Is there a way to extract contents from VISE / StuffIt InstallMaker installers?

[Mac84]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to install this HP LaserJet driver and utility package for Mac OS 7 and a later one from Mac OS 8 I found on a CD (attached below). This is in an attempt to rename the printer name on the JetDirect 600N AppleTalk card in it. (And sadly no, you can't do that from the web interface. That would make too much sense!)

No matter if I select a full install or a custom install of these installers, it simply won't extract the Utility piece of the software (which is what I really want). If I select a Custom Install, it'll extract the user guide for it - but not the utility itself.

I'm guessing it is doing some check to ensure it can install it and silently refuses. It's probably because the version of Mac OS is something it's not expecting, etc. I've tried on a Power Mac 8600 with System 7.6.1 and 8.6, on my iBook G3 with 9.2 and Mac mini with "Classic" running 9.2. I've only had it successfully install the later (Mac OS 8 compatible v4.x of the utility).

And it's not just that package, a similar HP LaserJet installer from a CD made a year later does the same. (I've extracted this and attached it below, it requires Mac OS 8)

From Get Info I can see these install files were made with StuffIt Install Maker 3 (the Macintosh Garden linked file), the other is a VISE 6.0 installer (The Mac OS 8-compatible file attached below)

Is there a way to extract the contents of these installers? This is driving me crazy.

Thank you for reading!
-Steve

 

[LeadedSolder]

I ran the A4 utility on my System 7.1 Basilisk II install, and it produced a file named "°°HP Auto Setup Utility," which it ran on the subsequent startup and then left in the Trash. It's only 57k so I doubt it's the utility you want.

Find File can't find anything else named "Utility" on my filesystem that seems relevant, so maybe it also doesn't work on 7.1 or without a printer attached. Opening the installer in ResEdit shows a lot of resources but nothing that seems to just be a SIT file or chunk of application.

I also downloaded and installed InstallerMaker but it doesn't seem to have an import feature. Nor does the user guide mention such a thing. Maybe there's some kind of workaround like setting type/creator or changing something in the header.

Here it is just in case, I will keep looking to see if I can figure out something more helpful when I have a bit more time.

 

[phipli]

I had a quick look at InstallerMaker files and I think...

• By default, the files are compressed using the StuffIt format.
• They're stored in the data fork

Based on this, I tried copying the data fork from an installer of my own into a new file formatted as a .sit, just on the off chance.

Sadly stuffit expander just quits and doesn't process it. I also tried opening the installer itself in InstallerMaker, and that didn't work either.

This makes things a bit tricky, because you'd probably have to be pretty familiar with the stuffit format to work out how to get the files out.

 

[LeadedSolder]

I agree, that seems most likely. There's probably a bunch of header nonsense before the SIT portion of the data fork and probably a bunch of footer junk after it.

Could try putting a test file into StuffIt and also InstallerMaker and see if there's a common portion...

 

[phipli]

Well, I just tried installing it in 68k QEMU (a Quadra 800 running 8.1) and it just installed I think. There is what I got (attached).

 

[LeadedSolder]

Trying to open that on 7.1 complains that the Appearance extension is not installed, so it definitely seems to expect Mac OS 8 (I know you can install Appearance on prior versions, but... strong indicator.)

 

[phipli]

Trying to open that on 7.1 complains that the Appearance extension is not installed, so it definitely seems to expect Mac OS 8 (I know you can install Appearance on prior versions, but... strong indicator.)

I just restarted in 7.6.1 and ran the exact same install process and the application didn't install (just the help file). So I grabbed the Appearance Extension (I was too lazy to grab the Control Panel, it isn't needed), and it still didn't install...

In conclusion, it seems likely it is checking if you have System 8 or later and not installing if you don't.

 

[LeadedSolder]

This was the VISE installer and not the StuffIt one? I assume the A4/StuffIt installer is an earlier version.

 

[phipli]

This was the VISE installer and not the StuffIt one? I assume the A4/StuffIt installer is an earlier version.

I've only messed with the Stuffit InstallerMaker installer. I haven't looked at the VISE one.

 

[Mac84]

Thanks for all your tinkering folks!

I appreciate you sharing version 3.5 of the utility. I've only been able to install/extract version 4.0 and a later version 4.4 version found on a different printer model. Sadly, all the versions I've tried so far, 4.0 and 4.4 (on my iBook, Mac mini, Power Mac 8600, and emulators - with System 7.6, 8.6, 9.2) seemingly open work (after the fiddling to install them), but the function of naming the printer is broken. Maybe I have faulty hardware - it's just very odd!

The °°HP Auto Setup Utility is a little reminder app that pops-up after install reminding you to select the printer via the Chooser. I don't think it's related to the actual utility. But yes, the behavior of the program installing everything.... except the utility is an odd one for sure.

But now that version 3.5 is extracted, I'll see if that works. If not, I'll dedicate a new thread to the specific printer driver issue I'm facing.

Thanks!