Glossary

Attribute: Commands that control your installer: AutoCloseWindow true. These are not Section or Function specific and so are specified outside them

Callback: A Function called by the installer at certain points in the install, eg, .onInit is called when the installer is nearly finished initializing

Constant: A read-only variable with built-in value. Dereferenced as a variable: $EXEPATH

Define: A symbol that is predefined or created with !define or /D at the command line. Dereferenced with $ and curly brackets: ${VERSION}

Function: A user-created code block called explicitly (user function) or automatically (callback)

Installer: An executable compiled from a script

Page: The Page family of commands typically specify either Page custom creator_function leave_function or one of the internal page types, which are license, components (to select), directory (of installation), instfiles (where the Sections are executed), uninstConfirm. These differ in some behaviors (e.g., Sections define components for the components page only) and the attributes that effect them. LicenseText's setting, if any, is only used on the license page, for example

Predefine: A built-in define, eg, ${__FILE__}

Register: A pre-declared variable, one of $0 - $9, $R0 - $R9

Script: A (.nsi) text file that sets some attributes (minimally, outfile), usually declares/defines/assigns some symbols, then lists the pages, in order, to walk the (un)installing user through. Zero or more Functions and at least one Section follow. For increased power and flexibility, plug-in DLLs can be called and "header" (.nsh) scripts !included

Section: A code block corresponding to an installable component on the components page

Symbol: General term meaning a define or variable. The taxonomy:

Symbol

Define

Predefine

User define

Variable

Constant

Register

User variable

Variable: A globally-scoped constant, register, or user variable