self-extracting installer

Is there a way to generate a self-extracting archive with php?

I need to place some user-specific files in a certain location.

And where is that "certain" location? On the client or on the server?

Originally posted by mordred
And where is that "certain" location? On the client or on the server?

-Client.

I'm not especially sure why i would need to create a self-extracting archive if it was going to stay on the server. :p

**Additional extremely unnecessary clarification note:**
-by "self-extracting archive," i mean an archive which contains necessary information for extracting the files contained within.:D

heh j/k

I think i mighta found something anyway but all the documentation is in german heh... bleh.

Still open to suggestions!!

_shecky

You cannot create files on the client without active X control; but such active X control would not be allowed to run in anything but the most insanely insecure environments.

You need to let go of the idea that you can create, silently download, or otherwise manipulate files on a user's local file system.

Originally posted by brothercake
You cannot create files on the client without active X control; but such active X control would not be allowed to run in anything but the most insanely insecure environments.

You need to let go of the idea that you can create, silently download, or otherwise manipulate files on a user's local file system.

bro,

what i mean is create a kind of installer package which the user would downloaded and then run.

I think YOU need to let go of the silent download thing... heh :p

_shecky

The user needs to have PHP installed on his machine or PHP must be able to reach the user's file through the filesystem (a la a user's homedir on a server).
Otherwise, if it's just about some files that should be copied to a certain location, serve them packaged as a zip file.

If you intend to build a client app then maybe PHP is not the right language for this job.

@shecky:
Your signature is quite moronic.

Originally posted by Shecky
what i mean is create a kind of installer package which the user would downloaded and then run.
Oh, well, you can use WinZip to create self-extracting archives; you can also create zip-files on the server if you have the right extensions; but whether those server extensions can create self-extractors, I don't know. Probably not, I suspect, but if you look for a suitable extension, its documentation will tell you what it can do.

Originally posted by mordred
@shecky:
Your signature is quite moronic.
Indeed. Shecky, I think you mave have over done it. No one will force you to like someone but you are most likely over the other side of you world and can complain to people over there. :rolleyes: