mkeeley
4th November 2001 01:02 UTC

FNSIS - NSIS Workbench Release
Wasn't expecting to have time to finish the release this weekend which is why I uploaded a preview 2 the other night, but I think I have.

A readme.rtf is included detailing the changes since preview 2 (if you've had time to download it).

The major changes over the initial preview, apart from minor things like completing the code and testing ;), is an improved new project wizard, customisable syntax highlighting and code templates and some new function "helpers". You can also maintain the function definitions so that as new functions are implemented you can add them yourselves.

Its URL is:

www.techmarc.ndirect.co.uk/fnsetup.exe

I'm thinking about having a play with the NSIS source to give the install/uninstall a more up to date feel including XP support. I know some people have commented in previous posts that they like it's look but personally I think most end users would it looks somewhat old fashioned when compared to the current Wise/Installshield look, and first impression count.

That's assuming I can make some time.

prodangle
4th November 2001 02:37 UTC

I'll say it again, it really is beautiful.

I just knocked up a brand new installer from scratch in seconds. Your GUI really does making creating an installer almost a joy (you'll be thinking I'm pretty sad now, right... :) ). I'd say it's now just as simple to knock up an NSIS installer for a prog as it is to create a self extracting zip. Perhaps you should distribute the NSIS compiler alongside NSIS workbench, as an optional component (sortof like CDex does with LAME) so folks can just download NSIS workbench and seemingly use it on it's own. Just gotta make sure Justin still gets credit for all is hard work if it's done this way though :)

Just a few things I'd suggest (again, probably things you already know, but just haven't got round to doing yet.)

It would be nice if the wizard was brought up immediately upon opening NSIS workbench, would probably make it seem a lot less dauting to newbies. Maybe have an option to turn this behaviour off. One other thing that frustrates me is the way the list of functions doesn't scroll down as you drag the scrollbar. A stupid little thing I know, but it just doesn't seem 'right' :) Also the mousewheel doesn't behave as one would expect at this part.

Just my opinions though, I could be way off mark as usual...

RE the whole making NSIS look nicer issue. As long as it doesn't make NSIS installers huge and slow, I'm all for it. ie Support for 48x48 high color icons would look nice, 'specially with XP's tile icon view, but then one icon alone would probably double the header size.

mkeeley
4th November 2001 02:48 UTC

Glad you think it meets its goals, the idea of the wizard was just that, for a "standard" installation to be a complete no-brainer (not trying to imply... ;) )

I'll look at the function list and see if I can improve it, if it turns out to be an easy change I'll try and get it out Sun night. I'll think about the starting up straight in to the wizard, of course if you want to edit an existing project you don't want that to happen, can't please everyone!

mkeeley
4th November 2001 02:51 UTC

Forgot, as for making NSIS look nicer. I think making it basically XP aware adds about 1/2K, other changes I'd like to see aren't that big, moving things around adding a panel or 2 so shouldn't effect the size by much at all.

liquidmotion
4th November 2001 04:24 UTC

you could use the nsis dll, which returns the status text automatically.

just a thought that would make your badass gui even nicer :)

mkeeley
4th November 2001 04:37 UTC

Not seen a DLL mentioned and haven't seen a copy on my PC, perhaps I've not looked hard enough. Have you any more info on it?

Release 2 has been uploaded already incorporating the 2 suggestions made by prodangle. The function and code snippets grids have been replaced with more advanced grid controls so that selection follows scrolling amongst other things. There's also a new startup screen allowing you to start a new project either with or without the wizard, open a project, open the last project or exit. It can be disabled.

I've attached a screen shot of the new opening screen.

Download URL:

www.techmarc.ndirect.co.uk/fnsetup.exe

liquidmotion
4th November 2001 04:46 UTC

www.incomplete.co.uk/nsis.htm

if that doesn't work, just try www.incomplete.co.uk, and surf around until you find it. you pass the filename of the script, and the window handle (hWND) of your status textbox and it returns the nsis results to the box.

/me checks the gui. - *nice* -

mkeeley
4th November 2001 04:50 UTC

Thanks for that, I'll have a play when I can.

Kris Owens
4th November 2001 18:58 UTC

Possible Bug...
First of all... AWESOME!

IMHO this kicks the s**t outta the other GUIs.

Secondly, I think I have noticed a bug when using the wizard...

In the line where you enter the location of the license file, it doesn't seem to quote the path, thus resulting in a script error.

Again, well done on what is a very sweet GUI for NSIS!

Kind Regards,

Kris

mkeeley
4th November 2001 19:17 UTC

Thanks for that Kris. Well spotted, I've fixed it but will wait a bit before releasing it as there's bound to be a few other bits and pieces needing fixing.

Marc

prodangle
4th November 2001 20:16 UTC

Man - I'll say it again, you're GUI is great mkeeley. Here's a couple of things you might want to add to the list whenever you knock out another version. The tab order is wrong in the part of the Wizard where you choose button texts, and a combobox would be nice when selecting the install dir (to save having to remember $TEMP, $PROGRAMFILES etc).

Not that that's enough to put me off using it tho... :D :D

mkeeley
4th November 2001 23:21 UTC

Fixed the tab order and added combo boxes containing the paths (SPROGRAMFILES...) to the installation folder and the files destination fields. Also added a show startup selection screen check box to the options page in case you turn it off and want to re-enable it.

Marc

Kris Owens
5th November 2001 00:08 UTC

So should we "re-download" the file then from the above link?

Or haven't you uploaded the latest yet?

Thanks in advance,

Kris

mkeeley
5th November 2001 00:14 UTC

I haven't uploaded the fix to the license text file ot the combo box change, tab order fix yet (although they've been fixed here) I was going to wait and see if any other problems are found rather than uploading new versions all the time. So I'll upload a new version in couple of days.

Kris Owens
5th November 2001 00:22 UTC

Roger that m8.

Can you post on this thread as and when you upload an updated version, So that I get a thread update notification?

Thanks again and thanks again for the GUI. ;)

Top notch,

Kris

mkeeley
5th November 2001 00:26 UTC

Will do

Kreft
5th November 2001 01:38 UTC

Wow
that is great. i love it.

mkeeley
5th November 2001 02:19 UTC

Thanks. There are things that can be done to it to make it even greater. The wizard could still be extended to provide more features (file associations, registering ActiveX's, run external programs during the instal...) and all the functions could have "helpers".

However I'm quite pleased with it for a version 1, especially as it was only started a week ago and I've only been able to spend a limited amount of time on it.

Marc

prodangle
5th November 2001 12:59 UTC

One more thing, sorry if someone else has already mentioned this, but when you enter a delay for the splash in the Wizard, this is not used in the script it generates.

mkeeley
5th November 2001 13:14 UTC

Thanks, I've corrected that.

Marc

mkeeley
6th November 2001 19:24 UTC

To let Kris and everyone who's tracking this thread that 1.00 release 3 has just been uploaded

URL

http://www.techmarc.ndirect.co.uk/fnsetup.exe

Marc

Kris Owens
7th November 2001 01:55 UTC

Thanks m8... will check it out first thing in the morning.

Cheers,

Kris

sixty4bit
8th November 2001 22:16 UTC

What language is this?
What language did you write this in? Is this Delphi, VB, TCL/TK, C, C++, Smalltalk? Which? This app is beautiful and very easy to use.

Sixty4Bit

mkeeley
8th November 2001 22:28 UTC

All of them ;) Actually Delphi 5, couldn't use Delphi 6 as the company still haven't released a Delphi 6 upgrade for the memo I use for script editing (not that it really makes any difference and Delphi 6 .EXE's are larger than those produced by Delphi 5).