NSIS Quick Setup Script Generator

Red Wine
21st April 2006 00:10 UTC

NSIS Quick Setup Script Generator
NSIS Quick Setup Script Generator is a tool that helps users to prepare and create their software installation. The preparation of the script is fully customisable, allowing users to set up and modify their desired preferences. It takes just three plain steps to prepare and create a full working and ready for distribution installation.

Please downnload the beta version from here and report bugs.

Download latest version from wiki at: NSIS Quick Setup Script Generator

iceman_k
21st April 2006 15:05 UTC

Nice. A couple of suggestions: [list=1][*]Let the user select the name and location of the setup.exe file. Otherwise it will get overwritten every time a new setup is generated.[*]If the user chooses to save the script file, allow him to choose the name and location of the script file, and then open the script file upon finish.[/list=1]

Also, I noticed this potentially dangerous code in the script:


!ifndef NEVER_UNINSTALL
Delete "<none>\atgpc.log"
Delete "<none>\atlog.txt"
Delete "<none>\atrem.ini"
Delete "<none>\AUTOEXEC.BAT"
Delete "<none>\boot.ini"
Delete "<none>\CONFIG.SYS"
Delete "<none>\hiberfil.sys"
Delete "<none>\IO.SYS"
Delete "<none>\MSDOS.SYS"
Delete "<none>\NTDETECT.COM"
Delete "<none>\ntldr"
Delete "<none>\pagefile.sys"
!endif

Red Wine
21st April 2006 15:29 UTC

@ iceman_k:
Thanks for the reply.
Users can use the filerequest dialog to save the installer on different place, though, all the things you mentioned about installer and script will be improved.
The potentially dangerous code generated by the script or you mean one may edit the saved script with this code?
I am comfused cause I can't find how and where this code is generated. If users select <none> the compiled script is without code at this part. Please could you specify this?

EDIT: oops! I found it! iceman_k you're right. thanks again, I'm goin to fix it right now

iceman_k
21st April 2006 15:52 UTC

Originally posted by Red Wine
Users can use the filerequest dialog to save the installer on different place

Oh, right- I was looking for this filerequest on the last page, not the first page. :D
My fault.

Red Wine
21st April 2006 16:33 UTC

well, all the issues mentioned by iceman_k fixed.
The potentially dangerous code issue caused of a missing single line of code.
Generator saves the script in the same place with the installer, warn users if installer already exists and makes a backup of a previously saved script.

Thank you very much iceman_k

Please download the improved version and report bugs.

Red Wine
21st April 2006 17:08 UTC

Just removed the one above so the improved version is here:

Red Wine
21st April 2006 23:21 UTC

Well, here is the last improved version for this weekend.
I have to prepare the lamb and all those traditional meat-things, so no time for anything else.
All reported issues have been fixed, moreover, the gui has improved.
Don't forget that it is still in beta version for testing purpose only.
Please download it from here, test it closely, and report bugs.
Most likely, without bugs reporting, there will be not considerable improvement.
Bugs, suggestions etc reporting is precious and always welcome.
Regards

Red Wine
24th April 2006 20:44 UTC

Hi,
new version of NSIS Quick Setup Script Generator is out. (beta 4).
* Added Languages.
* Significant gui changes according on notes by iceman_k.
* Stability improvement.

Please download from wiki.

regards

iceman_k
24th April 2006 21:28 UTC

Very nice. :up:
One question: I didn't quite understand what "Allow user to disable Start menu" does?
Further enhancement suggestions:

Make the "Application's Files Directory" optional- e.g., if my installer only has a single executable, I don't want to specify any more files.
Make NSIS Quick Setup Script Generator multilingual. (This might get difficult because you will need translations for all your strings).
Add support for splash screen/background images/sound etc.
Allow user the option of creating silent or standard ("classic") installer, besides the current MUI installer.

These are just suggestions- I think it is really nice right now. It does exactly what it advertises- allows the user to quickly create a fully functional installer. You don't really need to add much to it.

Red Wine
24th April 2006 21:37 UTC

@ iceman_k:
Thank you very much!
I take all your suggestions very seriously, I'm already looking forward on how I could manage them.

One question: I didn't quite understand what "Allow user to disable Start menu" does?

The small checkbox on SM selection page where users can disable the SM folder creation. :-)

iceman_k
24th April 2006 22:00 UTC

Originally posted by Red Wine
The small checkbox on SM selection page where users can disable the SM folder creation. :-)

Cool! I will add this option to EclipseNSIS as well.

Red Wine
25th April 2006 13:36 UTC

Hi,
today I had a chance to check the app on a win 98 system. The app acts normally, there were some labels not displaying properly though. I realised that I had not check the gui look with classic windows theme, so right now I made the required changes and just uploaded a fixed release at wiki.

Originally posted by Iceman_K
Make the "Application's Files Directory" optional- e.g., if my installer only has a single executable, I don't want to specify any more files.

Could be done, though, it makes not difference because in case that you have only one file for distribution, you can point as application's files directory the same dir from where you specified the main app exe. :-)
Regards

iceman_k
25th April 2006 14:23 UTC

Originally posted by Red Wine
Hi,
Could be done, though, it makes not difference because in case that you have only one file for distribution, you can point as application's files directory the same dir from where you specified the main app exe. :-)

Won't that try to install the main app.exe twice?

Red Wine
25th April 2006 17:51 UTC

originally posted by Iceman_K
Won't that try to install the main app.exe twice?

Nope. Please make a test with the above example and see the generated script. :-)

any
26th April 2006 13:25 UTC

cool tool :)

I wondered why nobody did that before and startet sth. similar some days ago.

I would post it here... but my hard disk with all files on it stopped working last friday :(
If I get some files rescued I'll post 'em.

The wizard I built started with two options: "Screensaver" and "Simple Application". Both options would create a "Basic" installer only.
I wanted to add a third option later with "Complex Application" where you'd be able to add multiple files and folders.

So please keep your fingers crossed for my hard drive 'cause I'd like to share those sources with you :)

regards,
any

Red Wine
26th April 2006 18:49 UTC

Hi,
Latest news about NSIS Quick Setup Script Generator:
* The website has been redesigned to look like a normal wiki page.
* I think we are at the last stage now, close to the first public no beta release.
* I have to complete a help file that I'm editing and start planing improvements for the future.

originally posted by any
I would post it here... but my hard disk with all files on it stopped working last friday

Uhh! Sounds like a nightmare, especially beacause it happened at Friday. :-)

originally posted by Iceman_K
# Make NSIS Quick Setup Script Generator multilingual. (This might get difficult because you will need translations for all your strings).
# Add support for splash screen/background images/sound etc.
# Allow user the option of creating silent or standard ("classic") installer, besides the current MUI installer.

Well, Iceman_k, as I said your suggestions are special.
* Multilang has some restrictions according to available space on controls. When I try (on my nature lang) to fit a string on the reserved space, it does not make sence at all. I need more space for a human readable description! So, I have not idea what is goin to happen with other languages. English have the asset of a short yet comprehensible typing.
* Splash, backrounds etc I'd look on them for the next release.
* Classic gui is easy, could be added now or with the next release.
* Silent installer I think is something outside of the scope of this app. While this app is indented for sortware developers who they like to use NSIS to distribute their software, I assume they wish to interact with their end users and stay on the safe side offering a clear and error free product. I can't think why a developer would like to deliver software with a silent installer.

regards

Red Wine
28th April 2006 17:12 UTC

Hi,
new version uploaded at wiki hopefully this is the last beta for the current release :-)

* Added /SOLID compression respectively to all compression methods.
* Fixed (thanks to Instructor who reported the bug) droplist for compression selection and for additional files destination, both were not correctly visible (no expand the drop down menu) under Win 98 and Win Me systems.
* Some gui improvements.
regards

Red Wine
2nd May 2006 23:05 UTC

Hi,
hopefully fixed wrong spelling. Maybe there is more, if someone has suggestions on that, they are welcome.
regards

brashquido
3rd May 2006 13:42 UTC

Hi Red Wine,

Firstly, you've done an amazing job with the Script Generator. I've never dealt with any sort software packaging products before (or any real development at all for that matter), and after having played with NSIS for the last few days I am confident that your generator is going to knock weeks off the time it takes to create my installer.

Now for some feedback (keep in mind I am as green as they come on this) :).

The installer I am wanting to create is actually for an exisiting PHP based web application. In a nutshell all I want to do is put files in a user specified location, take a bunch of user input to set configurations in a single text file and registry entry, and finally set a couple of environment variables based on the installation path. Broken into steps I would say this is what I need that your excellent Script Generator doesn't seem to currently cater for;

1) Being a web application there is no EXE at the end of the installation to be executed, so for my needs I'd love it if this option in step 2 was optional.

2) Ability to create typical, minimal, full, custom style installation options, similar to the actual NSIS installer.

3) I'd love to be able to setup several custom pages to take in specific user input to modify settings in a text based configuration file and values within a registry entry.

4) Additional custom registry entries. I have a specific location for a registry entry I need to add, with several values in that entry to be user definable or set by the install path.

5) I need to be able to create/modify environment variables that are set based on installtion path.

6) Execution of scripts (such as WSH, VBS, etc) in the background.

7) Addition of custom graphics for branding and being able to add arbitrary text to pages to make the installer more product specific.

Anyway, that's my 2c. I have no idea if any of this feedback fits in with any roadmap you have for your app, and I have no idea how you'd go about implementing any of the flexibility needed for projects such as I am attempting short of having some sort of WYSIWYG interface, but I just thought I give some feedback from the point of view of an absolute newbie to the world of NSIS. In any case I've found I've learnt more in the last few hours from generating scripts with your app and then looking at the syntax than I have in the last two days trying to build scripts by myself. Thanks again for your efforts ;) .

Red Wine
3rd May 2006 18:23 UTC

Thanks a lot! Feedback is always valuable
there are some things on your suggestions already planed for the future, though, I'm working alone on this project on my free time, and I have not idea when they would be added. If there is someone from this forum who wants to share efforts for this project in order to take it on a higher level, I'll be glad to contact him.
For the moment as far as I know, there is one tool that comes near to your specific needs, and this is EclipseNSIS.

Specifically:

1) Being a web application there is no EXE at the end of the installation to be executed, so for my needs I'd love it if this option in step 2 was optional.

I realise that this could be optional, and probably would be soon.

2) Ability to create typical, minimal, full, custom style installation options, similar to the actual NSIS installer.

This part of work already started, needs more time to figure it properly.

3) I'd love to be able to setup several custom pages to take in specific user input to modify settings in a text based configuration file and values within a registry entry.

From my point of view, this should be an InstallOptions designer, though, I have not idea how to make it.

4) Additional custom registry entries. I have a specific location for a registry entry I need to add, with several values in that entry to be user definable or set by the install path.

Never looked on such thing. My indention was given to the point of not allowing "developers" use my application to do strange things on a target machine behind the back of the end user. It is a point of deeper thinking. I don't say no, I just say, why not, when you have your script ready, just manually add your customised registry entries.

5) I need to be able to create/modify environment variables that are set based on installtion path.

Probably same case as above.

6) Execution of scripts (such as WSH, VBS, etc) in the background.

This is easy, could be added in a moment, though, for my opinion could cause the installer to crash because of system security reasons. Needs a lot of testing.

7) Addition of custom graphics for branding and being able to add arbitrary text to pages to make the installer more product specific.

It is a part of the project that already started.

regards

DrilonX
3rd May 2006 21:17 UTC

Hi,

This tool is great !!
I have some suggestions too:
* I'd like to see an option to select the wizard images
(the big one on the welcome screen of the Installer and the small one on the upper right corner)
* Also an option for selecting an icon for the installer would be awesome.
* Make the "Application's Files Directory" optional as iceman_k propose.

I'm hoping these features will be implemented in the final version.
Keep up the good work !

Red Wine
3rd May 2006 22:49 UTC

Hello again,
more improvements have done. This advantage has been taken because kichik is with us these days and he sent some notes. (Thanks a lot kichik).
* Main improvement is the backwards compatibility with Windows 95 OS. I've missed this point, so kichik show me how to do it.
* The open up script in notepad option changed to open up script in editor, so the script is opened with default user's editor. (changed Exec to ExecShell)

originally posted by DrilonX
This tool is great !!
I have some suggestions too:
* I'd like to see an option to select the wizard images
(the big one on the welcome screen of the Installer and the small one on the upper right corner)
* Also an option for selecting an icon for the installer would be awesome.
* Make the "Application's Files Directory" optional as iceman_k propose.

I'm hoping these features will be implemented in the final version.
Keep up the good work !

Thanks a lot DrilonX! All suggestions are welcome.
Options related to images are in progress, yet working alone on my free time, it's obvious that take some time to get them out. Also I'm checking the optional case for "Application's Files Directory" along with "main exe" as well.
regards

demiller9
4th May 2006 00:56 UTC

I tried this out today and have one more suggestion: the browse dialog for the 'main exe' defaults to only showing *.exe files. My application installs a chm file. I suggest adding a *.* option to the file types in the open dialog.

Good job, Red Wine.
Don

brashquido
4th May 2006 01:16 UTC

Thanks for the reply Red Wine. I had a look at EclipseNSIS, but it is somewhat more complicated than your installer. I'll spend this morning browsing the tutorials there to see if I can get my head around how this thing ticks.

Great to hear that a few of my suggestions are already underway :). Again, I really appreciate all the hard work you put in. There seems to be a lot of script generation tools, but yours is the only one I've found that appears to be still under development.

Red Wine
4th May 2006 06:19 UTC

originally posted by demiller9
I tried this out today and have one more suggestion: the browse dialog for the 'main exe' defaults to only showing *.exe files. My application installs a chm file. I suggest adding a *.* option to the file types in the open dialog.

Good job, Red Wine.
Don

Thanks a lot
this could be done, though, without shortcuts creation and post installation run. I mean, lets say you point as main file a rar archive, creating shortcuts and post run, yet the end user has not winrar installed on their system, so the rar extension is not registered and explorer cannot open the file. You see it is hard to know what extensions are registered on a target. Even HtmlHelp is not default on all windows versions. I don't remember exactly, but I know that HH came out with some win98 version.
If you just want to pack a bounce of files, I'd suggest use NSIS sfx package builder or other similar tool, there are plenty of such tools on wiki.
regards

Red Wine
6th May 2006 12:11 UTC

Hi,
a short delay for the final release needed in order to add some features suggested by users.

* Changes since beta 7

Main exe <Application's Main Executable> now is optional field.
This means that either your app has not an executable,
or for some reason you do not wish to point to that file,
now you're able to bypass this field.
In this case, there is not ability for creating shortcuts though.

Add files <Application's Files Directory> remains unchanged.
There is not need for changes on this field since actually it is
optional. You may combine it or not with the above field according
to your preferences. If you have only one exe for distribution,
and you want a normal installation for this, (create shortcuts etc),
then point to that file on the above field and browse for the dir
where that file resides on this field.

Check generated script for details on how to take advantage of the
new features.

* comments about that are welcome.
* Download from wiki

regards

Red Wine
12th May 2006 08:19 UTC

Hello,
New version beta 9 is out.
* Changes since beta 8
Added ability to save/load project settings.
When application is first time launched, creates some INI into
the current dir, and offers option either to save the complete project
just when the generate button is pressed, or to save the current
state if the cancel button is pressed on every one page of the three steps.
Also a recent 5 projects list is created and the user has the ability
either to browse for an existing project, or select a recent one
from the recent projects droplist.

Download from wiki

regards

Red Wine
13th May 2006 12:19 UTC

Detected, fixed and uploaded. :-)
When wizard was canceled on first step,
settings were stored correctly exept languages.

Red Wine
17th May 2006 21:59 UTC

Version 1 05.17.2006 final is out
* Last changes
Parts of code rewritten, focused to application's stability and speed.
Download link
Application is a work in progress.
Next to come:
Customised installer graphics,
Components preferences.

regards

karabey
18th May 2006 00:01 UTC

Hi,

Really good work. Thx for Release..

My Problem: At the end after i click GENERATE i dont get any Outputted File?! Why could be that?

Red Wine
18th May 2006 06:04 UTC

My Problem: At the end after i click GENERATE i dont get any Outputted File?! Why could be that?

Not sure if I got your point...

Just in case an issue has caused because I've compiled the app with the latest NSIS nightly build, I went back to NSIS 2.16, recompiled and reuploaded.
Though, there is a strange thing happens. I can't access the NSIS quick setup script generator page at wiki. I was able to upload the file normally, but the page is disappeared from my view, I get only a blank page.

edit: all normal again :-)
Download link.

RossW
27th June 2006 02:31 UTC

I get the same problem as karabey -> everything runs normally but I don't get an output (other than the .ini file). Even though I've checked both 'Save compiled script for further editing' and 'Also open up saved script in notepad', there's nothing in my Compiler Preferences Browse folder

??

Red Wine
28th June 2006 05:25 UTC

Everything runs normal for me, I'm still on NSIS 2.16. I guess I have to upgrade to 2.17 and re-compile.
Until now, the app is checked 1000 times on Win XP sp 2 and Win 98 SE, never had such problems.
Does anybody else has same problems like RussW?

Red Wine
29th June 2006 05:36 UTC

Everything works fine for me even in 2.17. I can't reproduce the fault so I can't find a reason why it happened. Any ideas?

RossW
29th June 2006 14:58 UTC

here at work, I can't even get past Step 2: Please specify the output directory and applicatin files.

get error: Please verify that installation files source folder exists!

I'm using NSIS 2.17 and I extracted QSSG to the NSIS install folder

ger-user
21st July 2006 16:28 UTC

Originally posted by Red Wine
Everything runs normal for me, I'm still on NSIS 2.16. I guess I have to upgrade to 2.17 and re-compile.
Until now, the app is checked 1000 times on Win XP sp 2 and Win 98 SE, never had such problems.
Does anybody else has same problems like RussW?

Yes. Tested on 2 systems with NSIS 2.16 & 2.18

Can anybody post a Script with "Allow user to disable Start menu" ?

Red Wine
22nd July 2006 10:45 UTC

Not able to reproduce this problem either.
Everything works fine for me. Tested on 4 clean XP systems this morning. The application does work exactly as it has to.
Don't know what else to do. Any light please?

ger-user
22nd July 2006 13:06 UTC

Tested on a new clean german XP system with SP2. Same problem. No script available on PC :eek: and in this thread :igor:

Red Wine
29th August 2006 12:06 UTC

Hello,
just posted a full working example for those who they are asking for this.
The example creates a complete installation of the well known famous xp-antispy application.
Please download the example from HERE and extract it to your local drive C recreating the original path structure. (The path should be as C:\TEMP\NQSSG).
Obviusly requires an active NSIS installation.
regards

cisco80
16th September 2006 02:35 UTC

I have a little more information on the problem that karabey and RossW saw where the program ran fine but there was no output file. I also had no output file when I first ran the program. I am running dual-boot, with Windows 98SE on disk C: and Windows XP on disk D: ; when I installed NSIS and this very excellent Script Generator program in Windows XP, on disk D:, there was no output from your Script Generator. When I re-booted into Windows 98SE on disk C:, and installed both NSIS and the Script Generator, then it gave an output file. When I rebooted to Windows XP, now it also gave an output file. IF I renamed both the NSIS and Script Generator installation directories which were on disk C: so that they were no longer accessible to Windows XP running on D:, then it again gave no output file. Therefore, I conclude that when NSIS and the Script Generator Program are not installed on disk C:, it is still trying to access something on disk C: (and it should not if that's not where it was installed). Thanks for the program!