MysticHead
8th December 2004 17:51 UTC

$INSTDIR > InstallDir ?
Hello,

I've been reading the forums/archive/manual and I haven't been able to find the answer to this question, though search results are often a bit overwhelming so maybe I missed it... sorry if that's the case.

Does $INSTDIR take precidence over InstallDir?

The documentation talks about InstallDir setting the default directory. Does that mean that InstallDir is ONLY used if $INSTDIR is NOT set?

It seems to work this way, but I wanted to clarify that it was the intent and not simply that my script was written in such a way as to make it look like this was happening.

I've used VenisIX to get my basic script, and then I've continued to modify it. I'm using .onInit to set the value of $INSTDIR to C:\3rdPartyAppDir\myApp but I just realized that after the funcion end, in "main installer settings" InstalDir is being set to $PROGRAMFILES\myApp

As I said everything seems to work fine, but I wanted to make sure it was working correctly:)

thanks,

-marc

Afrow UK
8th December 2004 18:12 UTC

If you want to overwrite InstallDir, you simply change the value of $INSTDIR. $INSTDIR will initially contain the value set with InstallDir until you change the value using StrCpy.

E.g.
Function .onInit
IfFileExists "C:\blah\*.*" 0 +2
StrCpy $INSTDIR "C:\blah"
FunctionEnd

-Stu

MysticHead
8th December 2004 22:07 UTC

I wasn't trying to overwrtie anything. I just noticed that by accident I was using InstallDir AFTER I'd already used StrCpy to set $INSTDIR in my .onInit function. It seemed like the InstallDir line was simply being ignored, and I didn't know if that was by design or by chance.

--------------------
E.g.
Function .onInit
IfFileExists "C:\blah\*.*" 0 +2
StrCpy $INSTDIR "C:\blah"
FunctionEnd

Name "mySwellApp"
InstallDir "$PROGRAMFILES\${APPNAMEANDVERSION}"
InstallDirRegKey HKLM "Software\${APPNAMEANDVERSION}" ""

etc...
-----------

Really I guess I can just remove this InstallDir line, as it seems to be ignored. Originally I thought that it might be better to leave it in as a default, incase the $INSTDIR value wasn't set properly. I did some further testing and it looks like NSIS already takes care of the case where $INSTDIR == "" and just forces you to browse for a folder.

I should have given that a shot before posting originally.

Thanks.

-marc

Anders
9th December 2004 01:51 UTC

Installdir is a compile time instruction

kichik
9th December 2004 19:41 UTC

InstallDir sets the default value. The value of $INSTDIR is set as follows:

1. Value from command line (/D=)
2. If $INSTDIR is invalid, value from InstallDirRegKey
3. If $INSTDIR is invalid, value from InstallDir

MysticHead
10th December 2004 16:50 UTC

I think I got it
OK, thanks. I think I've got it.

InstallDir is set at compile time (along with InstallDirRegKey) and they will contain the default values of $INSTDIR.

Once the script is actually run .onInit (or other functions) can freely replace that default value, giving $INSTDIR a new (current) value, basically at run time.

So is it correct to say that InstallDir sort of breaks out from the idea that each instruction is read/acted on sequentially? Or is it that it's still read in sequence, but portions of the script are read when compiling and other portions are read when running?

I'm sorry if I'm making this overly complicated. I really do think I understand the answer to my original question, I'm just trying to make sure I've got it straight...not _trying_ to just beat this horse into the ground.

thanks again,

-marc

kichik
10th December 2004 17:50 UTC

InstallDir is performed sequentially, but doesn't belong to the same context as the code in .onInit. It's an installer attribute. If your script has two InstallDir lines, only the last one will count.