Deploying runtime in Mac Lion

[tomp]

Not sure this is where to address this, but I can't find help anywhere else.

I'm using Xcode 4.2(PackageMaker) to deploy my FM11 runtime solution.

I want to put an alias to the FM application file onto the desktop as a part of the package.

In the 'Product Package Actions Pane' I created a 'Post Install Action' to create an alias.

I 'point to' a 'component' and selected the solution application file.

I've tried various 'alias paths', but when I build and run the installer, I get no errors, the files install correctly, and I can't find an alias for the solution application file anywhere in the system.

Any suggestions on what might be wrong, or where I can go to get some help? The user guides for PackageMaker aren't any help.

Thanks

[Vaughan]

Where are you putting the actual runtime? It should probably be put into the documents folder, since in many systems the Apps folder is locked.

[tomp]

I'm putting it into the 'User' folder. I had been using Mac Installer Builder for this solution with great success on earlier OS's. But Lion doesn't support 'classic' applications so I'm looking for an alternate, reasonably priced way to replace it.

[Vaughan]

I've seen other solutions that use an installer that comes with the Mac OS X developer tools.

[tomp]

Is the installer you refer to other than 'packageMaker'? If so, what is it?

I've been limping along with packageMaker on Lion. I gave up trying to get packageMaker to create & place the alias. I just open a finder window, point to the application file, and instruct the user how to make the alias.

But I'm encountering another problem: the packages I make on Lion install fine on any of my user's systems as long as they also are on Lion. But if a user tries to install one of the packages made on Lion on, say, a 10.5 machine, the result is an error saying certain files can't be found.

Are packages made on Lion using packageMaker NOT backward compatible to any other OS's? Do I have to maintain my 10.5 machine and create installs on it as well using a 'classic' installer and then direct my users to the correct file to download install based on their machine's OS?

Doesn't seem like a very 'robust' product or elegant approach. Am I missing something?

[Ocean West]

You might have success with this:

http://fmforums.com/topic/71064-tip-single-user-mac-distribution/

Or just create a DMG with that instruct them to drag & drop the folder or file to a directory?

[tomp]

What do I use to create a .dmg file?

[Ocean West]

I've always just use disk utility.

[tomp]

Won't meet the need. I created a disk image using the 'Disk Image from Folder' option. When I open the image and copy the folder over the previous version of the folder, it apparently deletes the previous version first. I need it to merge with the older version.

Is a merge possible with the disk utility or am I back to looking for an installer in Lion that will work on a 10.5 machine?