Feature Installer

A software package from IBM intended to simplify the installation, configuration and de-installation of software onto the OS/2 operating system. Quite advanced for its day it initially offered graphical and CLI user interface support with the graphical support later moved into a browser based plug-in, allowing the developer to offer installs via a web page. The existence of CLI interface and support for scripting meant that the installer could be used on headless systems and fully automated.

After 2000 IBM started to used InstallShield internally for all software delivery

Was available for all languages that OS/2 Warp 3 supported.

OS/2 Feature Installer interfaces

• Plugin (NPFI.DLL) for Web-Browser
• Command line interface (CLIFI)
• Workplace Shell objects

Versions

• Last known version: 1.25 - used by: IBM VisualAge Smalltalk 6, the last few Java 1.1.8 updates and Java 1.3.
• 1.23 - used by: IBM VisualAge C++ 4.0, IBM C/C++ Compiler for OS/2 3.6.5
• 1.22 - used by: IBM VisualAge for Java 2.0
• 1.21 - used by: IBM Visual Age for Java 1.0, IBM C/C++ Compiler for OS/2 3.6

Prerequisites

• Netscape Navigator version 2.02 or higher if you want to use the graphical installer.

Publications

• The IBM Red Book SG242010 - The OS/2 Warp 4 CID Software Distribution Guide has a chapter on how to use the Feature Installer for distributing software.
• The older version of that document: SG244295 - OS/2 Installation Techniques: The CID Guide has a similar chapter.