Set value of InstallDir in a function, or set auto populate value somehow? - nsis

Question

I'm creating an installer using NSIS. This installer actually installs two programs in two different directories in the same installer. I am doing this using the modern user interface (MUI) pages and simply calling MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY twice specifying different starting parameteres, and capturing the directory in the LEAVE macro. What I'm wondering is, can I somehow call InstallDir in a function, or set the auto directory populate value in a function? Or possibly even call a function after the browse button has been returned from?
The reason I want to do this is so when the user clicks the browse button in either of the two directory pages, after they select a directory, the name of the finnal directory specifed in InstallDir will be appended.
For example:
InstallDir value for program 1: c:\client
InstallDir value for program 2: c:\program files\server
user clicks browse on program 1 and chooses c:\temp the resulting path is c:\temp\client
user clicks browse on program 2 and chooses c:\whatever the resulting path is c:\whatever\server
For reference here are the code snipits of what I have that works, but does not deal with the auto append browse button behaviour:
!define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_LEAVE ClientDirectoryLeave
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY
!define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_LEAVE ServerDirectoryLeave
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY
; Setup the page display for the client install page
Function ShowPageClient
!insertmacro MUI_HEADER_TEXT "Client" "Client"
!insertmacro MUI_INNERDIALOG_TEXT 1006 "Client"
; setup intal directory
Push $0
StrCpy $0 $PROGRAMFILES 2 #
; CLIENT_FOLDER_NAME is defined as a folder, but this would basicaly
; result in C:\Client as the first 2 characters of $PROGRAMFILES
; is the hard drive with program files installed on it
StrCpy $INSTDIR "$0\${CLIENT_FOLDER_NAME}"
Pop $0
; set the inital value of the directory text box
!insertmacro MUI_INNERDIALOG_TEXT 1019 $INSTDIR
; find and disable the directory selection box
; We do not want users to type in this box
FindWindow $R0 "#32770" "" $HWNDPARENT
GetDlgItem $R1 $R0 1019 ;Text Box
EnableWindow $R1 0
FunctionEnd
; Setup the page display for the server install location page
Function ShowPageServer
!insertmacro MUI_HEADER_TEXT "Server" "Server"
!insertmacro MUI_INNERDIALOG_TEXT 1006 "Server"
; setup intal directory
; SERVER_FOLDER_NAME is defined as a folder, but this would basicaly
; result in C:\Program Files\Server
StrCpy $INSTDIR "$PROGRAMFILES\${SERVER_FOLDER_NAME}"
; set the inital value of the directory text box
!insertmacro MUI_INNERDIALOG_TEXT 1019 $INSTDIR
; find and disable the directory selection box
; We do not want users to type in this box
FindWindow $R0 "#32770" "" $HWNDPARENT
GetDlgItem $R1 $R0 1019 ;Text Box
EnableWindow $R1 0
FunctionEnd
Note: I can make the browse button work for one of the directory pages, but then when I'm on the second page, the auto populate actual auto populates incorrectly

Answer 1

The appended folder name is constant and set at compile time, there is a bug report related to this.
My advice is to abandon the append feature and let the user have full control over the two destinations:
Name "NSIS Test"
InstallDir ""
!include MUI.nsh
Var DirClient
Var DirServer
Function .onInit
;Set default destinations
StrCpy $DirClient "$ProgramFiles\$(^Name)\Client"
StrCpy $DirServer "$ProgramFiles\$(^Name)\Server"
FunctionEnd
!macro ConfigureMyDirPage type var
!define MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_VARIABLE ${var}
!define MUI_PAGE_HEADER_SUBTEXT "Choose the folder in which to install $(^NameDA) ${type}"
!define MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_TOP "Setup will install $(^NameDA) ${type} in the following folder. To install in a different folder, click Browse and select another folder. $_CLICK"
!define MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_DESTINATION "${type} $(^DirSubText)"
!macroend
!insertmacro ConfigureMyDirPage "Client" $DirClient
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY
!insertmacro ConfigureMyDirPage "Server" $DirServer
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_INSTFILES
!insertmacro MUI_LANGUAGE "English"
Section
DetailPrint DirClient=$DirClient
DetailPrint DirServer=$DirServer
SectionEnd

Answer 2

Okay I finally figured it out. Basically there is a function that is called to "verify" the path after browse button is clicked. I tied into this function an appended the directory manual if needed. To do this I created a new variable and set it in a function called when the page is displays as follows:
; Client Directory
!define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_SHOW ShowPageClient
!define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_LEAVE ClientDirectoryLeave
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY
; Setup the page display for the client install page
Function ShowPageClient
; setup intal directory
Push $0
StrCpy $0 $PROGRAMFILES 2 #
StrCpy $INSTDIR "$0\${CLIENT_FOLDER_NAME}"
Pop $0
!insertmacro MUI_INNERDIALOG_TEXT 1019 $INSTDIR
FindWindow $R0 "#32770" "" $HWNDPARENT
GetDlgItem $R1 $R0 1019 ;Text Box
EnableWindow $R1 0
; Setup the client or server variable to indicate that
; we're in the client install part to signal the .onVerifyInstDir function
; to put the correct directory
StrCpy $CLIENT_OR_SERVER "client"
FunctionEnd
The function that is called after browse is .onVerifyInstDir so that is where I check the CLIENT_OR_SERVER variable and set the path appropriately
; This function is special and is called any time a
; path is validated on returning from the browse button
; need to append the correct directory if it does not already exists
; in the install directory path
Function .onVerifyInstDir
; save the current $0 register, as it is used in this function
Push $0
${If} $CLIENT_OR_SERVER == "client"
; in the client stage so directory must contain CLIENT_FOLDER_NAME
${StrContains} $0 "${CLIENT_FOLDER_NAME}" "$INSTDIR"
${If} $0 == ""
; the install dir does not contain the folder so append it
StrCpy $INSTDIR "$INSTDIR\${CLIENT_FOLDER_NAME}"
${EndIf}
${Else}
; in the server stage so directory must contain SERVER_FOLDER_NAME
${StrContains} $0 "${SERVER_FOLDER_NAME}" "$INSTDIR"
${If} $0 == ""
; the install dir does not contain the folder so append it
StrCpy $INSTDIR "$INSTDIR\${SERVER_FOLDER_NAME}"
${EndIf}
${EndIf}
; pop the saved register value
Pop $0
FunctionEnd
Couple notes:
the StrContains function I used was found here:
http://nsis.sourceforge.net/StrContains
Further reference to the .onVerifyInstDir function can be found here:
http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Docs/Chapter4.html#4.7.2.1.10