\C{scriptref} Scripting Reference

\H{fileformat} Script File Format

A NSIS Script File (.nsi) is just a text file with script code.

\\<b\\>Commands\\</b\\>

Commands lines are in the format 'command [parameters]'

\c File "myfile"

\\<b\\>Comments\\</b\\>

Lines beginning with ; or # are comments. You can put comments after commands. You can also use C-style comments to comment one or more lines.

\c ; Comment
\c # Comment
\c
\c /*
\c Comment
\c Comment
\c */
\c
\c File "myfile" ; Comment

If you want a parameter to start with ; or # put it in quotes.

\\<b\\>Plug-ins\\</b\\>

To call a plugin, use 'plugin::command [parameters]'. For more info see \R{plugindlls}{Plugin DLLs}.

\c nsExec::Exec "myfile"

\\<b\\>Numbers\\</b\\>

For parameters that are treated as numbers, use decimal (the number) or hexadecimal (with 0x prepended to it, i.e. 0x12345AB), or octal (numbers beginning with a 0 and no x).

Colors should be set in hexadecimal RGB format, like HTML but without the #.

\c IntCmp 1 0x1 lbl_equal
\c
\c SetCtlColors $HWND CCCCCC

\\<b\\>Strings\\</b\\>

To represent strings that have spaces, use quotes:

\c MessageBox MB_OK "Hi there!"

Quotes only have the property of containing a parameter if they begin the parameter. They can be either single quotes, double quotes, or the backward single quote.

You can escape quotes using $\\:

\c MessageBox MB_OK "I'll be happy" ; this one puts a ' inside a string
\c MessageBox MB_OK 'And he said to me "Hi there!"' ; this one puts a " inside a string
\c MessageBox MB_OK `And he said to me "I'll be fucked!"` ; this one puts both ' and "s inside a string
\c MessageBox MB_OK "$\"A quote from a wise man$\" said the wise man" ; this one shows escaping of quotes

It is also possible to put newlines, tabs etc. in a string using $\\r, $\\n, $\\t etc. \R{varstrings}{More information...}

\\<b\\>Variables\\</b\\>

Variables start with $. User variables should be declared and are case-sensitive.

\c Var MYVAR
\c
\c StrCpy $MYVAR "myvalue"

\R{variables}{More information...}

\\<b\\>Long commands\\</b\\>

To extend a command over multiple lines, use a backslash (\\) at the end of the line. The next line will effectively be concatenated to the end of it. For example:

\c CreateShortCut "$SMPROGRAMS\NSIS\ZIP2EXE project workspace.lnk" \
\c     "$INSTDIR\source\zip2exe\zip2exe.dsw"
\c
\c MessageBox MB_YESNO|MB_ICONQUESTION \
\c     "Do you want to remove all files in the folder? \
\c     (If you have anything you created that you want \
\c      to keep, click No)" \
\c     IDNO NoRemoveLabel

\\<b\\>Configuration file\\</b\\>

If a file named "nsisconf.nsh" in the same directory as makensis.exe exists, it will be included by default before any scripts (unless the /NOCONFIG command line parameter is used).