Setup patch: List command line options on stdout

[Max Bowsher]

Brian Dessent wrote:
> Dave wrote:
>
>> Leaving:
>> * Print help to messagebox. Could also send it to stdout in case the user
>> happens to be running from bash. [patches in this thread]
>> * Make setup a console program which hides the console as soon as it
>> determines it doesn't need it. Probably leading to Ye olde flashing 
>> console
>> behaviour when started from the GUI. [Reini investigating]
>
> Well, you could compile two separate .exe files, plus a third .exe stub
> that contains the binary images of the two real .exes as resources, and
> then extracts them to $TMP and runs whichever one it deems appropriate.
> But that's pretty ugly.
>
> Honestly I don't see why we're bending over backwards to list the
> command line options to a console.  99.999% of windows apps can not do
> this and I don't see why it is so necessary.  Just have a pop-up window
> list the command line args.  Someone said "wouldn't it be surprising if
> you ran setup.exe from a bash prompt and got a popup?" to which I say,
> No not at all.  Setup.exe is a regular windows application.  It would be
> no more surprising than if you ran "notepad.exe -h" or whatever.  Let's
> not spend tons of developer time trying to make console output when
> there are real features that need fixing in setup.

I agree entirely.

As soon as I've dealt with the bugs that I'm currently working on, i.e.:

* Filehandle leak
* "URL Scheme not registered"
* "Can't open (null) for reading"

I will gladly apply a patch which displays the options in a GUI popup - be 
it a lowly MessageBox or something more advanced that allows selection and 
copying.

I am currently quite strongly opposed to turning setup.exe into a console 
app just to display help text. Please bear in mind that any command line 
options that setup has are purely for advanced automation uses - they are 
not something the average user need ever go near. Therefore, let's not 
expend to much effort on this.

Max.