• we aren't using variables when we are referencing them only once. variables without
  any reference can be also comment f.e. $pgmvrs.
• you are starting in the first WHILE/LOOP structure with the wrong $i value.
  it should be $i=1. it isn't your intention to copy an existing control file
  to your "X:\Scripts" location we suppose.
• one of your last lines in second example $updinfo= is missing any goal. you
  aren't referencing them.
• in the line IF Exist($destdir+$kixfl[0]) $destdir+$kixfl[0] ENDIF we are missing DELcommand.
• we are missing the last three lines, which makes it possible to do some error checking
  from a batch job.
• also you can replace the control file kix420.ok by registry entry, which makes
  your code also a little bit smaller.
  also it is possible that you are creating only one control file in the %windir% directory.
  the other location is only for backwards compatibility.
• of course you need only one script to start installation, but in our version we have introduce
  both start1.kix and start2.kix versions to make it possible that we can help
  others with their problems by using our iexpress package.
• of course the amount of information can reduced. for us it are only debugging issues.
  to claim a reducing with 396,89% isn't fair. without any debugging facility you must make
  the comparison with the start1.kix script only.
  with the above remarks included we can reduce your script
  into
  start1.kix 2.862 bytes (reducing 140.25%)
  or
  start1.kix 2.596 bytes (reducing 154.62%)
  or
  start1.kix 2.217 bytes (reducing 181.11%)
  Also you shouldn't forget that IEXPRESS compress those information too.
  More important is how much time both versions will cost during an installation process.
  With the UPCTimer 1.6 we get for our versions:
  

  code:

  ---

  - kix421update.exe                        0.112393 sec
  - kix421registry.exe                      0.133719 sec
  - wkix421update.exe                       0.088145 sec

  ---

  So what is small.

• (1)why? when we are running it on our environment we doesn't need a debugging script
  liike start2.kix.
  more important is, that we can instruct people in an easy way to create debugging
  information about their iexpress installation when they have problems with it.
  Oh yeh, how did we solve the "terminal service" model? with a debug file.
• (2)why over-use parenthises? indeed to make it more "bullet-proof" and to get
  a better layout in our opinion.
• (3) ???
• (4) why not use variables? in some situations it is possible, but we didn't.
  general people aren't see anything from our code.
  in some situations we are doing things twice to make reading not too hard.
  currently we are running our twenties version.

• indeed we are also missing the WKIX32.EXE. But it is important to know
  in which way Kent is creating his IEXPRESS package. It is f.e. possible
  that he is call WKIX32.EXE KIX32.EXE in his version.
• sorry Les. Kent isn't installating DLL's when they aren't needed. He only
  verifies "do they exist and when positive remove them".
  Script contains only one COPY statement. See the first WHILE/LOOP structure.

code:

---

DIM $max,$kixfl[$max+1] ; vs 3.10
$tmp=ExpandEnvironmentVars('%tmp%'+'\')
$srcdir=@curdir+'\'
$destdir=Substr('%WINDIR%',1,3)+'Scripts'
$message=Substr(@kix,1,1)+Substr(@kix,3,2)
;
IF Exist($destdir)=0
 MD $destdir
ENDIF
IF Len($destdir)=0
 $destdir=@lanroot
ENDIF
IF Substr($destdir,Len($destdir),1) <> '\'
 $destdir=$destdir+'\'
ENDIF
;
IF @inwin=1
 $max=1
ELSE
 $max=4
ENDIF
$kixfl[0]='kix'+$message+'.ok'
$kixfl[1]='kix32.exe'
$kixfl[2]='kx16.dll'
$kixfl[3]='kx32.dll'
$kixfl[4]='kx95.dll'
$firstinst='yes'
IF Exist($destdir+$kixfl[0])
 $firstinst='no'
ELSE
 DEL $destdir+'kix*.ok'
ENDIF
;
$updinfo=''
$i=1
WHILE $i <= $max
 $srcfl=$srcdir+$kixfl[$i]
 $destfil=$destdir+$kixfl[$i]
 IF Exist($destfil)
  $rc=SetFileAttr($destfil,128) <> 0
 ENDIF
 IF Exist($srcfl)
  IF GetFileSize($srcfl) <> GetFileSize($destfil) OR
   GetFileTime($srcfl) <> GetFileTime($destfil) OR
   GetFileVersion($srcfl,'filedescription') <> GetFileVersion($destfil,'filedescription') OR
   GetFileVersion($srcfl,'fileversion') <> GetFileVersion($destfil,'fileversion') OR
   GetFileVersion($srcfl,'internalname') <> GetFileVersion($destfil,'internalname') OR
   GetFileVersion($srcfl,'language') <> GetFileVersion($destfil,'language') OR
   GetFileVersion($srcfl,'originalfilename') <> GetFileVersion($destfil,'originalfilename') OR
   GetFileVersion($srcfl,'productname') <> GetFileVersion($destfil,'productname')
   COPY $srcfl $destfil /h
   $updinfo=$updinfo+' +'+$kixfl[$i]
  ELSE
   $updinfo=$updinfo+' ='+$kixfl[$i]
  ENDIF
 ENDIF
 $i=$i+1
LOOP
;
$upok='yes'
$i=1
WHILE $i <= $max
 $destfil=$destdir+$kixfl[$i]
 IF Exist($destfil) = 0
  $upok='no'
  $updinfo=$updinfo+' unknown_file.'+$kixfl[$i]
  $rc=WriteProfileString($destdir+$kixfl[0],'KiX',$kixfl[$i],@date+' '+@time+' -> unknown file')
 ELSE
  $buildinfo=GetFileVersion($destfil,'specialbuild')
  IF Len($buildinfo) > 0
   $buildinfo=' ('+Lcase($buildinfo)+')'
  ENDIF
  $rc=WriteProfileString($destdir+$kixfl[0],'KiX',$kixfl[$i],@date+' '+@time+' -> '+GetFileTime($destfil)+' '+GetFileSize($destfil)+$buildinfo)
 ENDIF
 $i=$i+1
 IF @inwin=1 $i=$max+1
 ENDIF
LOOP
$i=$max
IF @inwin <> 1
 $max=4
 $i=2
 WHILE $i <= $max
  $destfil=$destdir+$kixfl[$i]
  IF Exist($destfil)
   $rc=SetFileAttr($destfil,128) <> 0
   DEL $destfil
  ENDIF
  $updinfo=$updinfo+' ?'+$kixfl[$i]
  $i=$i+1
 LOOP
ENDIF
IF $upok='yes'
 $state='install complete at '
 $info=$state+@date+' '+@time+' '+$updinfo
ELSE
 $state='install incomplete at '
 $info='update kix'+$message
 IF Exist($destdir+$kixfl[0])
  DEL $destdir+$kixfl[0]
 ENDIF
ENDIF
$rc=WriteProfileString($dfl,'KiX','KiX release',@producttype+' -> kix '+@kix)
$rc=WriteProfileString($dfl,'KiX','KiX',$info)
;
IF Exist($destdir+'kix'+$message+'.ok')
 EXIT(0)
ELSE
 EXIT(1)
ENDIF

---

code:

---

dim $x1,$x2[$x1+1] $x3=ExpandEnvironmentVars('%tmp%'+'\') $x4=@curdir+'\' $x5=Substr('%WINDIR%',1,3)+'Scripts' $x6=Substr(@kix,1,1)+Substr(@kix,3,2) if Exist($x5)=0 md $x5 endif if Len($x5)=0 $x5=@lanroot endif
if Substr($x5,Len($x5),1)<>'\' $x5=$x5+'\' endif if @inwin=1 $x1=1 else $x1=4 endif $x2[0]='kix'+$x6+'.ok' $x2[1]='kix32.exe' $x2[2]='kx16.dll' $x2[3]='kx32.dll' $x2[4]='kx95.dll' $x7='yes'
if Exist($x5+$x2[0]) $x7='no' else del $x5+'kix*.ok' endif $x8='' $x9=1 while $x9<=$x1 $x10=$x4+$x2[$x9] $x11=$x5+$x2[$x9] if Exist($x11) $x12=SetFileAttr($x11,128)<>0 endif if Exist($x10)
if GetFileSize($x10)<>GetFileSize($x11) OR GetFileTime($x10)<>GetFileTime($x11) OR GetFileVersion($x10,'filedescription')<>GetFileVersion($x11,'filedescription') OR GetFileVersion($x10,'fileversion')<>GetFileVersion($x11,'fileversion') OR
GetFileVersion($x10,'internalname')<>GetFileVersion($x11,'internalname') OR GetFileVersion($x10,'language')<>GetFileVersion($x11,'language') OR GetFileVersion($x10,'originalfilename')<>GetFileVersion($x11,'originalfilename') OR
GetFileVersion($x10,'productname')<>GetFileVersion($x11,'productname') copy $x10 $x11 /h $x8=$x8+' +'+$x2[$x9] else $x8=$x8+' ='+$x2[$x9] endif endif $x9=$x9+1 loop $x13='yes' $x9=1 while $x9<=$x1 $x11=$x5+$x2[$x9]
if Exist($x11)=0 $x13='no' $x8=$x8+' unknown_file.'+$x2[$x9] $x12=WriteProfileString($x5+$x2[0],'KiX',$x2[$x9],@date+' '+@time+' -> unknown file') else $x14=GetFileVersion($x11,'specialbuild') if Len($x14)>0
$x14=' ('+Lcase($x14)+')' endif $x12=WriteProfileString($x5+$x2[0],'KiX',$x2[$x9],@date+' '+@time+' -> '+GetFileTime($x11)+' '+GetFileSize($x11)+$x14) endif $x9=$x9+1 if @inwin=1 $x9=$x1+1 endif loop $x9=$x1
if @inwin<>1 $x1=4 $x9=2 while $x9<=$x1 $x11=$x5+$x2[$x9] if Exist($x11) $x12=SetFileAttr($x11,128)<>0 del $x11 endif $x8=$x8+' ?'+$x2[$x9] $x9=$x9+1 loop endif
if $x13='yes' $x15='install complete at ' $x16=$x15+@date+' '+@time+' '+$x8 else $x15='install incomplete at ' $x16='update kix'+$x6 if Exist($x5+$x2[0]) del $x5+$x2[0] endif endif
$x12=WriteProfileString($x17,'KiX','KiX release',@producttype+' -> kix '+@kix) $x12=WriteProfileString($x17,'KiX','KiX',$x16) if Exist($x5+'kix'+$x6+'.ok') exit (0) else exit (1) endif 

---