MakeMKV

This topic introduces installers features or tools that can be used to deploy MakeMKV and centrally manage its configuration in small organisations. It also describes the mechanism used to notify users and distribute updates (security patches, full version…) and what lapptrack uses to track MakeMKV updates.

Deployment Tips

MakeMKV installer covers the two first issues of a deployment plan. The command line option for a silent install is /S. See Installer Options for an overview of the installer command line options.

All configuration parameters are stored in the cuurent user registry (HKCU) including the license key, so a schedule task (i.e. when user log on) or an user action with the following script.

Setting up the MakeMKV user preference

reg add HKCU\Software\MakeMKV /v app_Key /t REG_SZ /d "<license key>" /f
reg add HKCU\Software\MakeMKV /v app_ExpertMode /t REG_DWORD /d 00000001 /f
reg add HKCU\Software\MakeMKV /v app_DestinationDir /t REG_SZ /d "U:\\Users\\Public\\Videos\\RIP" /f
reg add HKCU\Software\MakeMKV /v app_PreferredLanguage /t REG_SZ /d "fre" /f
exit /b 0

MakeMKV are free while program is in beta, so you may use the temporary beta key.

Installer Options

The installer is based on the NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System) framework and delivered as a single executable.

Installers accepts a few options on the command line. These options give the user a bit more control over the installation process, mainly doing a silent install. The Installer Usage topic details these options and the end of the section focuses on the silent running mode.

/S

make a silent install. The Silent Installers/Uninstallers topic details this operating mode.

/D

sets the default installation directory. It must be the last parameter used in the command line and must not contain any quotes, even if the path contains spaces. Only absolute paths are supported.

Example

setup.exe /S
setup.exe /S /D=C:\Program Files\Foo

Update Mechanism

In this post, the MakeMKV author give a method to detect the up-to-date version. It based on a XML file matching the PAD 3.10 Specification at http://www.makemkv.com/makemkv.xml.

Example

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<XML_DIZ_INFO>
<MASTER_PAD_VERSION_INFO>
<MASTER_PAD_VERSION>3.10</MASTER_PAD_VERSION>
</MASTER_PAD_VERSION_INFO>
<Company_Info>
<Company_Name>GuinpinSoft inc</Company_Name>
<Company_WebSite_URL>http://www.makemkv.com</Company_WebSite_URL>
...
<File_Size_Bytes>6291456</File_Size_Bytes>
<File_Size_K>6144</File_Size_K>
<File_Size_MB>6</File_Size_MB>
...
<Program_Name>MakeMKV</Program_Name>
<Program_Version>1.9.8</Program_Version>
<Program_Release_Year>2015</Program_Release_Year>
<Program_Release_Month>12</Program_Release_Month>
<Program_Release_Day>20</Program_Release_Day>
...
<Web_Info>
<Application_URLs>
<Application_Info_URL>http://www.makemkv.com</Application_Info_URL>
<Application_Order_URL>http://www.makemkv.com/buy</Application_Order_URL>
...
<Application_Icon_URL>
    http://www.makemkv.com/images/mkv_icon.png
</Application_Icon_URL>
<Download_URLs>
    <Primary_Download_URL>
        http://www.makemkv.com/download/Setup_MakeMKV_v1.9.8.exe
    </Primary_Download_URL>
    <Secondary_Download_URL>
        http://www.makemkv.com/download/makemkv_v1.9.8_osx.dmg
    </Secondary_Download_URL>
    <Additional_Download_URL_1>
        http://www.makemkv.com/download/makemkv-bin-1.9.8.tar.gz
    </Additional_Download_URL_1>
    <Additional_Download_URL_2>
        http://www.makemkv.com/download/makemkv-oss-1.9.8.tar.gz
    </Additional_Download_URL_2>
</Download_URLs>
...
</XML_DIZ_INFO>

At startup, MakeMKV downloads a GZIP compressed file named makemkv.pad.gz at http://www.makemkv.com/makemkv.pad.gz?a=7. This archive contains only one file (makemkv.pad), which is a PAD too but poorest than the file above.