On Monday, 19 October 2020 at 18:48:11 UTC, notna wrote:
> On Sunday, 18 October 2020 at 22:40:53 UTC, aberba wrote:
>>
>> It would be convenient if you provided a .exe installer as well. Not sure what to do with the .7z file without manual tinkering.
>
> use scoop for Windows package mgmt in a user context. build with developers in mind. for installation see:
> https://scoop.sh/
>
> simple as:
> * scoop install dmd
> * scoop install ldc
>
> stay always up to date:
> * scoop update
> * scoop update *
>
> ... and MUCH more, see https://github.com/lukesampson/scoop/wiki

Also Microsoft is working on a package manager which might be an option in the future https://docs.microsoft.com/de-de/windows/package-manager/

Kind regards
Andre

On Monday, 19 October 2020 at 20:49:14 UTC, Andre Pany wrote:
> On Monday, 19 October 2020 at 18:48:11 UTC, notna wrote:
>> On Sunday, 18 October 2020 at 22:40:53 UTC, aberba wrote:
>>>
>>> It would be convenient if you provided a .exe installer as well. Not sure what to do with the .7z file without manual tinkering.
>>
>> use scoop for Windows package mgmt in a user context. build with developers in mind. for installation see:
>> https://scoop.sh/
>>
>> simple as:
>> * scoop install dmd
>> * scoop install ldc
>>
>> stay always up to date:
>> * scoop update
>> * scoop update *
>>
>> ... and MUCH more, see https://github.com/lukesampson/scoop/wiki
>
> Also Microsoft is working on a package manager which might be an option in the future https://docs.microsoft.com/de-de/windows/package-manager/
>
> Kind regards
> Andre

Looks a bit like "classic MS". Instead of buying something similar that exists they do their own.

On Monday, 19 October 2020 at 18:48:11 UTC, notna wrote:
> On Sunday, 18 October 2020 at 22:40:53 UTC, aberba wrote:
>>
>> It would be convenient if you provided a .exe installer as well. Not sure what to do with the .7z file without manual tinkering.
>
> use scoop for Windows package mgmt in a user context. build with developers in mind. for installation see:
> https://scoop.sh/
>
> simple as:
> * scoop install dmd
> * scoop install ldc
>
> stay always up to date:
> * scoop update
> * scoop update *
>
> ... and MUCH more, see https://github.com/lukesampson/scoop/wiki

It's an option but doesn't fill the need for an installer. Not sure why its hasn't been done.

On Monday, 19 October 2020 at 20:49:14 UTC, Andre Pany wrote:
> On Monday, 19 October 2020 at 18:48:11 UTC, notna wrote:
>> On Sunday, 18 October 2020 at 22:40:53 UTC, aberba wrote:
>>>
>>> It would be convenient if you provided a .exe installer as well. Not sure what to do with the .7z file without manual tinkering.
>>
>> use scoop for Windows package mgmt in a user context. build with developers in mind. for installation see:
>> https://scoop.sh/
>>
>> simple as:
>> * scoop install dmd
>> * scoop install ldc
>>
>> stay always up to date:
>> * scoop update
>> * scoop update *
>>
>> ... and MUCH more, see https://github.com/lukesampson/scoop/wiki
>
> Also Microsoft is working on a package manager which might be an option in the future https://docs.microsoft.com/de-de/windows/package-manager/
>
> Kind regards
> Andre

Yes, I have it (winget) installed. Still, the absence of an exe means its more convenient to just use DMD.


Unfortunately some dev have decided to not get their stuff to work on DMD. DMD is an easy get-go. No thinkering needed.

On Tuesday, 20 October 2020 at 16:08:47 UTC, aberba wrote:
> It's an option but doesn't fill the need for an installer. Not sure why its hasn't been done.

See https://github.com/ldc-developers/ldc/issues/1754. I personally never download the DMD installers, only the .7z. I also don't use a global PATH set up to point to a particular LDC installation. I expect the vast majority of Windows *devs* to prefer a simple download&unpack over some installer. Those wanting to click through setup steps can use the VisualD installer with bundled LDC.

On Tuesday, 20 October 2020 at 17:36:11 UTC, kinke wrote:
> [snip]
>
> See https://github.com/ldc-developers/ldc/issues/1754. I personally never download the DMD installers, only the .7z. I also don't use a global PATH set up to point to a particular LDC installation. I expect the vast majority of Windows *devs* to prefer a simple download&unpack over some installer. Those wanting to click through setup steps can use the VisualD installer with bundled LDC.

I'm sympathetic to Ilya's concerns in that thread, but it would help to get empirical. What about a calculation of the number of unique downloads for DMD's Windows installer vs. those who download the .7z? The .7z probably has more downloads for CIs, but I wouldn't be surprised if there is a larger share of people downloading the DMD installer than you think.

I also have a PATH set up to point to a particular LDC installation that I need to update whenever I upgrade LDC. It has caused me problems in the past when I forget to change it...

I don't recall ever using the VisualD installer to install LDC.

On Tuesday, 20 October 2020 at 17:36:11 UTC, kinke wrote:
> On Tuesday, 20 October 2020 at 16:08:47 UTC, aberba wrote:
>> It's an option but doesn't fill the need for an installer. Not sure why its hasn't been done.
>
> See https://github.com/ldc-developers/ldc/issues/1754. I personally never download the DMD installers, only the .7z. I also don't use a global PATH set up to point to a particular LDC installation. I expect the vast majority of Windows *devs* to prefer a simple download&unpack over some installer. Those wanting to click through setup steps can use the VisualD installer with bundled LDC.

Supposing I'm new to D, I have previous experience with LLVM-based compilers so I prefer to use LDC. How am I supposed to know what to do? Where is the information on how to get it on my system through visualD installer?

The LDC experience needs some improvement here.

On Tuesday, 20 October 2020 at 17:36:11 UTC, kinke wrote:
> On Tuesday, 20 October 2020 at 16:08:47 UTC, aberba wrote:
>> It's an option but doesn't fill the need for an installer. Not sure why its hasn't been done.
>
> See https://github.com/ldc-developers/ldc/issues/1754.

From the discussions, it seems you still don't see the value of an installer...backing it with the idea that LDC is for "developers". I'm a developer myself and I use installers all the time when on Windows...there are very few people I personally know who would go for an archive file to set it up themselves.

So not everyone is like you. The reason why I personally go for DMD over LDC is convenience (especially when introducing D to newbies)...even though LDC is more optimized for performance.

Unless what you guys are doing is an artificial barrier to get others to not use it.

On Tuesday, 20 October 2020 at 20:21:56 UTC, aberba wrote:
> On Tuesday, 20 October 2020 at 17:36:11 UTC, kinke wrote:
>> On Tuesday, 20 October 2020 at 16:08:47 UTC, aberba wrote:
>>> It's an option but doesn't fill the need for an installer. Not sure why its hasn't been done.
>>
>> See https://github.com/ldc-developers/ldc/issues/1754.
>
> From the discussions, it seems you still don't see the value of an installer...backing it with the idea that LDC is for "developers". I'm a developer myself and I use installers all the time when on Windows...there are very few people I personally know who would go for an archive file to set it up themselves.
>
> So not everyone is like you. The reason why I personally go for DMD over LDC is convenience (especially when introducing D to newbies)...even though LDC is more optimized for performance.
>
> Unless what you guys are doing is an artificial barrier to get others to not use it.

Guys, all points have been made, there is no wrong and right here, let's stop arguing over this.

What is needed is someone who thinks it is useful to have an exe installer and wants to do the work. It cannot be done by someone who thinks it is not useful, because there are decisions to be made (like which folder to install it in, whether to overwrite old or not), that can only be made by someone who actually cares about it. There is no point in trying to convince kinke or me.

I'm sure noone will be against uploading the installer exe onto github release page once it's been made and checked.

-Johan

On Tuesday, 20 October 2020 at 21:58:16 UTC, Johan Engelen wrote:
> On Tuesday, 20 October 2020 at 20:21:56 UTC, aberba wrote:
>> [...]
>
> Guys, all points have been made, there is no wrong and right here, let's stop arguing over this.
>
> What is needed is someone who thinks it is useful to have an exe installer and wants to do the work. It cannot be done by someone who thinks it is not useful, because there are decisions to be made (like which folder to install it in, whether to overwrite old or not), that can only be made by someone who actually cares about it. There is no point in trying to convince kinke or me.
>
> I'm sure noone will be against uploading the installer exe onto github release page once it's been made and checked.
>
> -Johan

Someone who wants to take it on could modify the DMD one
https://github.com/dlang/installer/blob/master/windows/

It looks like it uses NSIS.