[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 ??

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.

ok thanks

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.

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')

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

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

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

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.

Just use the code like that then.

-Stu

or even integrate function1 into function2