Start Menu Shortcut Example | Qt Installer Framework Manual

Qt Installer Framework Manual | Qt Installer Framework Examples | Start Menu Shortcut Example

# Start Menu Shortcut Example

Start Menu illustrates how to use the Component function to add an entry for opening a README file to the Windows Start menu.

## Configuring the Example Installer

The installer configuration file, config.xml, in the `config` directory specifies the text and default values used in the installer:

- The `<Name>` element specifies the application name that is added to the page name and introduction text.
- The `<Version>` element specifies the application version number.
- The `<Title>` element specifies the installer name displayed on the title bar.
- The `<Publisher>` element specifies the publisher of the software (as shown in the Windows Control Panel, for example).
- The `<StartMenuDir>` element specifies the name of the default program group for the product in the Windows Start menu.
- The `<TargetDir>` element specifies that the default target directory is located in the `IfwExamples` directory in the home directory of the current user (because the predefined variable`@HomeDir@` is used as a part of the value). For more information, see Predefined Variables.

      <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
      <Installer>
          <Name>Start Menu Shortcut Example</Name>
          <Version>1.0.0</Version>
          <Title>Start Menu Shortcut Example</Title>
          <Publisher>Qt-Project</Publisher>
          <StartMenuDir>Qt Installer Framework Examples</StartMenuDir>
          <TargetDir>@HomeDir@/IfwExamples/startmenu</TargetDir>
      </Installer>

## Creating the Example Package Information File

The installer package information file, package.xml, in the `meta` directory specifies the components that are available for installation:

- The `<DisplayName>` element specifies the human-readable name of the component.
- The `<Description>` element specifies the human-readable description of the component.
- The `<Version>` element specifies the version number of the component.
- The `<ReleaseDate>` element specifies the date when this component version was released.

- The `<Default>` element is set to `true` to preselect the component in the installer.
- The `<Script>` element specifies the file name of the JavaScript file that is loaded to perform operations.

      <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
      <Package>
          <DisplayName>README.txt</DisplayName>
          <Description>A README.txt, accessible through a start menu entry.</Description>
          <Version>1.0.0-1</Version>
          <ReleaseDate>2013-01-01</ReleaseDate>
          <Default>true</Default>
          <Script>installscript.qs</Script>
      </Package>

## Adding Entries to Start Menu

In installscript.qs, we use the `createOperations()` function to call the component::createOperations() function, which creates the `Extract` operation by default:

      Component.prototype.createOperations = function()
      {
          component.createOperations();

On Windows, we use the component::addOperation function to add a shortcut to the Start menu for opening the readme file:

          if (systemInfo.productType === "windows") {
              component.addOperation("CreateShortcut", "@TargetDir@/README.txt", "@StartMenuDir@/README.lnk",
                  "workingDirectory=@TargetDir@", "iconPath=%SystemRoot%/system32/SHELL32.dll",
                  "iconId=2", "description=Open README file");
          }
      }

## Generating the Example Installer

To create the example installer, switch to the example source directory on the command line and enter the following command:

- On Windows:

        ..\..\bin\binarycreator.exe -c config\config.xml -p packages installer.exe

- On Linux or OS X:

        ../../bin/binarycreator -c config/config.xml -p packages installer

The installer is created in the current directory.

Files:

- startmenu/config/config.xml
- startmenu/packages/org.qtproject.ifw.example/data/README.txt
- startmenu/packages/org.qtproject.ifw.example/meta/installscript.qs
- startmenu/packages/org.qtproject.ifw.example/meta/package.xml
- startmenu/startmenu.pro