Customizing a HotDocs Author Installation

This document assumes you are a system administrator comfortable using InstallShield command-line parameters and/or using .lst files.

If you need to customize an Author installation beyond what the InstallShield wizard enables you to (e.g. if you want the format-related defaults written to the registry to adhere to UK or international standards) you can accomplish this in two different ways:

  • Using the command line when performing an unattended Author installation (silent install)
  • When creating or editing an install.lst file

To Customize an Author Installation Using the Command Line

  1. Close all open programs, including any word processors or existing version of HotDocs Author you may have open.
  2. Open Command Prompt using Run as Administrator.
  3. Type setup.exe /s /v and then type the custom install settings you want to replace the default settings, followed by /qn (being sure to use the conventions specified by InstallShield). For example:
      • setup64.exe /s /v"INSTALLDIR=\"C:\\Program Files\\HotDocs Author\\\" DEFAULT_LANGUAGE=\"en-GB\" LICENSEKEY=\"xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx\" /qn"

Author will then complete the rest of the installation unattended.

To Customize an Author Installation Using an .LST File  

  1. Locate the install.lst file in your Author installation folder and open it for editing.

If you do not have an install.lst file in your Author installation folder, you can also create one.

  1. Edit (or create) the values by typing the custom install settings using the proper XML conventions. For example:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<Properties>

<Property Name="DEFAULT_LANGUAGE" Value="en-GB"/>

<Property Name="TEXT_FORMATS" Value="LIKE THIS~Like This~Like this~like this"/>

<Property Name="NUMBER_FORMATS" Value="9999~9,999~9,999.00~9.9~09~9 1/8~9th~nine~NINE~ninth~Nine Pounds and Twelve Pence~none~zero~IX"/>

<Property Name="DATE_FORMATS" Value="d Mmmm yyyy~DD MMM YYYY~d/m/yyyy~dd/mm/yyyy~dth day of Mmmm, yyyy~Dy day of Mmmm, yyyy~dth Mmmm~Dddd~Dddd, d Mmmm, yyyy"/>

<Property Name="TF_FORMATS" Value="yes/no~true/false"/>

<Property Name="LIST_FORMATS" Value="a, b and c~a, b AND c~a, b, and c~a, b, or c~a; b; and c~a, b"/>

<Property Name="DEFAULT_INPUT_MASKS" Value="UU 99 99 99 U~UU999999U~99&#58;99 am~99&#58;99 a.m.~99&#58;99"/>

</Properties>

  1. Save your changes.
  2. Locate and double-click setup64.exe (for 64-bit operating systems) or setup.exe (for 32-bit operating systems).