Share My Creation ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Inno Setup Generator โ€“ Package your B4J apps into professional installers

Inno Setup Generator is a graphical tool developed in B4J, designed for developers who want to generate .iss installation scripts for Inno Setup without writing code manually.


This project was created to help new developers in the B4X community, inspired by this thread:
๐Ÿ”— Open B4J app by double-clicking on a file




โœจ Main Features:​


  • ๐ŸŽจ Modern and intuitive interface
  • ๐Ÿ“ Automatically saves project files with the .jsetup extension
  • ๐Ÿ’ก Does not read the B4J project directly, but creates and modifies files needed for packaging
  • ๐Ÿ“„ Fully functional .iss script generation for Inno Setup
  • ๐ŸŒ Installer language selection (25+ languages available)
  • ๐Ÿ“Ž File associations and context menu configuration
  • ๐Ÿงฐ Compatible with ISCC.exe (Inno Setup command-line compiler)



โš™๏ธ What does it modify in your B4J project?​


Although it doesn't access your source code directly, the app:


  • Creates a packaging structure inside your B4J projectโ€™s main folder
  • Generates the .iss script with all required installation parameters
  • Copies required icons (e.g., for file associations or desktop shortcuts) into the main project folder only

๐Ÿ”” It does not install icons into the system or alter user folders.


This ensures your project is fully prepared for packaging without affecting the userโ€™s environment.




๐Ÿ“ธ Screenshots​


Installer language configuration and app editor screen:
Main configuration menu:

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๐Ÿ“ฅ Download​


๐Ÿ”— Download Inno Setup Generator (.zip):




๐Ÿงฑ Requirements​





๐Ÿ“Œ Important note about icons​


All icons used by the tool (for associations or context menus) are stored only inside the B4J project directory.


๐Ÿ›‘ Do not delete them manually unless you also remove the associated functionality (e.g., file association or context menu), as they are required for a successful installer build with Inno Setup.


๐Ÿง  Smart Automation for Your B4J Project​


๐Ÿ”ง Advanced .b4j File Editing
The tool automatically edits your B4J project file to add or update essential packager properties:


  • #PackagerProperty: IconFile = ..\icon.ico
  • #PackagerProperty: ExeName = [YourAppName].exe
  • #PackagerProperty: IncludedModules = javafx.web, jdk.crypto.ec
  • #PackagerProperty: Version = [YourVersion]

It also adds a custom build action to trigger the Inno Setup compiler automatically after packaging:



#CustomBuildAction: After Packager, C:\Program Files (x86)\Inno Setup 6\Compil32.exe, /cc ../setup_script.iss


โš™๏ธ Automatic Command Integration in AppStart
The tool updates the Select Case Args(1) block in the AppStart method.


Only new CommandArg entries are added, ensuring that file associations and context menu shortcuts function properly without creating duplicates.


๐Ÿ“ Organized Resource Management
All icons required for shortcuts, file associations, or the installer are copied only into the root directory of the B4J project โ€” never into the user's system folders.
Important: These icons should not be deleted manually unless the related file association or context menu entry is also removed, as they are essential for the correct generation of the installer.


๐Ÿ“ฆ What is a .jsetup file?
Itโ€™s the project file format used by this tool. It automatically saves all your installer configurations as you edit them, so you don't need to reload or configure anything manually each time.



๐Ÿค Contribution to the community​


This project aims to simplify the publishing process for developers using B4J.
If you're just starting and need a fast, clean way to package your apps, this tool is for you.



 
Last edited:

Cableguy

Expert
Licensed User
Longtime User
Wow!!!!
Great job!
 

fernando1987

Active Member
Licensed User
Thank you The source will be available in the store soon, but it's not ready yet because it depends on a new version of jDashboardUI, which I'm currently working on. I'll share an update as soon as it's ready!
 

fernando1987

Active Member
Licensed User
This post is truly valuable.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience.
Thank you very much for your kind words! ๐Ÿ˜Š I'm glad the post was helpful to you. Sharing knowledge is one of the best parts of being part of this community, and it's always rewarding to hear that others find value in what we share.
 

fernando1987

Active Member
Licensed User

๐Ÿ†• What's New in Version 2.0​


๐Ÿ”ง Fixed context menu issue for empty folders
Context menu entries under Directory\Background now appear correctly even when the folder is empty.


๐Ÿงฉ Cleaner and more structured .iss file generation
The generated installer script is now clearly organized into well-defined sections:
[Define], [Setup], [Languages], [Tasks], [Files], [Registry], [Run], [Icons], [UninstallDelete].


Each section is visually separated, properly spaced, and easy to read โ€” making manual review or editing much more straightforward.


๐Ÿ—‘๏ธ Automatic and complete uninstallation
A new uninstall section ensures that all files and folders created during installation are fully removed when the application is uninstalled.




๐Ÿ”„ How to update
Just re-download the application from the original forum post. No manual migration or configuration is required.
 
Last edited:

aeric

Expert
Licensed User
Longtime User
Do we need to provide files for languages?
 

fernando1987

Active Member
Licensed User
Do we need to provide files for languages?

No, you donโ€™t need to provide any language files.
The application only uses the default language files that come bundled with Inno Setup.
You simply select the desired language from the interface, and the setting is saved automatically. The generated installer will use that language without requiring any additional files.

This approach is designed to simplify the process, making it easy even for new B4X users to generate professional installers and distribute their applications without dealing with extra configurations.
 

fernando1987

Active Member
Licensed User

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Inno Setup Generator โ€“ Version 3​


Hello everyone!
Iโ€™m happy to announce version 3 of Inno Setup Generator, the tool that helps you package your B4J apps into professional installers with Inno Setup.


๐Ÿš€ Whatโ€™s new:​

  • Improved icon management: icons are now stored inside the .jsetup file and added to the project only when the .iss file is generated.
  • Enhanced user interface: cleaner, more intuitive, and easier to use.
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โš ๏ธ Important note:​


I sincerely apologize, but the .jsetup files created with previous versions are not compatible with this release.
You will need to create new .jsetup files to take advantage of the improvements.
 
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