Registered: Apr 2006
From:

Language strings: Include them or add them as resources?

Recently I decided to add support for multiple languages to some NSIS tool that I have been developing, after I was asked if the end user could use some sort of resource editing tool to modify my program in such a way that localization in their language would be achieved.
There is of course the well documented way of adding for example multiple languages for some text to be displayed:

code:
...
LangString Message ${LANG_ENGLISH} "String in English"
LangString Message ${LANG_FRENCH} "Texte en français"
...
MessageBox MB_OK|MB_ICONINFORMATION "$(Message)"
...

code:
echo Adding Message Table resources
"%ProgramFiles%\Resource Hacker\ResHacker.exe" -add "%TEMP%\exehead.dat", "%TEMP%\exehead.dat", "%~dps0Lang\Lang_Default.res" , MESSAGETABLE,,
"%ProgramFiles%\Resource Hacker\ResHacker.exe" -add "%TEMP%\exehead.dat", "%TEMP%\exehead.dat", "%~dps0Lang\Lang_EN.res" , MESSAGETABLE,,
echo.
echo Compressing the header with UPX
echo.
upx --best --compress-icons=0 "%TEMP%\exehead.dat"
echo.

code:
!packhdr "$%TEMP%\exehead.dat" 'header.cmd'

code:
!macro GetMessage MESSAGE_ID VAR
; Get the installer's name on $R0
System::Call 'kernel32::GetModuleFileNameA(i 0, t .R0, i 1024) i r1'

; Get the handle of the installer and place it on $R1
System::Call 'kernel32::GetModuleHandleA(t R0)i .R1'

; Get the system language
System::Call 'kernel32::GetSystemDefaultLangID(i v)i .R7'

; Get the message out
StrCpy $0 ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE}
IntOp $0 $0 + ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER}
IntOp $0 $0 + ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_MAX_WIDTH_MASK}
StrCpy $1 ${MESSAGE_ID}
StrCpy $2 $R7
StrCpy $3 0
System::Call 'kernel32::FormatMessageW(i r0, i R1, i r1, i r2, *w .R3, i r3, i n) i .R4'
StrCpy ${VAR} $R3
!macroend

code:
Var "MessageText"
...
!insertmacro ReadStringFromInstaller 2 $MessageText
MessageBox MB_OK|MB_ICONINFORMATION "$MessageText"
...

code:
CRCCheck off

to my NSIS script. Not ideal but at least it works.

Although I am quite happy with the result, I am not sure if this is the best approach to the problem described at the beginning of this post. I am certainly not happy having to disable the CRC check.

I would appreciate any comments/suggestions/thoughts.



CF

Last edited by CancerFace on 06-02-2006 at 03:10 PM

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Registered: Nov 2002
From: Shropshire, England

Very nice
Perhaps you could put a Wiki page up for this.

-Stu

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Registered: Apr 2006
From:

Added a WIKI page

There is also an error on my first post, the macro is called GetMessage and not ReadStringFromInstaller. So the code should look like this:

code:
Var "MessageText"
...
!insertmacro GetMessage2 $MessageText
MessageBox MB_OK|MB_ICONINFORMATION "$MessageText"
...

code:

!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER	0x00000100
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE	0x00000800
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_MAX_WIDTH_MASK	0x000000FF

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Registered: Apr 2006
From:

Hmmm ... No need to get the filename of the installer since we can just get a handle and use it.
Here is the final code:

code:

!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER	0x00000100
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE	0x00000800
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_MAX_WIDTH_MASK	0x000000FF

!macro GetMessage MESSAGE_ID VAR
 ; Get the handle of the installer and place it on $R1
  System::Call 'kernel32::GetModuleHandleA(i n)i .R1'

 ; Get the system language
  System::Call 'kernel32::GetSystemDefaultLangID(i v)i .R7'

 ; Get the message out
  StrCpy $0 ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE}
  IntOp $0 $0 + ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER}
  IntOp $0 $0 + ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_MAX_WIDTH_MASK}
  StrCpy $1 ${MESSAGE_ID}
  StrCpy $2 $R7
  StrCpy $3 0
  System::Call 'kernel32::FormatMessageW(i r0, i R1, i r1, i r2, *w .R3, i r3, i n) i .R4'
  StrCpy ${VAR} $R3
  System::Free $R1
!macroend

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Registered: Nov 2002
From: Shropshire, England

I'm not sure how important it is, but I've read that the System plugin works faster if you use /NOUNLOAD...

-Stu

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Registered: Apr 2006
From:

To be honest I could not see any difference with and without the /NOUNLOAD switch

However I noticed that in some cases my installer would crash if I used the macro posted before (regardless of the /NOUNLOAD switch). A workaround was to create a function in its place and call it:

code:
Var "Handle"
Function .onInit
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::GetModuleHandleA()i .s'
  Pop $Handle
...
FunctionEnd

...

Function GetMessage 
  Pop $0
  StrCpy $R0 $Handle
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::GetSystemDefaultLangID(i v)i .R7'
  StrCpy $1 ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE}
  IntOp $1 $1 + ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER}
  IntOp $1 $1 + ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_MAX_WIDTH_MASK}
  StrCpy $2 $R7
  StrCpy $3 0
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::FormatMessageW(i r1,i R1,i r0,i r2,*w .R3,i r3,i n)i .R4'
  Push $R3
FunctionEnd

code:
Push 13   # message ID in the table
Call GetMessage
Pop $0   # Message Text

Last edited by CancerFace on 06-05-2006 at 10:27 AM

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Registered: Apr 2006
From:

I played a bit more with this and it seems that both the macro and the function that I posted don't work too well when the banner blugin is in use. I managed to get them both operational though by using the FreeLibrary API call:

code:
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER	0x00000100
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE	0x00000800
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_MAX_WIDTH_MASK	0x000000FF

!macro GetMessage MESSAGE_ID VAR
  System::Call 'kernel32::GetModuleHandleW(i n)i .R1'
  System::Call 'kernel32::GetSystemDefaultLangID(i v)i .R7'
  StrCpy $0 ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE}
  IntOp $0 $0 + ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER}
  IntOp $0 $0 + ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_MAX_WIDTH_MASK}
  StrCpy $1 ${MESSAGE_ID}
  StrCpy $2 $R7
  StrCpy $3 0
  System::Call 'kernel32::FormatMessageW(i r0, i R1, i r1, i r2, *w .R3, i r3, i n) i .R4'
  StrCpy ${VAR} $R3
  System::Call 'kernel32::FreeLibrary(i R1)i.r0'
!macroend

code:
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER	0x00000100
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE	0x00000800
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_MAX_WIDTH_MASK	0x000000FF

Function GetMessage 
  Pop $0
  System::Call 'kernel32::GetModuleHandleW(i n)i .R1'
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::GetSystemDefaultLangID(i v)i .R7'
  StrCpy $1 ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE}
  IntOp $1 $1 + ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER}
  IntOp $1 $1 + ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_MAX_WIDTH_MASK}
  StrCpy $2 $R7
  StrCpy $3 0
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::FormatMessageW(i r1,i R1,i r0,i r2,*w .R3,i r3,i n)i .R4'
  System::Call 'kernel32::FreeLibrary(i R1)i.r0'
  Push $R3
FunctionEnd

As for the size of the installer, I should mention that for the message tables that I added (57 entries each), there was an increase in terms of size of about 4kb per table, as opposed to 0kb when using a header file.



CF

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Registered: Apr 2006
From:

Just a heads-up on the above: I noticed that using this method for displaying messages fails if it is coupled with the banner plugin. It seems that the banner plugin is also getting a handle to the installer and attaches the banner as a thread to the main module, if I read the code correctly. Even if I try to get a handle using GetModuleHandleExA in XP, using the pin flag (so that FreeLibrary will not destroy the handle), every time there is a change on the banner I get a GPF. In windows 2000 DrWatson was kind enough to inform me that the error is due to an access violation of GetModuleHandleW. I changed the macro/function so that they would call the ANSI version of the above function, but the error remained, and DrWatson reported an access violation on GetModuleHandleW again (?). But is it the banner plugin to blame? I think not ...

Playing a bit more with this, trying to isolate the error, I noticed that the following code does not work:

code:
; FormatMessage Definitions
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER		0x00000100
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_IGNORE_INSERTS		0x00000200
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE		0x00000800

!macro ReadStringFromMessageTable MESSAGE_ID VAR
  StrCpy ${VAR} ""
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::GetModuleHandleA()i.R1'
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::GetSystemDefaultLangID(i v)i.R7'
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::FormatMessageW(i  {FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE}|${FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER}|${FORMAT_MESSAGE
_IGNORE_INSERTS},i R1,i ${MESSAGE_ID},i R7,*w .R3,i 0,i n)i.R4'
  StrCpy ${VAR} "$R3"
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::FreeLibrary(i R1)i.r0'
!macroend

Function .onInit
IfSilent Silent NotSilent
Silent:
  !insertmacro ReadStringFromMessageTable 4 $R8
  MessageBox MB_OK|MB_ICONSTOP "$R8"
NotSilent:
  !insertmacro ReadStringFromMessageTable 5 $R8
  MessageBox MB_OK|MB_ICONSTOP "$R8"
Quit
FunctionEnd

code:
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER		0x00000100
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_IGNORE_INSERTS		0x00000200
!define FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE		0x00000800

Function .onInit
Silent:
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::GetModuleHandleA()i.R1'
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::GetSystemDefaultLangID(i v)i.R7'
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::FormatMessageW(i  ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE}|${FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER}|${FORMAT_MESSAG
E_IGNORE_INSERTS},i R1,i 4,i R7,*w .R8,i 0,i n)i.R4'
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::FreeLibrary(i R1)i.r0'  MessageBox MB_OK|MB_ICONSTOP "$R8"
NotSilent:
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::GetModuleHandleA()i.R1'
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::GetSystemDefaultLangID(i v)i.R7'
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::FormatMessageW(i  ${FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_HMODULE}|${FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER}|${FORMAT_MESSAG
E_IGNORE_INSERTS},i R1,i 5,i R7,*w .R8,i 0,i n)i.R4'
  StrCpy ${VAR} "$R3"
  System::Call /NOUNLOAD 'kernel32::FreeLibrary(i R1)i.r0'  MessageBox MB_OK|MB_ICONSTOP "$R8"
Quit
FunctionEnd

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Registered: Oct 2001
From: Israel

GetModuleHandleA is just a wrapper for GetModuleHandleW. That's why GetModuleHandleW is always called eventually.

The problem seems to be in your code. You're not supposed to call FreeLibrary on handles you get using GetModuleHandle. From MSDN:

quote:

---

The GetModuleHandle function returns a handle to a mapped module without incrementing its reference count. Therefore, use care when passing the handle to the FreeLibrary function, because doing so can cause a DLL module to be unmapped prematurely.

---

__________________
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"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." -- Confucius

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Registered: Jul 2006
From:

hi all,

First thanks CancerFacefor this hint.

i'm very interesting in that solution.
i have just a question about the way languages are detected.

author define this macro :

quote:

---

!macro GetMessage MESSAGE_ID VAR
System::Call 'kernel32::GetModuleHandleA(i n)i .R1'
System::Call 'kernel32::GetSystemDefaultLangID()i .R2'
System::Call 'kernel32::FormatMessageW(i 2559,i R1,i "${MESSAGE_ID}",i R2,*w .R3, \
i 0,i n) i .R4'
StrCpy ${VAR} $R3
!macroend

---

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Registered: Oct 2001
From: Israel

LANGID is a number. It can represented as hexadecimal or decimal. $LANGUAGE contains a number which is the LANGID for the current language. With the system plug-in, you can use `a` instead of `$LANGUAGE`.

__________________
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"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." -- Confucius

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Registered: Jul 2006
From:

no sure to understand

quote:

---

With the system plug-in, you can use `a` instead of `$LANGUAGE`.

---

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Registered: Oct 2001
From: Israel

Instead of passing $LANGUAGE, you can simply pass `a`.

code:
System::Call `kernel32::FormatMessageW(i2559,iR1,i${MESSAGE_ID},ia ...`

__________________
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"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." -- Confucius

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Registered: Jul 2006
From:

so i had understood but this seems to be "too simple" ...

and it works, thanks

Guillaume.

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