NSIS Wiki - User contributions [en]

Simple tutorials

2006-06-09T17:38:18Z

Eldri005: Added more detail to the instructions for new users at top of page

{{PageAuthor|eldri005}}
If this page is your first experience of NSIS, you will need the [http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Download NSIS compiler] to transform the following scripts, and any others you create, into functioning installers. makensisw.exe in the NSIS installation folder is the actual compiler. It has a graphical front end that explains three ways to load scripts, so it's very easy to use. Once you have installed NSIS, to create an installer, copy a script into a text editor, save the file with a .nsi extension, and load the file into the makensisw compiler.

==The bare minimum==
<highlight-nsis>
# name the installer
outFile "installer.exe"

# default section start; every NSIS script has at least one section.
section

# default section end
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simple hello world - popup box==
This hello world script will create a popup box with the words "hello world" in it and an "OK" button, when the installer is run

<highlight-nsis>
# set the name of the installer
outfile "hello world.exe"

# create a default section.
section

# create a popup box, with an OK button and the text "Hello world!"
messageBox MB_OK "Hello world!"

sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simple hello world - writing text to a file==
This hello world script will write "hello world" to a text file when the installer is run

<highlight-nsis>
# declare name of finstaller file
outfile "hello world.exe"

# open section
section

/* open an output file called "helloworld.txt",
which must exist before script is compiled,
on the desktop in write mode */
fileOpen $0 "$DESKTOP\helloworld.txt" w

# write the string "hello world!" to the output file
fileWrite $0 "hello world!"

# close the file
fileClose $0

# end the section
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simply install a file==
This installer script will copy the file "test.txt" to the installation directory
<highlight-nsis>
# define the name of the installer
outfile "simple installer.exe"

# define the directory to install to, the desktop in this case as specified
# by the predefined $DESKTOP variable
installDir $DESKTOP

# default section
section

# define the output path for this file
setOutPath $INSTDIR

# define what to install and place it in the output path
file test.txt

sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Install a file and create an uninstaller to remove it==
This script will do the following: create an installer named "installer.exe"; install a file named "test.txt" to the desktop; create an uninstaller named "uninstaller.exe" on the desktop. The uninstaller will remove itself and the installed text file.

<highlight-nsis>
# define installer name
outFile "installer.exe"

# set desktop as install directory
installDir $DESKTOP

# default section start
section

# define output path
setOutPath $INSTDIR

# specify file to go in output path
file test.txt

# define uninstaller name
writeUninstaller $INSTDIR\uninstaller.exe

# default section end
sectionEnd

# create a section to define what the uninstaller does.
# the section will always be named "Uninstall"
section "Uninstall"

# Always delete uninstaller first
delete $INSTDIR\uninstaller.exe

# now delete installed file
delete $INSTDIR\test.txt

sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simply create a start menu item==
This installer creates a start menu item, nothing more

<highlight-nsis>
# Name the installer
outFile "installer.exe"

# default section
section

# create a shortcut named "new shortcut" in the start menu programs directory
# presently, the new shortcut doesn't call anything (the second field is blank)
createShortCut "$SMPROGRAMS\new shortcut.lnk" ""

# to delete shortcut, go to start menu directory and manually delete it

# default sec end
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simple installer and uninstaller with start menu item==
This installer will do the following: create an installer named "installer.exe"; an uninstaller on the desktop; a shortcut in the start menu that points to the uninstaller.

<highlight-nsis>
# define name of installer
outFile "installer.exe"

# define installation directory
installDir $DESKTOP

# start default section
section

# set the installation directory as the destination for the following actions
setOutPath $INSTDIR

# create the uninstaller
writeUninstaller "uninstall.exe"

# create a shortcut named "new shortcut" in the start menu programs directory
# point the new shortcut at the program uninstaller
createShortCut "$SMPROGRAMS\new shortcut.lnk" "$INSTDIR\uninstall.exe"
sectionEnd

# uninstaller section start
section "uninstall"

# first, delete the uninstaller
delete $INSTDIR\uninstall.exe

# second, remove the link from the start menu
delete "$SMPROGRAMS\new shortcut.lnk"

# uninstaller section end
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simply get current version of Java Runtime Environment==
This installer just checks the value of the CurrentVersion string for the JRE in the local machine registry using [http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Docs/Chapter4.html#4.9.2.12 readRegStr]. If the result is blank, the JRE is probably not installed.

<highlight-nsis>
# name the installer
outFile "installer.exe"

#default section start
section

# read the value from the registry into the $0 register
readRegStr $0 HKLM "SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment" CurrentVersion

# print the results in a popup message box
messageBox MB_OK "version: $0"

# default section end
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Check if user is administrator==
Sometimes, it's necessary to check if an installer's user has administrative privileges. This simple script checks for that using the "UserInfo" plugin. There's a more sophisticated alternative at http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=195020, but this method seems to work fine. Another example of UserInfo can be found in the NSIS installation directory under \Examples\UserInfo\UserInfo.nsi.

<highlight-nsis>
# name installer
outFile "installer.exe"

# default section start
section

# call userInfo plugin to get user info. The plugin puts the result in the stack
userInfo::getAccountType

# pop the result from the stack into $0
pop $0

# compare the result with the string "Admin" to see if the user is admin. If match, jump 3 lines down.
strCmp $0 "Admin" +3

# if there is not a match, print message and return
messageBox MB_OK "not admin: $0"
return

# otherwise, confirm and return
messageBox MB_OK "is admin"

# default section end
sectionEnd

</highlight-nsis>

[[Category:Tutorials]]

Simple tutorials

2006-06-08T01:42:38Z

Eldri005: Added intro for new users and "The bare minimum" script

{{PageAuthor|eldri005}}
If this page is your first experience of NSIS, you will need the [http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Download NSIS compiler] to transform the following scripts, and any others you create, into functioning installers. Once you have that, copy a script into a text editor, save the file with a .nsi extension, and load it into the compiler to create the installer.

==The bare minimum==
<highlight-nsis>
# name the installer
outFile "installer.exe"

# default section start; every NSIS script has at least one section.
section

# default section end
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simple hello world - popup box==
This hello world script will create a popup box with the words "hello world" in it and an "OK" button, when the installer is run

<highlight-nsis>
# set the name of the installer
outfile "hello world.exe"

# create a default section.
section

# create a popup box, with an OK button and the text "Hello world!"
messageBox MB_OK "Hello world!"

sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simple hello world - writing text to a file==
This hello world script will write "hello world" to a text file when the installer is run

<highlight-nsis>
# declare name of finstaller file
outfile "hello world.exe"

# open section
section

/* open an output file called "helloworld.txt",
which must exist before script is compiled,
on the desktop in write mode */
fileOpen $0 "$DESKTOP\helloworld.txt" w

# write the string "hello world!" to the output file
fileWrite $0 "hello world!"

# close the file
fileClose $0

# end the section
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simply install a file==
This installer script will copy the file "test.txt" to the installation directory
<highlight-nsis>
# define the name of the installer
outfile "simple installer.exe"

# define the directory to install to, the desktop in this case as specified
# by the predefined $DESKTOP variable
installDir $DESKTOP

# default section
section

# define the output path for this file
setOutPath $INSTDIR

# define what to install and place it in the output path
file test.txt

sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Install a file and create an uninstaller to remove it==
This script will do the following: create an installer named "installer.exe"; install a file named "test.txt" to the desktop; create an uninstaller named "uninstaller.exe" on the desktop. The uninstaller will remove itself and the installed text file.

<highlight-nsis>
# define installer name
outFile "installer.exe"

# set desktop as install directory
installDir $DESKTOP

# default section start
section

# define output path
setOutPath $INSTDIR

# specify file to go in output path
file test.txt

# define uninstaller name
writeUninstaller $INSTDIR\uninstaller.exe

# default section end
sectionEnd

# create a section to define what the uninstaller does.
# the section will always be named "Uninstall"
section "Uninstall"

# Always delete uninstaller first
delete $INSTDIR\uninstaller.exe

# now delete installed file
delete $INSTDIR\test.txt

sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simply create a start menu item==
This installer creates a start menu item, nothing more

<highlight-nsis>
# Name the installer
outFile "installer.exe"

# default section
section

# create a shortcut named "new shortcut" in the start menu programs directory
# presently, the new shortcut doesn't call anything (the second field is blank)
createShortCut "$SMPROGRAMS\new shortcut.lnk" ""

# to delete shortcut, go to start menu directory and manually delete it

# default sec end
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simple installer and uninstaller with start menu item==
This installer will do the following: create an installer named "installer.exe"; an uninstaller on the desktop; a shortcut in the start menu that points to the uninstaller.

<highlight-nsis>
# define name of installer
outFile "installer.exe"

# define installation directory
installDir $DESKTOP

# start default section
section

# set the installation directory as the destination for the following actions
setOutPath $INSTDIR

# create the uninstaller
writeUninstaller "uninstall.exe"

# create a shortcut named "new shortcut" in the start menu programs directory
# point the new shortcut at the program uninstaller
createShortCut "$SMPROGRAMS\new shortcut.lnk" "$INSTDIR\uninstall.exe"
sectionEnd

# uninstaller section start
section "uninstall"

# first, delete the uninstaller
delete $INSTDIR\uninstall.exe

# second, remove the link from the start menu
delete "$SMPROGRAMS\new shortcut.lnk"

# uninstaller section end
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simply get current version of Java Runtime Environment==
This installer just checks the value of the CurrentVersion string for the JRE in the local machine registry using [http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Docs/Chapter4.html#4.9.2.12 readRegStr]. If the result is blank, the JRE is probably not installed.

<highlight-nsis>
# name the installer
outFile "installer.exe"

#default section start
section

# read the value from the registry into the $0 register
readRegStr $0 HKLM "SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment" CurrentVersion

# print the results in a popup message box
messageBox MB_OK "version: $0"

# default section end
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Check if user is administrator==
Sometimes, it's necessary to check if an installer's user has administrative privilages. This simple script checks for that using the "UserInfo" plugin. There's a more sophisticated alternative at http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=195020, but this method seems to work fine. Another example of UserInfo can be found in the NSIS installation directory under \Examples\UserInfo\UserInfo.nsi.

<highlight-nsis>
# name installer
outFile "installer.exe"

# default section start
section

# call userInfo plugin to get user info. The plugin puts the result in the stack
userInfo::getAccountType

# pop the result from the stack into $0
pop $0

# compare the result with the string "Admin" to see if the user is admin. If match, jump 3 lines down.
strCmp $0 "Admin" +3

# if there is not a match, print message and return
messageBox MB_OK "not admin: $0"
return

# otherwise, confirm and return
messageBox MB_OK "is admin"

# default section end
sectionEnd

</highlight-nsis>

[[Category:Tutorials]]

Simple tutorials

2006-06-04T22:05:34Z

Eldri005: Added section "Check if user is..."

{{PageAuthor|eldri005}}

==Simple hello world - popup box==
This hello world script will create a popup box with the words "hello world" in it and an "OK" button, when the installer is run

<highlight-nsis>
# set the name of the installer
outfile "hello world.exe"

# create a default section. Every NSIS script has at least one section
section

# create a popup box, with an OK button and the text "Hello world!"
messageBox MB_OK "Hello world!"

sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simple hello world - writing text to a file==
This hello world script will write "hello world" to a text file when the installer is run

<highlight-nsis>
# declare name of finstaller file
outfile "hello world.exe"

# open section
section

/* open an output file called "helloworld.txt",
which must exist before script is compiled,
on the desktop in write mode */
fileOpen $0 "$DESKTOP\helloworld.txt" w

# write the string "hello world!" to the output file
fileWrite $0 "hello world!"

# close the file
fileClose $0

# end the section
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simply install a file==
This installer script will copy the file "test.txt" to the installation directory
<highlight-nsis>
# define the name of the installer
outfile "simple installer.exe"

# define the directory to install to, the desktop in this case as specified
# by the predefined $DESKTOP variable
installDir $DESKTOP

# default section
section

# define the output path for this file
setOutPath $INSTDIR

# define what to install and place it in the output path
file test.txt

sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Install a file and create an uninstaller to remove it==
This script will do the following: create an installer named "installer.exe"; install a file named "test.txt" to the desktop; create an uninstaller named "uninstaller.exe" on the desktop. The uninstaller will remove itself and the installed text file.

<highlight-nsis>
# define installer name
outFile "installer.exe"

# set desktop as install directory
installDir $DESKTOP

# default section start
section

# define output path
setOutPath $INSTDIR

# specify file to go in output path
file test.txt

# define uninstaller name
writeUninstaller $INSTDIR\uninstaller.exe

# default section end
sectionEnd

# create a section to define what the uninstaller does.
# the section will always be named "Uninstall"
section "Uninstall"

# Always delete uninstaller first
delete $INSTDIR\uninstaller.exe

# now delete installed file
delete $INSTDIR\test.txt

sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simply create a start menu item==
This installer creates a start menu item, nothing more

<highlight-nsis>
# Name the installer
outFile "installer.exe"

# default section
section

# create a shortcut named "new shortcut" in the start menu programs directory
# presently, the new shortcut doesn't call anything (the second field is blank)
createShortCut "$SMPROGRAMS\new shortcut.lnk" ""

# to delete shortcut, go to start menu directory and manually delete it

# default sec end
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simple installer and uninstaller with start menu item==
This installer will do the following: create an installer named "installer.exe"; an uninstaller on the desktop; a shortcut in the start menu that points to the uninstaller.

<highlight-nsis>
# define name of installer
outFile "installer.exe"

# define installation directory
installDir $DESKTOP

# start default section
section

# set the installation directory as the destination for the following actions
setOutPath $INSTDIR

# create the uninstaller
writeUninstaller "uninstall.exe"

# create a shortcut named "new shortcut" in the start menu programs directory
# point the new shortcut at the program uninstaller
createShortCut "$SMPROGRAMS\new shortcut.lnk" "$INSTDIR\uninstall.exe"
sectionEnd

# uninstaller section start
section "uninstall"

# first, delete the uninstaller
delete $INSTDIR\uninstall.exe

# second, remove the link from the start menu
delete "$SMPROGRAMS\new shortcut.lnk"

# uninstaller section end
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simply get current version of Java Runtime Environment==
This installer just checks the value of the CurrentVersion string for the JRE in the local machine registry using [http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Docs/Chapter4.html#4.9.2.12 readRegStr]. If the result is blank, the JRE is probably not installed.

<highlight-nsis>
# name the installer
outFile "installer.exe"

#default section start
section

# read the value from the registry into the $0 register
readRegStr $0 HKLM "SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment" CurrentVersion

# print the results in a popup message box
messageBox MB_OK "version: $0"

# default section end
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Check if user is administrator==
Sometimes, it's necessary to check if an installer's user has administrative privilages. This simple script checks for that using the "UserInfo" plugin. There's a more sophisticated alternative at http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=195020, but this method seems to work fine. Another example of UserInfo can be found in the NSIS installation directory under \Examples\UserInfo\UserInfo.nsi.

<highlight-nsis>
# name installer
outFile "installer.exe"

# default section start
section

# call userInfo plugin to get user info. The plugin puts the result in the stack
userInfo::getAccountType

# pop the result from the stack into $0
pop $0

# compare the result with the string "Admin" to see if the user is admin. If match, jump 3 lines down.
strCmp $0 "Admin" +3

# if there is not a match, print message and return
messageBox MB_OK "not admin: $0"
return

# otherwise, confirm and return
messageBox MB_OK "is admin"

# default section end
sectionEnd

</highlight-nsis>

[[Category:Tutorials]]

Simple tutorials

2006-05-24T23:24:37Z

Eldri005: added section "Simply get current version..."

Simple tutorials

2006-05-24T22:29:41Z

Eldri005: Added sections: "Simply create a start..." & "Simple installer and uninstaller..."

Simple tutorials

2006-05-24T22:12:20Z

Eldri005: New section added: "Install a file and create..."

Simple tutorials

2006-05-22T23:36:43Z

Eldri005:

Simple tutorials

2006-05-22T23:34:25Z

Eldri005:

==Simple hello world - popup box==
This hello world script will create a popup box with the words "hello world" in it and an "OK" button, when the installer is run

<highlight-nsis>
# set the name of the installer
outfile "hello world.exe"

# create a default section. Every NSIS script has at least one section
section

# create a popup box, with an OK button and the text "Hello world!"
messageBox MB_OK "Hello world!"

sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simple hello world - writing text to a file==
This hello world script will write "hello world" to a text file when the installer is run

<highlight-nsis>
# declare name of finstaller file
outfile "hello world.exe"

# open section
section

/* open an output file called "helloworld.txt",
which must exist before script is compiled,
on the desktop in write mode */
fileOpen $0 "$DESKTOP\helloworld.txt" w

# write the string "hello world!" to the output file
fileWrite $0 "hello world!"

# close the file
fileClose $0

# end the section
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simply install a file==
This installer script will copy the file "test.txt" to the installation directory
<highlight-nsis>
# define the name of the installer
outfile "simple installer.exe"

# define the directory to install to, the desktop in this case as specified
# by the predefined $DESKTOP variable
installDir $DESKTOP

# default section
section

# define the output path for this file
setOutPath $INSTDIR

# define what to install and place it in the output path
file test.txt

sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>
[[Category:Tutorials]]

Simple tutorials

2006-05-22T23:32:22Z

Eldri005: creation, new -- "Simple tutorials" page in the category "Tutorials": 3 simple tutorials added

{{PageAuthor:eldri005}}
==Simple hello world - popup box==
This hello world script will create a popup box with the words "hello world" in it and an "OK" button, when the installer is run

<highlight-nsis>
# set the name of the installer
outfile "hello world.exe"

# create a default section. Every NSIS script has at least one section
section

# create a popup box, with an OK button and the text "Hello world!"
messageBox MB_OK "Hello world!"

sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simple hello world - writing text to a file==
This hello world script will write "hello world" to a text file when the installer is run

<highlight-nsis>
# declare name of finstaller file
outfile "hello world.exe"

# open section
section

/* open an output file called "helloworld.txt",
which must exist before script is compiled,
on the desktop in write mode */
fileOpen $0 "$DESKTOP\helloworld.txt" w

# write the string "hello world!" to the output file
fileWrite $0 "hello world!"

# close the file
fileClose $0

# end the section
sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>

==Simply install a file==
This installer script will copy the file "test.txt" to the installation directory
<highlight-nsis>
# define the name of the installer
outfile "simple installer.exe"

# define the directory to install to, the desktop in this case as specified
# by the predefined $DESKTOP variable
installDir $DESKTOP

# default section
section

# define the output path for this file
setOutPath $INSTDIR

# define what to install and place it in the output path
file test.txt

sectionEnd
</highlight-nsis>
[[Category:Tutorials]]