blh83
18th August 2010 23:26 UTC

Separate uninstall shortucts for each component
  I have a situation where I would like to be able to have separate uninstaller shortcuts in add/remove programs for each component in my application (yes this is my preferred way as opposed to a component page in the uninstaller for reasons too lengthy to describe). I had a theory as to what I could do: In each section I would write an uninstaller (using WriteUninstaller) and then add a separate registry key for each component in the Windows uninstall section so that an icon would show up for each one in the add/remove programs list. This works great. As a note, I also have uninstaller sections that are specific to each component as mentioned in other posts (e.g. section named "mySection" has uninstaller section "un.mySection"), but that is sort of trivial in regards to my problem.

I then thought I could simply check the processes and search for the name of the uninstaller executable that is running and determine what needs to be uninstalled based on that. Unfortunately, no matter which one of the uninstall shortcuts is clicked, it shows up in the processes list as "Au_.exe*32". This means I can't differentiate which of the uninstall executables was clicked and throws my whole theory out the window. Does anyone have any thoughts on how I could have a separate uninstall shortcut for each component? I have little hope this is possible (or at least straightforward), but a man can dream I guess. Thanks in advance.

demiller9
19th August 2010 00:10 UTC

If I were going to do what you describe, I'd create separate installers (by writing and compiling other scripts) for each component, then I'd include those uninstallers in the main installer.

Each uninstaller would know only about it's one component; each component entry in the Add/Remove program registry key would point to the correct uninstaller for that component. When the user goes to remove that component, it calls 'that' uninstaller, which removes the correct component (and that item from Add/Remove program registry).

Don

Afrow UK
19th August 2010 00:15 UTC

What about using the command line? Add a switch in the UninstallString path to tell the uninstaller which component to uninstall.

Use FileFunc.nsh with GetParameters+GetOptions (see NSIS manual).

Stu

blh83
19th August 2010 16:05 UTC

Thank you for the responses, they both sound like good ideas. I will look into each one and see which best fits my needs. Thanks again.

Afrow UK
19th August 2010 19:20 UTC

Creating another installer and uninstaller script would be definitely be a bit more work.

All you need in your uninstaller is this:

${GetParameters} $R0
${GetOptions} $R0 `/product=` $R0
${If} $R0 == `product 1`
  # do product 1 uninstall
${Else}
  # do product 2 uninstall
${EndIf}

MSG
20th August 2010 05:40 UTC

Actually, you might want to make that:

${GetParameters} $R0
${GetOptions} $R0 `/product=` $R0
${If} $R0 == `product 1`
  # do product 1 uninstall
${ElseIf} $R0 == `product 2`
  # do product 2 uninstall
${Else}
  # display error
${EndIf}

blh83
20th August 2010 17:47 UTC

I ended up using almost exactly the code that AfrowUK (with MSG's error portion) and it worked great! Thanks again for the help, I am still a noob to installers in general so I appreciate the patience for what may seem like a simple problem. For those interested, here is how I added the '/product=' option to the uninstallString:

WriteRegStr ${PRODUCT_UNINST_ROOT_KEY} "${PRODUCT_UNINST_KEY}" "UninstallString" "$\"$INSTDIR\Uninstall product.exe$\" /product=aProduct"

Pravin
4th October 2010 10:20 UTC

Uninstaller Issue

Pravin
4th October 2010 10:26 UTC

${GetParameters}
  Im new to NSIS installer. Im also facing the above issue. It will be very helpful to me if can explain in detail.

MY Issue :
-----------

Im having two components (viz. Client and Server ) in my installer with separate directory path .

As u have said the reg key for UninstallString has been set but im unable to get the parameter while uninstalling.

One more thing i would like to know is if i install client and server separateky I will have a two uninstaller which i created by the below code



WriteUninstaller "$b1\ClientUninstaller.exe"
WriteUninstaller "$b1\ServerUninstaller.exe"

How will the software recognize which uninstaller has been triggered.

Should i pass parameters in WriteUninstaller ???

MSG
4th October 2010 13:24 UTC

Originally posted by Pravin
How will the software recognize which uninstaller has been triggered.

Pravin
5th October 2010 09:49 UTC

Thanks for ur response MSG.

1.As u said i tried using $EXEPATH . As already discussed by blh83 no matter which one of the uninstall shortcuts is clicked, it shows up in the processes list as "Au_.exe*32".

2.Next i tried by passing parameters .

I dont know where i need to pass the parameters

whether in WriteRegStr ${PRODUCT_UNINST_ROOT_KEY} "${PRODUCT_UNINST_KEY}" "UninstallString" "$\"$INSTDIR\Uninstall product.exe$\" /product=aProduct

or

WriteUninstaller "$b1\ClientUninstaller.exe

can u guide me in a detailed manner. Thanks in advance Mr. MSG

Pravin
5th October 2010 09:50 UTC

The only difference between blh83 and me is instead of Au_.exe*32 it shows only Au_.exe.

MSG
5th October 2010 10:37 UTC

Originally posted by Pravin
I dont know where i need to pass the parameters

  FileOpen$0 "$INSTDIR\Uninstall1.exe" a

  FileSeek$0 0 END 

  FileWriteByte$0 ${SomeByte}

 FileClose $0 

>

  FileOpen $0 $EXEPATH r

  FileSeek$0 -1 END

  FileReadByte$0 $1

 ${If} $0 = ${SomeByte}

    ;uninstall one

  ${Else}

    ;uninstall other

  ${EndIf} 

Pravin
6th October 2010 16:12 UTC

Thanks a lot MSG. your response helped me a lot.

Wizou
6th October 2010 16:49 UTC

Originally posted by MSG
Parameters isn't a foolproof method, because then the user can still execute the uninstall.exe manually and no parameters will be passed. You should use the FileWriteByte/FileReadByte method

MSG
6th October 2010 17:11 UTC

Idea leeched entirely from Anders. (Because the appended bytes are not part of the CRC check, he also added basic error checking by adding a number of preset verification bits.)