Dynamically changing OutFile with variables?

Hi,

First off let me say how brilliant NSIS is - it is *exactly* what I was looking for in an installation builder.

On to the question: I've got a file called version.h which contains the single line of code:

#define VERSION 0.8

I'd love to allow my NSI script to read the 0.8 and use it for the OutFile name, ie. the installer creates a file called:

asteroidsinstaller0.8.exe

Here's the beginning of my NSI script:

--- BEGIN
Section "VersionNumber"
FileOpen $R1 "version.h" r
FileSeek $R1 17 ; the 17th character is where the string 0.8 begins
FileRead $R1 $R2
FileClose $R1
SectionEnd

Name "Asteroids"
Icon "asteroid.ico"

OutFile "installer/asteroidsinstall$R2.exe"
...
--- END

This isn't working - it keeps generating the output file as the quite literal "asteroidsinstall$R2.exe". Does NSIS not support variables in the OutFile name? Or am I doing something wrong here?

Cheers
- Michael

The outfile is determined when you compile it. Otherwise how would it create the file. A section is run when the outfile(installer) is run. There's no way to set the installer filename in a section since a section is not run until you create the installer.

Ahh okay... so is what I'm trying to do impossible? Maybe I could write a custom script to do it after the compile if that's the case.

You could write an installer that reads the version.h file, then writes a !define file that is included in your installer. Then your installer could run the makensis compiler.

Yeah, that sounds like the simplest idea - thanks! 🙂

Originally posted by a1studmuffin
Ahh okay... so is what I'm trying to do impossible

You could use NSISplus & the included "copy version number" feature to do almost exactly what you wanted with a few mouseclicks.
(it not exactly the same, because NSISplus copies the version number from the version resource of your .exe to install)

Ahhhh, brilliant! Just got it going! Thanks a lot, excellent app you've got there! 🙂