list (ReadMe.pdf in our case).

File list

2. Right click over the selection.

3. Choose the Show this document after installation menu item in the local menu that appear.

4. The dialog box below is now shown:

Show document after installation

5. Confirm that the file path (at Document) is ok.

6. Select the Show check box in the ‘Installation completed’ dialog box option.

7. Check that the text at Check box text is ok.

8. Click on OK.

When your user run the installation, there will be a check box in the last installation dialog box, where the user can decide if he/she wants to read the document or not. See the picture below for an example of how it may look like:

Installation Completed

If the check box is selected, the document that you specified will be opened and shown when the user closes the installation dialog box (for example by clicking on the Exit button).

The dialog box that is shown at step 4 above can also be opened via the Special menu in Visual Installer’s editor.

2023-06-082023-06-18

How to run a program after an installation

Sometimes there is a need to start a program immediately after the installation. This is possible with our installation tool Visual Installer.

If the program that you want to run is included in the installation project’s file list, you can follow the steps below:

1. Select the program file in the installation project’s file list.

File list

2. Right click over the selection.

3. Choose the Run this program after installation menu item in the local menu that appear.

4. The dialog box below is now shown:

Run program after installation

5. Confirm that the file path (at Filename) is ok.

6. If you need to send a parameter to the program, enter it at Parameters.

7. Check the other settings. Change if you need.

8. Click on OK.

Now the program file that you selected in the steps above will be run when the installation is completed. It will be run after the last dialog box in the installation is closed.

You can open the Run program after installation dialog box (that is shown at step 4 above) also by choosing the menu item Run program after installation in Visual Installer´s Special menu. The same dialog box will be shown. But there is one difference; if you open the dialog box this way, the file path at Filename will not pre-filled. You need to enter it manually.

The program that you want to run after the installation does not need to exist in the file list. But if you want to run a program outside your setup package, you need to be careful and make sure that it exists at the specified location.

2023-05-292023-05-29

SamLogic Software has a new postal and visitor address

SamLogic Software has moved to a new office in a new location, and we have changed our postal and visitor address to the following:

New postal address:
SamLogic Software
Koriandergrand 6
135 36 TYRESO
SWEDEN

New visitor address:
SamLogic Software
Gotlandsgatan 44
116 65 STOCKHOLM
SWEDEN

Social media:
> Facebook
> Twitter
> YouTube

E-mail:
info@samlogic.com

2023-03-222023-04-19

An update of MultiMailer 2022 is now available

There is now an update of SamLogic MultiMailer 2022 available. The version number is 10.5.31, and some of the news and improvements in this version are:

– More secure encryption for data sent via clickable links.
– You can now turn off click statistics but keep open statistics.
– Improved handling of temporary soft bounces from anti-spam filter.
– Improved handling of bounces due to DMARC violations.
– Possible to export only selected data from the ‘Bounces’ tab.
– Increased support for ALT text tags.
– Easier to edit existing pictures and buttons in newsletters.
– New language supported: French.

How to download the update
If you have MultiMailer 2022 and a 12 months maintenance plan or an active subscription on Media Tools, you can download the update of MultiMailer 2022 from the following download page:

> Download – MultiMailer 2022 – Latest update

If you have an older version of MultiMailer (before 2022) you can upgrade to the latest version of MultiMailer from this order page:

> Upgrade to MultiMailer 2022

2023-02-282023-04-06

How to change font size for the tip text in a menu

Do you want to use a larger font size for the button’s tip text in a menu interface created with CD-Menu Creator or USB Menu Creator? This is possible.

When you hover the mouse pointer above a button in a menu interface, a tip text is shown in the bottom left or bottom right part of the menu interface. The font size of this tip text can be changed. If you add one of these two prefix before the text in the tip text, you will have larger font size for the tip text:

[L] : increase the font height with 25%
[XL] : increase the font height with 50%

For example, to increase the font size with 25%, enter the [L] prefix before the text:

[L] This is a tip text.

You can add and edit the tip text via the Add Button and Edit Button dialog boxes in the CD-Menu Creator and USB Menu Creator editor:

Below you can see the size of the tip text when the [L] and the [XL] prefix are used. In the first example is the [L] prefix used and in the second example is the [XL] prefix used.

Example 1: [L] – Large font size

Example 2: [XL] – Extra-Large font size

2023-01-302023-02-15

Tips for improving computer and network performance

Improving computer performance

Does your computer or Wi-Fi feels slow? Below are links to some informative tip articles that will help you to improve the performance of your computer and your Wi-Fi:

Computer:

Microsoft:
1. 10 tips to improve PC performance in Windows

Windows Central:
2. 20 tips and tricks to increase PC performance on Windows 10

Computerworld:
3. 17 ways to speed up Windows 10

PC Mag:
4. 12 Simple Tips to Speed Up Windows

Wi-Fi:

HighSpeedInternet.com:
5. Improve Your Wi-Fi Speed in 10 Simple Steps

WIRED:
6. 11 Ways to Upgrade Your Wi-Fi and Make Your Internet Faster

2023-01-162023-04-05

SamLogic – Top Lists 2022 – Most read articles / blog posts and most viewed videos

Below you can find top lists with SamLogic’s most read articles, tips, blog posts and newsletter issues, and most viewed videos, during 2022. Click on a link below to view the contents.

Top List: Most read articles
Here is a list with the 3 most read articles on our website during 2022:

🥇 1. What is Code Signing / Digital Signature / Digital Certificate?
🥈 2. Extended Validation (EV) Code Signing in Windows 10
🥉 3. DKIM – How to add this to your domain

A list with all of our articles can be found on this web page.

Top List: Most read blog posts
Here is a list with the 3 most read blog posts during 2022:

🥇 1. Visual Installer 2022 has now been released
🥈 2. Infographic: How does USB AutoRun Creator works?
🥉 3. CD-Menu Creator 2022 has now been released

To read more blog post on our blog, visit this page.

Top List: Most viewed videos
Here is a list with the 3 most viewed videos on our YouTube channel during 2022:

🥇 1. Creating a setup package for a VB.NET application (Visual Installer)
🥈 2. How to import a Visual Basic 6 project (Visual Installer)
🥉 3. CD-Menu Creator – Tutorial – How to create a basic menu (CD-Menu Creator)

You can find more videos on our YouTube channel.

Top List: Most read tips
Here is a list with the 3 most read tips (for our software) during 2022:

🥇 1. How to test if Microsoft Access or Microsoft Excel is installed (Visual Installer)
🥈 2. How to use a product gallery in MultiMailer (MultiMailer)
🥉 3. How to use MultiMailer with a Google Gmail server (MultiMailer)

You can find links to more tips on this web page.

Top List: Most read newsletter issues
Here is a list with the 3 most read newsletter issues during 2022:

🥇 1. Visual Installer 2022 and MultiMailer 2022 has now been released
🥈 2. Visual Installer 2022 / Enterprise – New version with extra features
🥉 3. Both Menu Creator 2022 and MultiMailer 2022 have a powerful gallery function

Links to all newsletter issues for 2022 can be found on this web page.