PDA

View Full Version : NSIS Installation Creator/Editor


virtlink
14th November 2002, 13:45
As you'll propably know from the other thread: "NSIS Script Editor", I am developing a Script Editor for NSIS that makes creating scripts a lot easier. N.I.C.E. means NSIS Installation Creator/Editor. Since I am going to rewrite the whole program in C#, I'd like to know what features you want to see (even those that you already saw in other (NSIS) editors). A few that will be implemented are:

Syntax highlighting
New project wizard
Template scripts (to install .exe, plugins, etc..)
Syntax correction (When hitting enter on a line containing a false instruction, it replaces it)
Compile errors and warnings (shows them beneath your project)
NSIS Project (manage multiple files in one project)
Language file editor
Wizards for common tasks (like File, etc..)
Plugin insert wizard
Auto update (NSIS and N.I.C.E. from the internet (via CVS if you want))
Show possible parameters (simple, shows the syntax under the line you are typing in)
Show possible parameters (extended, shows possible parameter values for the instructions)
XML-compiling (XML-loading will be fatser)
Autocomplete (When you start typing an instruction, N.I.C.E. completes it)
Compile from program (with NSIS, no compiler setup)
Shortcut keys (F5 for compiling for example)
Find and Replace
Autosave (every n minutes)
Line numbers, character spacing (Row 12, Col 45)
Sidebar with functions, help and project information.
Comment complete block (out)
Script rewriting (removes all the spaces and tabs from the beginning of the lines and add them again, for nice code-readability)
Save comments, author and other information with the project (or script)
Standard text-editor functions (copy, paste, etc...)
Follow label-, function- and macro-pointers (double click on a macro name to see the definition)

Long list, don't you think? If you have anything to add, thing I must implement, thing I never should implement, etc.., let me know!

n0On3
18th November 2002, 16:20
well, I am a bit sad that you use c#:(

I am scared of ms.NET

virtlink
18th November 2002, 16:39
Originally posted by n0On3
well, I am a bit sad that you use c#:(

I am scared of ms.NET
What are you scared for? .Net sounds great (according to the .Net magazine :o)
By the way, I haven't programmed any program yet in C#.
Do you have any other suggestion of programming language, or should I stick to VB6, which doesn't meet my requirements any more?

mkeeley
18th November 2002, 19:24
The main problem with .net for desktop use is the 20MB+ runtime, also it doesn't work on older versions of Windows (can't remember if that's just Win95 or also Win98).

Personally not sure if it's really worth people simply writing n different text editors for NSIS. It's great that you're prepared to spend the time and effort but what it could really do with is a proper gui linked to the editor in the same way as Wise and Installshield.

Joost Verburg
18th November 2002, 19:30
The .NET Frameworks works on all Win32 versions except Windows 95, but that's not a real problems, it's 7 years old.

I also think that there are enough text editors now. It's better to combine efforts to write a good GUI linked to the script.

Mottel
19th November 2002, 05:08
This may be beyond the scope of a mere script editor, but I would like to see an integrated development environment with a debugger that would:
- Let you step through your code as it executes, with the option of express-executing (i.e. without stepping through) a function or section.
- Display the current contents of the stack, user-variables, and NSIS variables.

virtlink
19th November 2002, 08:35
Originally posted by Mottel
- Let you step through your code as it executes, with the option of express-executing (i.e. without stepping through) a function or section.
- Display the current contents of the stack, user-variables, and NSIS variables.
This is not possible since the NSIS compiler doesn't support it. It might be an idea for NSIS 3.0, but until then, I won't even try to support it. It's way to difficult.