Nullsoft installer

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Nullsoft installer

• By
• D. Hunter Hale

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What is it?

• A freely available and distributable installer
  generation system
• A language for writing installers that will work
  across multiple operating systems
• Reasonably well-documented
• Scriptable to handle even the most complex
  multi-part installation
• From the makers of Winamp, Gnutella, and Waste

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Why should I use it?

• Honestly, you shouldnt use the vanilla Nullsoft
  installer Use the HM NIS EDIT overlay to
  automatically generate most scripts for you.
• For simple installers, 5 clicks and youre done
• Incorporates all art and sound assets for your
  game into one file
• Automatically generates uninstaller and placement
  in the start menu

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Where can I get it?

• Nullsoft Scriptable Install System(NSIS) is found
  here
• http//nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page
• HM NIS EDIT is found here (the editor overlay)
• http//hmne.sourceforge.net/

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How Do I Use It?

• For basic installers use the wizard
• More advanced installers (ones with included
  applications) still use the wizard and then tweak
  the generated script
• A sample script from a commercial software
  release is included
• Many tutorials exist online at the products
  homepage

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Creating Your First Installer

• First make sure that NSIS installer and NIS
  editor are both installed, NSIS needs to be
  installed first
• Then Run NI edit

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Basic Interface
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The wizard button will guide you through creating
an installer
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Step 1
The first step of the wizard is to enter some
basic information about your application. All of
this information is optional except for the
application name.
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Step 2
Select the icon to use for your application and
enter the name of the created installer here
Ignore these sections for now English is selected
by default
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Step 3
The application installs to here by default
The contents of any text file you select here
will be displayed and the user will have to agree
to them to continue
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Step 4
Add all the files that compose your project in in
this stage. Also if you have additional
prerequisite files to bundle with the application
add them here
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Step 5
The application will appear in the start menu
using the name you give it in this form.
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Step 5
You can specify an executable file to run after
the installer finishes. You can also specify any
text-based readme file to display after
installation. The application will not run until
the readme is closed
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Step 6
This creates an uninstaller Dont touch
anything and it will just work
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The final and most important step check the box
to save the script you just created
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Tweaking the Script

• Once you finish the wizard it opens your new
  script
• Additional commands can be added to run
  prerequisite files.

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Example Code to Add another installer

• Section -Prerequisites
• MessageBox MB_OK This text will prompt the
  user to install a component or cancel"
• ExecWait "INSTDIR\Prerequisites\somefile.exe"
  
• SectionEnd
• This code could be inserted after the installer
  runs and will install and run the referenced
  library file somefile.exe from the
  Prerequisites folder that was added to the
  installer in the wizard. The user will be
  prompted with a popup using the specified text
  and offered a chance to install or not install
  this component.