[Newbie] différence between macro and functions

Archive: [Newbie] différence between macro and functions

mumuri
25th July 2004 14:35 UTC

[Newbie] différence between macro and functions
I only want to know the différence between a macro and a function in NSIS.

What is the 'influence' on the finale exe file ?? Is this file bigger if i use a macro ??

deguix
25th July 2004 15:18 UTC

Functions:

- Create smaller installers. The reason is that they are permanent codes called from one point in the script.

- They are difficult to use. You have to keep pushing and poping variables to get the parameters and create an output.

- They are only used at run time.

- They are used to create custom pages and modify other installer aspects.

Macros:

- Create bigger installers (except when using only for compile time instructions). The reason is that they are copied codes pasted where you want to "!insertmacro" them.

- They are easy to use. They are called in the form of "!insertmacro Command Parameters".

- They are used on both compile time and run time.

mumuri
25th July 2004 18:44 UTC

ok thanks

deguix
25th July 2004 20:57 UTC

Just a comment, a macro create a bigger installer when used more than once. If you would use a macro and a function with the same contents for 1 time, they would occupy the same size.

mumuri
28th July 2004 11:41 UTC

i understand

Juste one more thing

IF the function is just use once, we d better use a macro ??

I mean ,to use a function you must 'call' it, so the 'éxécution time' will be longer than if we had use a macro, right ??

Or does the compiler understand that the function is just use once and then, insert the function code directly in the main code (without the 'call')

deguix
28th July 2004 12:28 UTC

Yes, that's the only exception where the !macro wins about the size.

Afrow UK
28th July 2004 16:01 UTC

If you want to use the same code more than once, you should use it within a Function, and call it with a macro.

Example:

Function Blah
Exch $R0
Push $R1
...

Pop $R1
Exch $R0
FunctionEnd

!macro CallBlah INPUT
 Push "${INPUT}"
  Call Blah
!macroend

Then in sections or functions:

!insertmacro CallBlah "input string / var"
Pop $R0 ;output

...

-Stu

mumuri
28th July 2004 16:23 UTC

yes you "re right the code will be easyer to understand

thanks

but there is a little problem

if we have this case

call Function1
Pop $R1

Push $R1
call Function2

With the macro we can not do that (if we put the Push $R1 / call Function2 in the macro).

call Function1
call Function2

iceman_k
29th July 2004 16:28 UTC

Doesn't MakeNSIS compress the instructions as well?
In that case repeated macros would get compressed as well.
So, the resulting installer may be a little bit bigger (in the order of bytes rather than kb) but it would be more than repaid by the increase in ease of development.

Afrow UK
29th July 2004 16:36 UTC

Just use the code like that then.

-Stu

Comm@nder21
29th July 2004 20:05 UTC

or even integrate function1 into function2