Electron-builder: NSIS script

[giacgbj]

Would it be possible to use a NSIS script instead of waiting for a mapping of the (many) options NSIS has?

For example, I'd need a way to register a custom scheme during the installation phase on Windows.

[develar]

Ability to pass own nsis script? Will be implemented.

[giacgbj]

Exactly. It would be very useful.
Can you predict approximately when this feature will be added?

[develar]

Can you predict approximately when this feature will be added?

1-4 days.

[atypicalprogrammer]

how do you register a custom scheme with nsis btw, @giacgbj? (sorry, offtopic!)

[giacgbj]

@atypicalprogrammer You have to write a registry entry according to https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa767914(v=vs.85).aspx following these samples http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Reading_and_Writing_the_Registry_-_NSIS_makes_it_easy .

[black-snow]

Upvoting this to the max. I have to ship a 3rd party installer along with my app. With _electron-boilerplate_ I was able to use a custom NSIS script to run the 3rd party installer from within the NSIS installer.

[develar]

We don't yet support specifying custom script, but allows you to customise without a headache.

As I don't have time to finish docs yet, draft here:

1. Add file build/installer.nsh.
2. Define wanted macro to customise: customHeader, customInit, customUnInit, customInstall, customUnInstall.

Example:

``` nsis
!macro customHeader
!system "echo '' > ${BUILD_RESOURCES_DIR}/customHeader"
!macroend

!macro customInit
!system "echo '' > ${BUILD_RESOURCES_DIR}/customInit"
!macroend

!macro customInstall
!system "echo '' > ${BUILD_RESOURCES_DIR}/customInstall"
!macroend
```

• BUILD_RESOURCES_DIR and PROJECT_DIR defined for you.
• build is added as addincludedir for you (i.e. you don't need to use BUILD_RESOURCES_DIR to include subfiles).

Pre-release version will be in a hour.

[Joshua-Smith]

I tried following the instructions develar gave above, but it didn't work for me. See: https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/issues/623#issuecomment-242521219

Update: Apparently URL schemes in windows only work on perMachine: true apps.

[electronABS]

@Joshua-Smith : I set perMachine : true and nsh script still not writing register key after installation process !!

installer.nsh

!macro customInstall DetailPrint "Register test URI Handler" DeleteRegKey HKCR "test" WriteRegStr HKCR "test" "" "URL:test" WriteRegStr HKCR "test" "URL Protocol" "" WriteRegStr HKCR "test\shell" "" "" WriteRegStr HKCR "test\shell\Open" "" "" WriteRegStr HKCR "test\shell\Open\command" "" "$INSTDIR\${APP_EXECUTABLE_FILENAME} %1" !macroend

package.json

`{
"name": "electron app",
"productName": "electronapp",
"version": "0.1.0",
"author": "me",
"description": "electron app test",
"main": "main.js",
"devDependencies": {
"electron-builder": "^20.28.3",
"electron-packager": "^12.1.1",
"electron-winstaller": "^2.6.4",
"electron": "^1.8.8"
},
"build": {
"appId": "fr.digitalberry.berryagent",
"win": {
"target": "nsis",
"icon": "build/icon.ico"
}
},
"scripts": {
"start": "electron .",
"dist": "build",
"test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1",

},
"dependencies": {
},
"nsis": {
    "oneClick" : false , 
    "allowToChangeInstallationDirectory": true, 
    "include" : "build/script.nsh" , 
    "perMachine" : true 

}

}
`

[mrjoshuaesmith]

My installer.nsh is pretty much just like yours, except I have line breaks. I assume that's just a formatting glitch here. It's working for me, but I'm on a very, very old version of electron-builder because it's working just fine for me and I've had no reason to update. Try putting a syntax error into the installer.nsh file and see if it's actually reading it.

[electronABS]

@mrjoshuaesmith
Thank you for your attention , what version of electron builder do you use ?

[Joshua-Smith]

I’m all the way back at 6.7.7