Splash screen while unpacking data

Jiaozi · 25th March 2009, 11:09

Hello,

I wonder whether we can display a splash screen while the setup is unpacking data - you know the "Setup is unpacking data xx%" dialog. I see that behavior with some games using InstallShield.
I don't want to show a time-blocking splash but just improve the unpacking dialog.

Can this be achieved with NSIS ?

thek · 25th March 2009, 12:11

you normally should never see the "Unpacking" Dialog.
I had the same problem, but with some thinking and right usage of ReserveFile you can minimize this.

The Problem you probably have is that you try to access data/files which are not at the beginning of the Script.
So NSIS firstly decompress everything to get to this data.

MSG · 25th March 2009, 13:17

I'm pretty sure the full decompression is always executed for solid compression installers... I could be wrong, but assuming that to be correct: If you really need solid compression, one way to make NSIS execute code before it decompresses the entire archive is manually solid-compressing your files into a rar, 7z or similar archive and compressing that into your installer using non-solid compression. Then unrar the file during installation. Or, similarly, run a silent NSIS installer from inside NSIS.

Note that this will probably increase the total installation time, since you need to unpack the rar file first, then unrar the rar itself.

thek · 25th March 2009, 16:01

Solid compression doesn't mean that you only can decompress everything at once.

It means you have to decompress in the order it where compressed. So if you need the latest file of your archive, you have to decompress everything before. If its in the beginning of the archive you don't need to do this.

wikipedia explains it nicely

Because of this, there is the command "ReserveFile" in NSIS
in an none solid archiv, this command is quite useless. (probably it will achieve some speedup but it would be marginal)

MSG · 25th March 2009, 16:54

Quote:

Originally posted by thek
Solid compression doesn't mean that you only can decompress everything at once.

Good point. I just seem to remember differently for an NSIS installer... But yeah, on second thought, I'm probably just remembering wrong.

Jiaozi · 25th March 2009, 21:00

Yes using ReserveFile resolve my problem, thank you.

25th March 2009, 11:09	#1
Jiaozi Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6	Splash screen while unpacking data Hello, I wonder whether we can display a splash screen while the setup is unpacking data - you know the "Setup is unpacking data xx%" dialog. I see that behavior with some games using InstallShield. I don't want to show a time-blocking splash but just improve the unpacking dialog. Can this be achieved with NSIS ?

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25th March 2009, 12:11	#2
thek Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Austria Posts: 92	you normally should never see the "Unpacking" Dialog. I had the same problem, but with some thinking and right usage of ReserveFile you can minimize this. The Problem you probably have is that you try to access data/files which are not at the beginning of the Script. So NSIS firstly decompress everything to get to this data.

25th March 2009, 13:17	#3
MSG Major Dude Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,841	I'm pretty sure the full decompression is always executed for solid compression installers... I could be wrong, but assuming that to be correct: If you really need solid compression, one way to make NSIS execute code before it decompresses the entire archive is manually solid-compressing your files into a rar, 7z or similar archive and compressing that into your installer using non-solid compression. Then unrar the file during installation. Or, similarly, run a silent NSIS installer from inside NSIS. Note that this will probably increase the total installation time, since you need to unpack the rar file first, then unrar the rar itself.

25th March 2009, 16:01	#4
thek Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Austria Posts: 92	Solid compression doesn't mean that you only can decompress everything at once. It means you have to decompress in the order it where compressed. So if you need the latest file of your archive, you have to decompress everything before. If its in the beginning of the archive you don't need to do this. wikipedia explains it nicely Because of this, there is the command "ReserveFile" in NSIS in an none solid archiv, this command is quite useless. (probably it will achieve some speedup but it would be marginal)

25th March 2009, 21:00	#6
Jiaozi Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6	Yes using ReserveFile resolve my problem, thank you.