A couple of things: * The second screen that tells the user which JDK will be used, or barks when there is no JDK. I have literally seen users cringe in pain when this screen pops up. It is way too much text, the text is poorly laid out, etc...
In my opinion this would much better be replaced with a screen "Choose Java" and basically is a text box and file chooser which allows one to choose the Java install they want. Basically the same way the screen that allows you choose the installation directory works. * The data directory screen could use some love to. Too much text on it. To me a windows installer should basically do everything for you, and give you the option to do an "Advanced..." install if you really want to. But first time users of GeoServer having to read though the details of how the data directory works (often when they do not even really know what a data directory is) is bad. -JD Mike Pumphrey wrote: > It's no secret that the current Windows GeoServer installer and executable is > a bit rough around the edges. It works, but it isn't as slick as it could > be. For one thing, GeoServer isn't installed as a service, and the fact that > the command prompt pops up and stays there is definitely sub-optimal. :) > > GeoServer works with the Java Service Wrapper (albeit with a little bit of > tweaking) so it's very possible to use the BIN version of GeoServer, add in > some wrapper config, and a perfectly good service we have. > > So, with all this in mind, I'd like to solicit opinions about what people > like and dislike in the Windows GeoServer experience, both with the installer > and with running GeoServer. (Just the EXE I'm curious about here; I know > some people use the BIN and WAR in Windows.) > > I'm also designing a new flowchart for the installer. Here's what I have so > far: (After making this list, I found that this is pretty much > screen-by-screen identical to what Tomcat does for its installation process > which is auspicious.) > > ----- > > 1. Splash screen > 2. Welcome screen > 3. Find %JAVA_HOME% > 3a. If found, display window > 3b. If not found, prompt for location, set in environment variable, add > %JAVA_HOME%\bin to path. > 4. License screen > 5. Components screen - Two check boxes: [GeoServer (mandatory), data > directory (optional)] > 6. Program file destination screen > 7. Find %GEOSERVER_DATA_DIR% > 7a. If found, display window with dropdown [use this, change this] > 7a1. If [change this] go to Select Data Dir, otherwise skip > 7b. If not found, go to Select Data Dir > 8. Select Data Dir - Type in a location (with validation?) > 9. Install as service screen [automatic, manual] > 10. Start Menu screen > 11. Ready to install screen > 12. Install stuff > 13. Finished screen > > ----- > > Things to note: > (3b) adds %JAVA_HOME%\bin to the path. This is what we want to do, right? > (5) makes installing the built-in data dir optional. What do you think of > this? > (9) I would think the default should be automatic, right? > > I'm not 100% sure that everything here is possible, but NSIS seems pretty > elastic, so I'm hopeful. > > Feedback is practically begged for. > > > Thanks, > Mike Pumphrey > OpenGeo - http://opengeo.org > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Stay on top of everything new and different, both inside and > around Java (TM) technology - register by April 22, and save > $200 on the JavaOne (SM) conference, June 2-5, 2009, San Francisco. > 300 plus technical and hands-on sessions. Register today. > Use priority code J9JMT32. http://p.sf.net/sfu/p > _______________________________________________ > Geoserver-devel mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geoserver-devel -- Justin Deoliveira OpenGeo - http://opengeo.org Enterprise support for open source geospatial. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Stay on top of everything new and different, both inside and around Java (TM) technology - register by April 22, and save $200 on the JavaOne (SM) conference, June 2-5, 2009, San Francisco. 300 plus technical and hands-on sessions. Register today. Use priority code J9JMT32. http://p.sf.net/sfu/p _______________________________________________ Geoserver-devel mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geoserver-devel
