Creating a Windows installer for application [duplicate]

Question

I want to create a windows installer package can be .exe or MSI. I want to do the following :

1. Check if the Java 7 Runtime is available in the system & system has enough space for this installation
2. If JRE is not available install the same from the installer package
3. once JRE installation completes Unzip certain contents of the installer to specific location in the system say (C:\tools).
4. Create a shortcut on the desktop.
5. Exit the installer .
6. Any issues alert the user

This is the first time am thinking something like this how this can be accomplished ?

Answer 1

Give Inno Setup a try. A bit challenging at first, but very powerful. There's also many examples around on how you can make it a work with a Java program and check if JRE is installed. And the rest of your requirements are easy to accomplish.

Answer 2

you can achieve this with NSIS

here is another SO post explaining the process in more detail: NSIS script for java installation

In case your project can use Ant, then maybe the antinstaller might be the right choice.