# NSIS installer for Windows **URL:** \ **Category:** Development\ **Created:** [February 10, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258 "2008-02-10T18:25:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/uckelman/32/10020_2.png) [@uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/uckelman)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/1 "2008-02-10T18:25:48Z")
I tried building an installer for use on Windows using NSIS. Here’s the result: [nomic.net/~uckelman/tmp/vass … indows.exe](http://www.nomic.net/~uckelman/tmp/vassal/VASSAL-3.1.0-svn3026-windows.exe) I’m pretty happy with this. It looks like a normal Windows installer, it’s executable, it gives you an entry for the version of VASSAL you installed in “Add/Remove Programs”, and I can build in on Linux. The remaining things to do are 1. Put icons on the user’s desktop (if desired), and 2. Put a folder for VASSAL on the Start menu (if desired). These are simple to do with NSIS, so I’ll do them soonish. ---
**Author:** ![mehrunes](https://forum.vassalengine.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mehrunes](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/mehrunes)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 8:26pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/2 "2008-02-10T20:26:56Z")
Looks nice and most people would be more comfortable with that kind of installation routine. _thumbsup_ ---
**Author:** ![uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/uckelman/32/10020_2.png) [@uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/uckelman)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/3 "2008-02-10T21:58:24Z")
Here’s a slightly improved version: [nomic.net/~uckelman/tmp/vass … indows.exe](http://www.nomic.net/~uckelman/tmp/vassal/VASSAL-3.1.0-svn3028-windows.exe) This now adds Start Menu items and desktop shortcuts. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_M](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/tim_m/32/2_2.png) [@Tim\_M](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/Tim_M)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 10:10pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/4 "2008-02-10T22:10:35Z")
Very nice. Clean up/uninstall is flawless - better than some pro programs 🙂 Post generated using Mail2Forum ([mail2forum.com](http://www.mail2forum.com)) ---
**Author:** ![bsmith](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/bsmith/32/1_2.png) [@bsmith](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/bsmith)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 12:29am UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/5 "2008-02-11T00:29:47Z")
Gold! Now we can get rid of Webstart yeah? Right? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rk1](https://forum.vassalengine.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@rk1](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/rk1)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/6 "2008-02-11T01:52:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Now we can get rid of Webstart yeah? Right? 😃 Assuming these installers kick ass, then I’m fine with getting rid of WebStart. However, I’d like to keep around a WebStart-enabled demo that runs through the tour. I really like the idea that newcomers browsing the site for the first time can get a demo with one click. rk Post generated using Mail2Forum ([mail2forum.com](http://www.mail2forum.com)) ---
**Author:** ![uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/uckelman/32/10020_2.png) [@uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/uckelman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 9:11am UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/7 "2008-02-11T09:11:57Z")
Thus spake “bsmith”: > [@](#): > > Gold! > > Now we can get rid of Webstart yeah? Right? 😃 Well, that’s up to Rodney, I guess. There’s one thing still missing without Web Start, which is checking for newer versions of VASSAL. That wouldn’t be hard to code, but it isn’t coded yet. – J. * * * Messages mailing list [Messages@forums.vassalengine.org](mailto:Messages@forums.vassalengine.org) [forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/ … engine.org](http://forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/listinfo/messages_forums.vassalengine.org) Post generated using Mail2Forum ([mail2forum.com](http://www.mail2forum.com)) ---
**Author:** ![uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/uckelman/32/10020_2.png) [@uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/uckelman)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 10:01pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/8 "2008-02-22T22:01:15Z")
Here’s a current snapshot of the Windows installer: [nomic.net/~uckelman/tmp/vass … indows.exe](http://www.nomic.net/~uckelman/tmp/vassal/VASSAL-3.1.0-svn3134-windows.exe) There are two install types: Standard (“I fear my computer, I just want to play games”) and Custom (“I am 1337, show me all the knobs I can turn”) If you choose Standard, the only choice you have left to make is whether to start VASSAL immediately on the last page of the installer. If you choose Custom, you get to specify the install directory, whether you want desktop and quick launch icons, and if/where in your start menu VASSAL should go. Right now, the installer doesn’t handle two things which it should: 1. Uninstalling previous versions of VASSAL. 2. Checking that the user has a sufficiently recent JRE, and installing one if necessary. Lastly, 1. It would be nice to have some artwork to use for the left pane on the start and finish pages, as well as a good icon for the top banner. We need a good icon anyway for the shortcuts… I keep thinking that I might commission one from a friend who’s a graphic artist. Comments are welcome. In particular, I’d like to have opinions on how we should handle installing a JRE. It’s not too hard to check whether an appropriate one exists. If so, then there’s nothing for the installer to do and it can skip that step. On the other hand, if you need a (newer) JRE, then clearly the Custom install should tell you that, but let you uncheck a box for it if you don’t want it to be done automatically. (Not having a suitable JRE won’t prevent VASSAL from installing, it will just prevent it from running afterwards. It’s also possible that the check for the JRE failed even though there is really a suitable JRE around, and the user knows this, so in that case we don’t want to force a JRE on him.) What I’m not certain about is how the Standard install should handle it. If we take the approach that the Standard install should require as little user input as possible, then the least we can get away with is a page telling the user that a JRE will be downloaded, the installer for it will come up, and that he should choose the defaults. (I don’t think it’s possible to install a JRE without _any_ user input…) That gives the user a chance to cancel out if he really doesn’t want a new JRE, and gives him an easy path through the installation otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![mkiefte](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/mkiefte/32/25_2.png) [@mkiefte](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/mkiefte)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 11:57pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/9 "2008-02-22T23:57:20Z")
I seem to recall someone had offered to do artwork or there was a new icon or something. And then we never heard about it again. What happened to that? - M. > [@](#): > > 1. It would be nice to have some artwork to use for the left pane on the > start and finish pages, as well as a good icon for the top banner. We need > a good icon anyway for the shortcuts… I keep thinking that I might > commission one from a friend who’s a graphic artist. * * * Messages mailing list [Messages@forums.vassalengine.org](mailto:Messages@forums.vassalengine.org) [forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/ … engine.org](http://forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/listinfo/messages_forums.vassalengine.org) Post generated using Mail2Forum ([mail2forum.com](http://www.mail2forum.com)) ---
**Author:** ![rk1](https://forum.vassalengine.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@rk1](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/rk1)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 12:24am UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/10 "2008-02-23T00:24:49Z")
The 3.0 splash screen was contributed by a fellow from France named Gregory. He did in fact send me some icon artwork a while ago. Let me hook him up with Joel and see if he can provide what we need. rk Post generated using Mail2Forum ([mail2forum.com](http://www.mail2forum.com)) ---
**Author:** ![soft-bug](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/soft-bug/32/6_2.png) [@soft-bug](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/soft-bug)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 7:20am UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/11 "2008-02-23T07:20:17Z")
> [@rk](#): > > The 3.0 splash screen was contributed by a fellow from France named Gregory. He did in fact send me some icon artwork a while ago. Let me hook him up with Joel and see if he can provide what we need. > > rk > > Post generated using Mail2Forum ([mail2forum.com](http://www.mail2forum.com)) I’ve just see you email and i’m ready to help … I’ve done this few month ago : [lotrtmg.30.forumer.com/index.php … ost&id=284](http://lotrtmg.30.forumer.com/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=284) I’m currently using it for the new born Vassal France community : [lotrtmg.30.forumer.com/index.php … ost&id=638](http://lotrtmg.30.forumer.com/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=638) I also have a relooking package sent for the toolbar menu icons … Regards, Grégory aka Soft-bug ---
**Author:** ![soft-bug](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/soft-bug/32/6_2.png) [@soft-bug](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/soft-bug)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 8:34am UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/12 "2008-02-23T08:34:24Z")
I join you here my last relooking icons package … ---
**Author:** ![mkiefte](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/mkiefte/32/25_2.png) [@mkiefte](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/mkiefte)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 11:23am UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/13 "2008-02-23T11:23:00Z")
Grégory, excellent graphics. Separate question: have you looked at the French translations? They’re in rough shape and they need work. And they’re incomplete. Interested? I can help, too, if you like. - M. * * * Messages mailing list [Messages@forums.vassalengine.org](mailto:Messages@forums.vassalengine.org) [forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/ … engine.org](http://forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/listinfo/messages_forums.vassalengine.org) Post generated using Mail2Forum ([mail2forum.com](http://www.mail2forum.com)) ---
**Author:** ![soft-bug](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/soft-bug/32/6_2.png) [@soft-bug](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/soft-bug)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 12:04pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/14 "2008-02-23T12:04:38Z")
> [@mkiefte](#): > > Grégory, excellent graphics. > > Separate question: have you looked at the French translations? They’re > in rough shape and they need work. And they’re incomplete. > Interested? I can help, too, if you like. > > - M. > > * * * > > Messages mailing list > [Messages@forums.vassalengine.org](mailto:Messages@forums.vassalengine.org) > [forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/ … engine.org](http://forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/listinfo/messages_forums.vassalengine.org) > > Post generated using Mail2Forum ([mail2forum.com](http://www.mail2forum.com)) Very interested … Need to know who, where … and how ---
**Author:** ![uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/uckelman/32/10020_2.png) [@uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/uckelman)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 1:05pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/15 "2008-02-23T13:05:07Z")
Updated Windows installer: [nomic.net/~uckelman/tmp/vass … indows.exe](http://www.nomic.net/~uckelman/tmp/vassal/VASSAL-3.1.0-svn3134-windows.exe) This version of the installer checks what version of the JRE the user has, and installs one if necessary: For a Standard install, if a pre-1.5.0 JRE is found then an installer for a current JRE is automatically downloaded and run in a mode which requires no user interaction. (No JRE found is considered to be version 0.0, which is clearly less than 1.5. This is checked for and slightly different text is shown in this case.) The JRE is installed with the extra fonts and the extra language packs, the former becuase they’re nice fonts which we can then count on people having for use in SVG and CounterImages, and the latter becuase we have no way of telling what language the user really wants. For a Custom install, if a pre-1.5.0 JRE (or no JRE) is found, then the user is prompted as to whether the installer should also install a JRE. The user is free to decline, and this won’t disrupt the install since installation doesn’t depend on having a working JRE. However, in that case the user is responsible for getting a JRE to use. ---
**Author:** ![mkiefte](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/mkiefte/32/25_2.png) [@mkiefte](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/mkiefte)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 3:10pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/16 "2008-02-23T15:10:52Z")
Grégory, if you like, I’ll do the translations and you can check them. Send me a private e-mail and we can do this outside the forum. [mailto:mkiefte@dal.ca](mailto:mkiefte@dal.ca) - M. On 23/02/2008, soft-bug [messages@forums.vassalengine.org](mailto:messages@forums.vassalengine.org) wrote: > [@](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Grégory, excellent graphics. > > > > Separate question: have you looked at the French translations? They’re > > in rough shape and they need work. And they’re incomplete. > > Interested? I can help, too, if you like. > > > > - M. > > > [@](#): > > > > * * * > > > > Messages mailing list > > [Messages@forums.vassalengine.org](mailto:Messages@forums.vassalengine.org) > > [forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/ … engine.org](http://forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/listinfo/messages_forums.vassalengine.org) > > > [@](#): > > > > Post generated using Mail2Forum ([mail2forum.com](http://www.mail2forum.com)) > > Very interested … > > Need to know who, where … and how * * * Messages mailing list [Messages@forums.vassalengine.org](mailto:Messages@forums.vassalengine.org) [forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/ … engine.org](http://forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/listinfo/messages_forums.vassalengine.org) Post generated using Mail2Forum ([mail2forum.com](http://www.mail2forum.com)) ---
**Author:** ![soft-bug](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/soft-bug/32/6_2.png) [@soft-bug](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/soft-bug)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/17 "2008-02-24T00:21:09Z")
> [@soft-bug](#): > > I join you here my last relooking icons package … Strange my package is no longer attached to my previous post ? can someone tell me why ? ---
**Author:** ![uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/uckelman/32/10020_2.png) [@uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/uckelman)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/18 "2008-02-24T23:10:51Z")
Here’s a version of the installer which I think is done, feature-wise: [nomic.net/~uckelman/tmp/vass … indows.exe](http://www.nomic.net/~uckelman/tmp/vassal/VASSAL-3.1.0-svn3151-windows.exe) Summary: A Standard install requires no user input, will remove old versions of VASSAL, and will install Java for you if your JRE is absent or too old. A Custom install lets you configure everything, including which old versions of VASSAL (if any) you want removed. Caveats: There are a few cases in which you’ll have odd results, viz.: (a) if you start the installer when the installer is already running (b) if you try to uninstall a running copy of VASSAL (c) if you have some file open in a directory the uninstaller is trying to remove These are things which you really shouldn’t do anyway. I can do something about (c)—I guess I just need to add the /REBOOTOK flag to all of the Delete and RMDir calls that the uninstaller makes. (a) and (b) require a bit more coding, which I’m not sure is worth undertaking considering how fringe these cases are (and how grueling working on this was…). ---
**Author:** ![bsmith](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/bsmith/32/1_2.png) [@bsmith](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/bsmith)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 11:20pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/19 "2008-02-24T23:20:45Z")
That looks really good Joel, thanks. The only thing I would take out is the Version numbering on the shortcuts. Unless a Custom installation has been done, version numbers should not be visible to users. ---
**Author:** ![uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/uckelman/32/10020_2.png) [@uckelman](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/uckelman)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258/20 "2008-02-24T23:28:46Z")
Thus spake “bsmith”: > [@](#): > > That looks really good Joel, thanks. > > The only thing I would take out is the Version numbering on the shortcuts. U > nless a Custom installation has been done, version numbers should not be visi > ble to users. How about if the Standard install omits the version number, but the Custom install uses it for shortcuts? If you’re doing a Custom install, there’s a good chance you’re doing it in order to have multiple versions, and so you don’t want the shortcuts for other versions to be clobbered. – J. * * * Messages mailing list [Messages@forums.vassalengine.org](mailto:Messages@forums.vassalengine.org) [forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/ … engine.org](http://forums.vassalengine.org/mailman/listinfo/messages_forums.vassalengine.org) Post generated using Mail2Forum ([mail2forum.com](http://www.mail2forum.com)) [Next page](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/nsis-installer-for-windows/258.md?page=2)