SED Overview

SED Overview


What is the SED?

The Self Extraction Directive (SED) file controls what options are used in building an installation (INF-based setup) package such as:

In past versions of IExpress SED file format was binary. It is now a plain text/ASCII file with sections for instructions to be passed to the IExpress builder at authoring time.
The IExpress Wizard will create a new SED file when an author manually creates a package the first time based on the options in the wizard.

For a experienced builders these sections can be customized on the fly without the IExpress wizard. The SED can be edited directly [Notepad or better replacement: free(ware)] or through a build process with an override file.

See also: How to add version information to your package.


SED File Format

[Version]
Class=IExpress
SEDVersion=3

[Options]
ExtractOnly=0/1
ShowInstallProgramWindow=0/1/2/3
HideExtractAnimation=1/0
RebootMode=0/1/2 or A/I/N/S
ShowRebootUI=1/0
CAB_FixedSize=0
CAB_ResvCodeSigning=6144
PackageInstallSpace(KB)=xxxx
InsideCompressed=1
CompressionType=[ MSZIP | LZX | QUANTUM ]
Quantum=7
KeepCabinet=1/0
SourceFiles="SampleApp"
Strings="Strings"
InstallPrompt=%InstallPrompt%
DisplayLicense=%DisplayLicense%
AppLaunched=%AppLaunched%
      -or-
AppLaunched="#Setup"
EndMessage=%FinishMessage%
TargetName=%TargetName%
FriendlyName=%FriendlyName%
AppLaunched2=%AppLaunched2%
AppLaunched3=%AppLaunched3%
AppLaunched4=%AppLaunched4%

[SampleApp]
Source1=Source.prog   ;Path to source files. UNC or C:\<sourcedir>
Source2=Source.dat

[Source.dat]
%DisplayLicense%
%File1%   ;Can be localizable strings or exact file names
%File2%
%File3%
%File4%
%File5%

[Source.prog]
%AppLaunched%
%AppLaunched2%
%AppLaunched3%
%AppLaunched4%

[Setup] (Optional)
%AppLaunched2%
%AppLaunched3%
%AppLaunched4%

[Strings]   ;(Mainly used by localizers)
InstallPrompt="Do you wish to install this Sample App?"
DisplayLicense=License.txt
AppLaunched="Setup.exe"
      -or-
AppLaunched="#Setup"
EndMessage="Thank you installing Sample App"
PackageName="Sample.exe"
FriendlyName="Microsoft Cool App"
AppLaunched2=App.inf
AppLaunched3=Config.exe
AppLaunched4=Final.inf
File1=C:\stuff\*.*
File2=C:\Stuff\*.exe
File3=C:\Stuff\data.obj
File4=\\server\share\stuff\*.HTM
File5=C:\msdoc\License.txt


More info