Glossary

Attribute: Command that configures your installer's general behavior (unlike an Instruction): AutoCloseWindow true. Unless it's a Compiler Flag, it's not Section or Function specific and so is 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

Command: Any non-comment line (possibly \-extended)

Compile Time Command: Always starts with a bang, eg,

!ifdef VERSION & NOVERSION
  !error "Warning compile-person: both VERSION and NOVERSION are defined"
!endif

Compiler Flag: An Attribute that "affect[s] how the compiler generates code and compresses data": SetCompressor zlib

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: A wizard that NSIS compiles from a script

Instruction: A Function or Section command executed when your installer is run, eg, FileClose $0

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, installer configuration complete, 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 Define with built in value. Includes four underscores in its name: ${__<UPCASE>__}, 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