locate file & change default output path

sagaci0us · 24th February 2007, 22:38

Ok, I have just wasted over 5 hours of my life on this. I'm obviously not a programmer.

Can someone please provide me a sample or point me in the correct direction as I have been through countless samples and forumn postings and I'm still lost.

Our company needs to send a .dll file to our already installed application. Our install paths differ from ver to ver, so I'm doing a search the main file: filename.exe and using the path.

However, for a user that specified thier own custom directory at during the original install, I have to provide them a way for specifying the directory.

I'd like to have the install script automatically search for the path and make it's best guess. The path it guesses should be displayed as the default path to isntall to. They still have the option of specifying a directory with the browse button.

I've been using the locate function to find the path, but I can't seem to get it to show up on the installdir dialog that pops up.

Section

${Locate} "c:\program files\<path>\" "/M=<filename.exe>" "Found1"

SectionEnd

Function "Found1"
; $R9 "path\name"
; $R8 "path"
; $R7 "name"
; $R6 "size" ($R6="" if directory, $R6="0" if file with /S=)

; $R0-$R5 are not used (save data in them).
; ...

MessageBox MB_OK $R8
SetOutPath $R8

#Push $var ; If $var="StopLocate" Then exit from function
FunctionEnd

SetCompress off
Name "${APP_NAME}"
Caption "${APP_NAME}"
OutFile "${INSTALLER_NAME}"
BrandingText "${APP_NAME}"
XPStyle on
InstallDirRegKey "${REG_ROOT}" "${UNINSTALL_PATH}" "UninstallString"

######################################################################

!include "MUI.nsh"

!define MUI_ABORTWARNING
!define MUI_UNABORTWARNING

!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_WELCOME

!ifdef LICENSE_TXT
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_LICENSE "${LICENSE_TXT}"
!endif

!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY

!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_INSTFILES

!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_FINISH

!insertmacro MUI_UNPAGE_CONFIRM

!insertmacro MUI_UNPAGE_INSTFILES

!insertmacro MUI_UNPAGE_FINISH

!insertmacro MUI_LANGUAGE "English"

######################################################################

Section -MainProgram
${INSTALL_TYPE}
SetOverwrite ifnewer
#SetOutPath "$INSTDIR"
SetOutPath "c:\"
File "C:\918988_HOTFIX\riched20.dll"
SectionEnd

######################################################################

Section -Icons_Reg
SetOutPath "$INSTDIR"
WriteUninstaller "$INSTDIR\uninstall.exe"

WriteRegStr ${REG_ROOT} "${UNINSTALL_PATH}" "DisplayName" "${APP_NAME}"
WriteRegStr ${REG_ROOT} "${UNINSTALL_PATH}" "UninstallString" "$INSTDIR\uninstall.exe"
WriteRegStr ${REG_ROOT} "${UNINSTALL_PATH}" "DisplayVersion" "${VERSION}"
WriteRegStr ${REG_ROOT} "${UNINSTALL_PATH}" "Publisher" "${COMP_NAME}"

!ifdef WEB_SITE
WriteRegStr ${REG_ROOT} "${UNINSTALL_PATH}" "URLInfoAbout" "${WEB_SITE}"
!endif
SectionEnd

######################################################################

Section Uninstall
${INSTALL_TYPE}
Delete "$INSTDIR\riched20.dll"
Delete "$INSTDIR\uninstall.exe"
!ifdef WEB_SITE
Delete "$INSTDIR\${APP_NAME} website.url"
!endif

RmDir "$INSTDIR"

DeleteRegKey ${REG_ROOT} "${UNINSTALL_PATH}"
SectionEnd

######################################################################

Instructor · 24th February 2007, 23:29

code:
Function "Found1"

; $R9 "path\name"

; $R8 "path"

; $R7 "name"

; $R6 "size" ($R6="" if directory, $R6="0" if file with /S=)



; $R0-$R5 are not used (save data in them).

; ...



MessageBox MB_OK $R8

SetOutPath $R8



Push $0; If $var="StopLocate" Then exit from function

FunctionEnd

Red Wine · 25th February 2007, 07:57

Quote:

Our company needs to send a .dll file to our already installed application. Our install paths differ from ver to ver, so I'm doing a search the main file: filename.exe and using the path.

However, for a user that specified thier own custom directory at during the original install, I have to provide them a way for specifying the directory.

I'd like to have the install script automatically search for the path and make it's best guess. The path it guesses should be displayed as the default path to isntall to. They still have the option of specifying a directory with the browse button.

Unless I miss something here, this is exactly what InstallDirRegKey does.
However, if you want to ${Locate} a file and pass the current location as $INSTDIR, you need to do it in function .onInit instead of a section while sections executed when users hit the Install button.

sagaci0us · 25th February 2007, 19:04

Thank you! I am now able to get the code to execute before the pages are displayed and not after the user hits the install button.

I'm still not able to change the path displayed on the installation directory screen.

I'm using SetOutPath "$R8" to have it display the path that was just located. I can't get it to actually work though. Any suggestions?

Much appreciation.

Function .onInit
${Locate} "c:\program files\seagull\" "/M=bartend.exe" Found1
FunctionEnd

Function "Found1"
; $R9 "path\name"
; $R8 "path"
; $R7 "name"
; $R6 "size" ($R6="" if directory, $R6="0" if file with /S=)

; $R0-$R5 are not used (save data in them).
; ...

MessageBox MB_OK $R8
SetOutPath $R8

Push $0 ; If $var="StopLocate" Then exit from function
FunctionEnd

FunctionEnd

Red Wine · 25th February 2007, 19:36

I don't quite understand what you're trying to do...
You know the path "c:\program files\seagull\" or not?

Anyway, something like this I hope would help,

code:
Function .onInit

${Locate} "$PROGRAMFILES" "/L=F /M=bartend.exe" Found1

FunctionEnd



Function "Found1"

MessageBox MB_OK "$R8"

StrCpy "$INSTDIR" "$R8"

StrCpy $0 StopLocate

Push $0 

FunctionEnd

sagaci0us · 25th February 2007, 20:30

Thanks a lot! it's working! I really appreciate it. I'm not used to this programming syntax.

I actually started reading through the programming manual to understand the syntax and I see that I wasn't updating the value of the $INSTDIR. I was using something like $INSTDR = "whatever". I now understand the use of StrCpy and how it copies a value from one variable to another variable. ie. StrCpy (var1) (var2).

It's pretty rewarding to get this thing to actually work!

Thanks for your help, much appreciated.

jezzer100 · 20th February 2010, 09:41

Hi,

I am new to NSIS and this is my first post here. Over the last few days I have successfully built my first installer and I have spent a great amount of time Googling solutions to the various problems that I have encountered along the way.

In that respect, I have already found this thread extremely useful, as it contains an example of how to locate an unknown path which will vary from user to user.

If possible, I would now like to expand on this, as I would like my application by default to copy its files into multiple directories, the exact paths of which will vary. Users should be presented with a list of all available installation directory paths and should be able to add or remove directories to or from the list as they choose.

I have been able to use the Locate function to identify the first path it finds, but I'm not sure how to locate subsequent directories and what to do with the results to get them presented into a list.

I'm hoping that somebody can either point me in the right direction of where to look, or provide a specific example.

The attached screenshot of an example of the sort of end result that I'm ultimately looking to achieve.

jezzer100 · 3rd March 2010, 12:48

Can anybody help with my last post above? Please, as I'm really stuck.

I'm currently using the following code:

PHP Code:


			
Function .onInit



nxs::Show /NOUNLOAD "${PRODUCT_NAME} ${PRODUCT_VERSION} Setup" /top "Searching for suitable installation folders ....."          

${Locate} "$PROGRAMFILES" "/L=F /M=MetaEditor.exe"  FindPath          

nxs:: Destroy    



FunctionEnd    





Function "FindPath"

   

StrCpy "$INSTDIR" "$R8"           

MessageBox MB_YESNO|MB_ICONQUESTION "The ${PRODUCT_NAME} Installer has found the following suitable installation directory$\n$\n        $INSTDIR$\n$\nClick YES if you would like to install ${PRODUCT_NAME} to the selected directory.$\n$\nClick NO to continue searching for a different installation directory." IDNO +2           

StrCpy $0 StopLocate           

Push $0  



FunctionEnd

This code allows the user to scroll through the suitable installation folders one by one until he finds one that he likes. This is OK, but users will need to run the installer again if they want to install to another folder.

I would like to locate and present all suitable installation folders to the user and, by default, install to all of those folders, giving the user an option to deselect any folder that he doesn't wish to install to.

I know it can be done, but how?

MSG · 3rd March 2010, 13:29

You'll have to populate a list somehow. You can use some delimited string, or maybe an array, or save to a temp file.

jpderuiter · 3rd March 2010, 13:58

You'll need a multiselect listbox.

The following should get you started (Assuming you're using NSDialogs):

code:
${NSD_AddStyle} $Listbox LBS_MULTIPLESEL



|

|



${NSD_LB_GetCount} $Listbox $itemCount   

             

;allocate memory for $itemCount integers   

IntOp $0 $itemCount * 4   

System::Alloc $0   

Pop $address  

              

;place indices of selected items in the allocated memory   

SendMessage $Listbox ${LB_GETSELITEMS} $itemCount $address $selItemCount 



${If} $selItemCount > 0  

              

      ; Calculate the address of last item  

      IntOp $5 $selItemCount - 1   

      IntOp $5 $5 * 4  

      IntOp $address    $address  + $5  

                  

      ; Loop through all selected items.   

      ${For} $R1 1 $selItemCount   

                      

             ;get current index   

             System::Call "*$address(i .r0)"   

             System::Call user32::SendMessage(i$Listbox,i${LB_GETTEXT},i$0,t.r1)  

             ; Selected item is in $1



             ;move to next index   

             IntOp $address $address - 4   

                  

      ${Next}   

${Endif}

(Most from: http://blog.csdn.net/pkrobbie/archiv...3/4403992.aspx)

jezzer100 · 3rd March 2010, 14:37

Thanks for the quick replies, it's much appreciated.

Multiselect Listbox isn't something that I've encountered before, so at least I can start to do some research into it. A Google search is returning lots of reading material with examples, so I should be able to get going on it.

24th February 2007, 22:38	#1
sagaci0us Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 3	locate file & change default output path Ok, I have just wasted over 5 hours of my life on this. I'm obviously not a programmer. Can someone please provide me a sample or point me in the correct direction as I have been through countless samples and forumn postings and I'm still lost. Our company needs to send a .dll file to our already installed application. Our install paths differ from ver to ver, so I'm doing a search the main file: filename.exe and using the path. However, for a user that specified thier own custom directory at during the original install, I have to provide them a way for specifying the directory. I'd like to have the install script automatically search for the path and make it's best guess. The path it guesses should be displayed as the default path to isntall to. They still have the option of specifying a directory with the browse button. I've been using the locate function to find the path, but I can't seem to get it to show up on the installdir dialog that pops up. Section ${Locate} "c:\program files\<path>\" "/M=<filename.exe>" "Found1" SectionEnd Function "Found1" ; $R9 "path\name" ; $R8 "path" ; $R7 "name" ; $R6 "size" ($R6="" if directory, $R6="0" if file with /S=) ; $R0-$R5 are not used (save data in them). ; ... MessageBox MB_OK $R8 SetOutPath $R8 #Push $var ; If $var="StopLocate" Then exit from function FunctionEnd SetCompress off Name "${APP_NAME}" Caption "${APP_NAME}" OutFile "${INSTALLER_NAME}" BrandingText "${APP_NAME}" XPStyle on InstallDirRegKey "${REG_ROOT}" "${UNINSTALL_PATH}" "UninstallString" ###################################################################### !include "MUI.nsh" !define MUI_ABORTWARNING !define MUI_UNABORTWARNING !insertmacro MUI_PAGE_WELCOME !ifdef LICENSE_TXT !insertmacro MUI_PAGE_LICENSE "${LICENSE_TXT}" !endif !insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY !insertmacro MUI_PAGE_INSTFILES !insertmacro MUI_PAGE_FINISH !insertmacro MUI_UNPAGE_CONFIRM !insertmacro MUI_UNPAGE_INSTFILES !insertmacro MUI_UNPAGE_FINISH !insertmacro MUI_LANGUAGE "English" ###################################################################### Section -MainProgram ${INSTALL_TYPE} SetOverwrite ifnewer #SetOutPath "$INSTDIR" SetOutPath "c:\" File "C:\918988_HOTFIX\riched20.dll" SectionEnd ###################################################################### Section -Icons_Reg SetOutPath "$INSTDIR" WriteUninstaller "$INSTDIR\uninstall.exe" WriteRegStr ${REG_ROOT} "${UNINSTALL_PATH}" "DisplayName" "${APP_NAME}" WriteRegStr ${REG_ROOT} "${UNINSTALL_PATH}" "UninstallString" "$INSTDIR\uninstall.exe" WriteRegStr ${REG_ROOT} "${UNINSTALL_PATH}" "DisplayVersion" "${VERSION}" WriteRegStr ${REG_ROOT} "${UNINSTALL_PATH}" "Publisher" "${COMP_NAME}" !ifdef WEB_SITE WriteRegStr ${REG_ROOT} "${UNINSTALL_PATH}" "URLInfoAbout" "${WEB_SITE}" !endif SectionEnd ###################################################################### Section Uninstall ${INSTALL_TYPE} Delete "$INSTDIR\riched20.dll" Delete "$INSTDIR\uninstall.exe" !ifdef WEB_SITE Delete "$INSTDIR\${APP_NAME} website.url" !endif RmDir "$INSTDIR" DeleteRegKey ${REG_ROOT} "${UNINSTALL_PATH}" SectionEnd ######################################################################

25th February 2007, 19:36	#5
Red Wine Forum King Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ath. GR Posts: 2,078	I don't quite understand what you're trying to do... You know the path "c:\program files\seagull\" or not? Anyway, something like this I hope would help, code: Function .onInit ${Locate} "$PROGRAMFILES" "/L=F /M=bartend.exe" Found1 FunctionEnd Function "Found1" MessageBox MB_OK "$R8" StrCpy "$INSTDIR" "$R8" StrCpy $0 StopLocate Push $0 FunctionEnd Quick AVI Creator - Quick and easy convert from DVD/MPEG/AVI/MKV to AVI/MP4/MKV Quick AVI Creator entirely edited with NSIS and entirely upgraded to Unicode NSIS

3rd March 2010, 12:48	#8
jezzer100 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 4	Can anybody help with my last post above? Please, as I'm really stuck. I'm currently using the following code: PHP Code: Function .onInit nxs::Show /NOUNLOAD "${PRODUCT_NAME} ${PRODUCT_VERSION} Setup" /top "Searching for suitable installation folders ....." ${Locate} "$PROGRAMFILES" "/L=F /M=MetaEditor.exe" FindPath nxs:: Destroy FunctionEnd Function "FindPath" StrCpy "$INSTDIR" "$R8" MessageBox MB_YESNO\|MB_ICONQUESTION "The ${PRODUCT_NAME} Installer has found the following suitable installation directory$\n$\n $INSTDIR$\n$\nClick YES if you would like to install ${PRODUCT_NAME} to the selected directory.$\n$\nClick NO to continue searching for a different installation directory." IDNO +2 StrCpy $0 StopLocate Push $0 FunctionEnd This code allows the user to scroll through the suitable installation folders one by one until he finds one that he likes. This is OK, but users will need to run the installer again if they want to install to another folder. I would like to locate and present all suitable installation folders to the user and, by default, install to all of those folders, giving the user an option to deselect any folder that he doesn't wish to install to. I know it can be done, but how?

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25th February 2007, 19:04	#4
sagaci0us Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 3	Thank you! I am now able to get the code to execute before the pages are displayed and not after the user hits the install button. I'm still not able to change the path displayed on the installation directory screen. I'm using SetOutPath "$R8" to have it display the path that was just located. I can't get it to actually work though. Any suggestions? Much appreciation. Function .onInit ${Locate} "c:\program files\seagull\" "/M=bartend.exe" Found1 FunctionEnd Function "Found1" ; $R9 "path\name" ; $R8 "path" ; $R7 "name" ; $R6 "size" ($R6="" if directory, $R6="0" if file with /S=) ; $R0-$R5 are not used (save data in them). ; ... MessageBox MB_OK $R8 SetOutPath $R8 Push $0 ; If $var="StopLocate" Then exit from function FunctionEnd FunctionEnd

25th February 2007, 20:30	#6
sagaci0us Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 3	Thanks a lot! it's working! I really appreciate it. I'm not used to this programming syntax. I actually started reading through the programming manual to understand the syntax and I see that I wasn't updating the value of the $INSTDIR. I was using something like $INSTDR = "whatever". I now understand the use of StrCpy and how it copies a value from one variable to another variable. ie. StrCpy (var1) (var2). It's pretty rewarding to get this thing to actually work! Thanks for your help, much appreciated.

20th February 2010, 09:41	#7
jezzer100 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 4	Hi, I am new to NSIS and this is my first post here. Over the last few days I have successfully built my first installer and I have spent a great amount of time Googling solutions to the various problems that I have encountered along the way. In that respect, I have already found this thread extremely useful, as it contains an example of how to locate an unknown path which will vary from user to user. If possible, I would now like to expand on this, as I would like my application by default to copy its files into multiple directories, the exact paths of which will vary. Users should be presented with a list of all available installation directory paths and should be able to add or remove directories to or from the list as they choose. I have been able to use the Locate function to identify the first path it finds, but I'm not sure how to locate subsequent directories and what to do with the results to get them presented into a list. I'm hoping that somebody can either point me in the right direction of where to look, or provide a specific example. The attached screenshot of an example of the sort of end result that I'm ultimately looking to achieve.

3rd March 2010, 13:29	#9
MSG Major Dude Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,892	You'll have to populate a list somehow. You can use some delimited string, or maybe an array, or save to a temp file.

3rd March 2010, 14:37	#11
jezzer100 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 4	Thanks for the quick replies, it's much appreciated. Multiselect Listbox isn't something that I've encountered before, so at least I can start to do some research into it. A Google search is returning lots of reading material with examples, so I should be able to get going on it.