Why does my NSIS script appear to be skipping over installation pages like MUI_PAGE_INSTFILES when I add custom nsDialog pages?

Question

Here is my latest NSIS installation script, which has grown into quite a beast.

https://pastebin.com/eSABLLsi

My question is, how can I put all of the sections for HW_DATA_DIR , HW_WORKSPACE_DIR , and possibly %HEADWAVE_ROOT_DIR% into a single page? I am guessing that I would have to use nsDialog somehow. My supervisor wants me to do this because there are so many separate install pages where you have to keep clicking and clicking too many times to complete the installation.

I have tried the following, but adding an nsDialog as Page custom HeadwaveConfiguration does in a function does not seem to fit well within the program flow. Here are my code modifications:

Var headwaveConfigDialog
Var headwaveConfigDataDirLabel
Var headwaveConfigDataDirText
Var headwaveConfigWkDirLabel
Var headwaveConfigWkDirText

!define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_PRE SelectFilesCheck
!define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_LEAVE ComponentsLeave
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_COMPONENTS

## This is the title on the Headwave Data Directory page
;!define MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_TOP "$(MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_TOP_HW)"
;!define MUI_PAGE_HEADER_TEXT "Headwave configuration"
; !define MUI_PAGE_HEADER_SUBTEXT "Select the folder which Headwave can use as a data storage."
Page custom HeadwaveConfiguration

; ; HW Data 
; !define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_PRE hw_data_pre
; !define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_SHOW hw_data_dir
; !define MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_VARIABLE $HW_DATA_DIR
; !insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY

; ## This is the title on the Headwave Workspace Directory page
; !define MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_TOP "$(MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_TOP_HW_WK)"
; !define MUI_PAGE_HEADER_TEXT "Choose Headwave Workspace directory"
; !define MUI_PAGE_HEADER_SUBTEXT "Select the folder which Headwave can use as a workspace."

; # HW Workspaces
; !define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_PRE hw_wk_pre
; !define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_SHOW hw_wk_dir 
; !define MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_VARIABLE $HW_WORKSPACE_DIR
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_INSTFILES    
 
## This is the title on the Headwave installation Directory page to obtain directory for %HEADWAVE_ROOT_DIR
!define MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_TOP "$(MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_TOP_HW_INST)"
!define MUI_PAGE_HEADER_TEXT "Choose Headwave Plugin installation directory"
!define MUI_PAGE_HEADER_SUBTEXT "Select the folder where Headwave is presently installed to set environment variable."
 
!define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_PRE SelectFilesHeadwaveProg
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_INSTFILES

; ...

Function HeadwaveConfiguration
  !insertmacro MUI_HEADER_TEXT "Headwave configuration" "Select the respective folders for Headwave."
  nsDialogs::Create 1018
  Pop $headwaveConfigDialog

  ${NSD_CreateLabel} 0 0 100% 12u "Select the folder which Headwave can use as a data storage:"
  Pop $headwaveConfigDataDirLabel
       
  ${NSD_CreateText} 10% 20u 80% 12u "C:\HW-Data"
  Pop $headwaveConfigDataDirText
  StrCpy $HW_DATA_DIR $headwaveConfigDataDirText   
  
  ${NSD_CreateLabel} 0 40u 80% 12u "Select the folder which Headwave can use as a workspace:"
  Pop $headwaveConfigWkDirLabel

  ${NSD_CreateText} 10% 60u 80% 12u "C:\HW-Workspaces"
  Pop $headwaveConfigWkDirText
  StrCpy $HW_WORKSPACE_DIR $headwaveConfigWkDirText        

  ;${NSD_CreateLabel} 0 80u 80% 12u "Select the folder where Headwave is installed:"
  ;Pop $headwaveConfigProgramDirLabel

  ;StrCpy $headwaveConfigProgramDirText $HeadwaveInstallDir
  ;${NSD_CreateText} 10% 100u 80% 12u $HeadwaveInstallDir
  ;Pop $headwaveConfigProgramDirText
  ;StrCpy $HeadwaveInstallDir $headwaveConfigProgramDirText           

  ;MessageBox MB_OK 'HeadwaveConfiguration: HeadwaveInstallDir = $HeadwaveInstallDir; headwaveConfigProgramDirText = $headwaveConfigProgramDirText'

  SetCtlColors $headwaveConfigHwnd 0xFF0000 0xFFFFFF
  
  nsDialogs::Show        
FunctionEnd

But the problem is that it the HeadwaveConfiguration nsDialog page gets calls to obtain HW_DATA_DIR and HW_WORKSPACE_DIR , but then it just jumps to start installing MyApp instead of first installing the Headwave components and then moving on to install MyApp

Does anyone have any suggestions? TIA.

UPDATE:

Here is how I have updated the code, but it still does not install the Headwave components before it jumps to the MyApp install page:

!define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_PRE SelectFilesCheck
!define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_LEAVE ComponentsLeave
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_COMPONENTS

## This is the title on the Headwave Data Directory page
!define MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_TOP "$(MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_TOP_HW)"
!define MUI_PAGE_HEADER_TEXT "Headwave configuration"
!define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_PRE HeadwaveConfigurationPre
!define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_SHOW HeadwaveConfigurationShow
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY
!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_INSTFILES    
 
## This is the title on the Headwave installation Directory page to obtain directory for %HEADWAVE_ROOT_DIR%
!define MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_TOP "$(MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_TOP_HW_INST)"
!define MUI_PAGE_HEADER_TEXT "Choose Headwave Plugin installation directory"
!define MUI_PAGE_HEADER_SUBTEXT "Select the folder where Headwave is presently installed to set environment variable."

Function HeadwaveConfigurationPre
  !insertmacro MUI_HEADER_TEXT "Headwave configuration" "Select the respective folders for Headwave."
  nsDialogs::Create 1018
  Pop $headwaveConfigDialog

  ${NSD_CreateLabel} 0 0 100% 12u "Select the folder which Headwave can use as a data storage:"
  Pop $headwaveConfigDataDirLabel
       
  ${NSD_CreateText} 10% 20u 80% 12u "C:\HW-Data"
  Pop $headwaveConfigDataDirText
  StrCpy $HwDataDir $headwaveConfigDataDirText   
  
  ${NSD_CreateLabel} 0 40u 80% 12u "Select the folder which Headwave can use as a workspace:"
  Pop $headwaveConfigWkDirLabel

  ${NSD_CreateText} 10% 60u 80% 12u "C:\HW-Workspaces"
  Pop $headwaveConfigWkDirText
  StrCpy $HwWorkspaceDir $headwaveConfigWkDirText        

  ;${NSD_CreateLabel} 0 80u 80% 12u "Select the folder where Headwave is installed:"
  ;Pop $headwaveConfigProgramDirLabel

  ;StrCpy $headwaveConfigProgramDirText $HeadwaveInstallDir
  ;${NSD_CreateText} 10% 100u 80% 12u $HeadwaveInstallDir
  ;Pop $headwaveConfigProgramDirText
  ;StrCpy $HeadwaveInstallDir $headwaveConfigProgramDirText           

  SetCtlColors $headwaveConfigHwnd 0xFF0000 0xFFFFFF
  
  nsDialogs::Show        
FunctionEnd
 
Function HeadwaveConfigurationShow
    MessageBox MB_OK 'HeadwaveConfiguration: HeadwaveInstallDir = $HeadwaveInstallDir; headwaveConfigProgramDirText = $headwaveConfigProgramDirText'        
FunctionEnd

## Section 1
Section "MyPartnerApp Plugin" SEC1
  MessageBox MB_OK 'Headwave Plugin #1: INSTDIR = $INSTDIR'
  ${If} ${SectionIsSelected} ${SEC1}    
    ${StrContains} $0 "MyPartnerApp" "$INSTDIR" 
    StrCmp $0 "" notfoundMyPartnerApp
    Goto doneMyPartnerApp
    doneMyPartnerApp:
      MessageBox MB_OK 'Headwave Plugin #2: HW_DATA_DIR = $HW_DATA_DIR'
      SetOutPath "$HW_DATA_DIR"
      ${StrContains} $0 "Data" "$HW_DATA_DIR"
      StrCmp $0 "" notfoundHwData
      Goto doneHwData
      ;MessageBox MB_OK 'Did not find MyApp string'
    doneHwData: 
    
      ##All the files in Group 0 will be installed to the same location, $HW_DATA_DIR
      MessageBox MB_OK 'Headwave Plugin #3: HW_DATA_DIR = $HW_DATA_DIR'
      SetOutPath "$HW_DATA_DIR"
      CreateDirectory "$HW_DATA_DIR"
      CreateDirectory "$HW_DATA_DIR\MyApp-Plugins"
      CreateDirectory "$HW_DATA_DIR\MyApp-Plugins\ComputePlugin"
      CreateDirectory "$HW_DATA_DIR\MyApp-Plugins\ExtensionPlugin"                                       

      File /oname=$HW_DATA_DIR\MyApp-Plugins\ComputePlugin\computeplugin.xplot.dll computeplugin.xplot.dll
      File /oname=$HW_DATA_DIR\MyApp-Plugins\ComputePlugin\computeplugin.VirtualVolume.dll computeplugin.VirtualVolume.dll
             
      File /oname=$HW_DATA_DIR\MyApp-Plugins\ExtensionPlugin\hwProxyInterface.MyApp.dll hwProxyInterface.MyApp.dll

      # MyPartnerApp workspace
      CreateDirectory "$HW_WORKSPACE_DIR"      
      
      ##All the files in Group 1 will be installed to the same location, $INSTDIR
      SetOutPath "$INSTDIR"
      ;messagebox mb_ok "MyPartnerApp Program: INSTDIR is $INSTDIR"
      
      # set environment variable for current user
      WriteRegExpandStr ${env_hkcu} HEADWAVE_ROOT_DIR $INSTDIR
      # save the selected headwave program directory
      StrCpy $MyPartnerAppSelectedInstallDir $INSTDIR
      # make sure windows knows about the change
      SendMessage ${HWND_BROADCAST} ${WM_WININICHANGE} 0 "STR:Environment" /TIMEOUT=5000

      # Install Sound-MyApp python scripts
      CreateDirectory $INSTDIR\python\hwtoolkits\MyCompany
      File __init__.py
      File MyAppConfig.py
      File MyAppPlugin.py
      
      CopyFiles $INSTDIR\*.py $INSTDIR\python\hwtoolkits\MyCompany

    notfoundHwData:          
    notfoundMyPartnerApp:
      ; Do nothing
  ${Else}
    Abort
  ${EndIf}          
SectionEnd

I would have thought since HeadwaveConfigurationPre should be called first so that $HW_DATA_DIR should be C:\HW-Data but instead one of the messageboxes I added shows this:

Headwave Plugin #2: HW_DATA_DIR = 6494062

UPDATE 2:

Thanks for the feedback, @Anders.

Here is my latest code, where initially it is getting the values for $HwDataDir and $HwWorkspaceDir :

https://pastebin.com/VsT0MJf1 NOTE: I previously pasted only partial code in https://pastebin.com/DJTLQ05D

Here is a dialog box that shows the values are being obtained initially:

Next it gets to the plugin installation page:

But then eventually, it gets to this line of code:

MessageBox MB_OK 'Headwave Plugin #2: HwDataDir = $HwDataDir'

In which case the $HwDataDir has a number again:

Could you please tell me, how could that happen? Why would the value change from C:\HW-Data to 1181026? TIA.

Answer 1

You cannot use MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_* with nsDialogs. In your last update $HwDataDir contains a number because it is the handle to the text control, not its text. Even if you asked for its text it would be the wrong time, you should do that in the leave callback. Custom pages only have create and leave callbacks, not pre and show!

Here is part of the example code from the nsDialogs documentation:

Page custom nsDialogsPage nsDialogsPageLeave
Page instfiles

Function nsDialogsPage

    nsDialogs::Create 1018
    Pop $Dialog

    ${If} $Dialog == error
        Abort
    ${EndIf}

    ${NSD_CreateLabel} 0 0 100% 12u "Hello, welcome to nsDialogs!"
    Pop $Label

    ${NSD_CreateText} 0 13u 100% -13u "Type something here..."
    Pop $Text

    nsDialogs::Show

FunctionEnd

Function nsDialogsPageLeave

    ${NSD_GetText} $Text $0
    MessageBox MB_OK "You typed:$\n$\n$0"

FunctionEnd

Your code contains other issues like

Section "MyPartnerApp Plugin" SEC1
  ${If} ${SectionIsSelected} ${SEC1}    

which makes no sense, you can't check itself like that. The IsPROG0HwDataSelected function is so broken you should rewrite it from scratch with ${If} and a proper section index.

Update 2:

In your new code, StrCpy $HwDataDir $headwaveConfigDataDirText is where it gets "corrupted" with the handle. You don't need StrCpy, all you need in the leave function is ${NSD_GetText} $headwaveConfigDataDirText $HwDataDir .