Allow for possibly non-existing recursive File instances

[mhoydis]

I am trying to make an NSIS script that will compile in 2 different file structures. I think the /nonfatal switch for File is what I want, however it does not seem to work recursively? Unless I'm making a stupid mistake?

Explanation...
I want to be able to use the File command, recursively, and nonfatally.
I want to be able to do something like...
File /r "../STUFF/*.*"
and have it just be ignored if the STUFF directory does not exists, OR if the STUFF directory is empty. If STUFF is present and does contain files I want them to be compressed and added to my archive.

File /r /nonfatal "../STUFF/*.*" does not seem to work!! It presents the "no files found" error at compilation.

What kind of logic can I write that would be able to test if a file/directory, relative to the compiler, is present? IfFileExists will not work for me because it is doing a compare of the end-user situation at runtime, and I require this kind of logic at the compiler. I'm familiar with {If} and all that logic, but how to I ask it about files relative to the compiler?

Any ideas?

Thanks
-Michael

[Red Wine]

File /r /nonfatal "../STUFF/*.*" does not seem to work!! It presents the "no files found" error at compilation.

If /nonfatal switch was designed to operate with /r (recursively) then this code would produce an empty (without files to install) installer.
Why not just open windows explorer and see if ../STUFF/ exists?

[mhoydis]

Originally posted by Red Wine
If /nonfatal switch was designed to operate with /r (recursively) then this code would produce an empty (without files to install) installer.

Yes, I agree. This does not seem to be the case.

Originally posted by Red Wine
Why not just open windows explorer and see if ../STUFF/ exists?

yeeeaaahhh see I know ../STUFF/ is empty. The act of determining if it exists or empty isn't for my own edification. I need the script to be flexible enough to determine this by itself.
(unless you mean there's a way to use "windows explorer" though scripting means to do this? If so, please elaborate.)

[Red Wine]

yeeeaaahhh see I know ../STUFF/ is empty. The act of determining if it exists or empty isn't for my own edification. I need the script to be flexible enough to determine this by itself.

I see... apologies my mistake

[mhoydis]

OK I've figured this out. Undocumented syntax alert....

File /r /nonfatal "../STUFF/*.*" does NOT work. "no files found" error during compile.

File /nonfatal /r "../STUFF/*.*" DOES work!! This allows for recursive inclusion of files or directories which may not exist.

Evidently the order of the switches is very important.

le sigh.
-Michael