NSIS - How to install multiple files with similar folder structures using a single command?

Question

Problem

I have multiple files in very similarly structured folders that I want to install in one common folder.

I can do this by manually specifying each file I want to add, like so:

SetOutPath "$INSTDIR\Final\Destination"
File /r ".\ParentFolder\Folder1\Same\Path\For\All\Thing1.ext"
File /r ".\ParentFolder\Folder2\Same\Path\For\All\Thing2.ext"
File /r ".\ParentFolder\Folder3\Same\Path\For\All\Thing3.ext"
File /r ".\ParentFolder\Folder4\Same\Path\For\All\Thing4.ext"
File /r ".\ParentFolder\Folder5\Same\Path\For\All\Thing5.ext"

However, there are 50+ of these files, and they are likely to change, so I'd prefer to do this in a way that won't require editing the NSIS in the future.

What I have Tried

I tried putting in wildcards, like so:

SetOutPath "$INSTDIR\Final\Destination"
File /r ".\ParentFolder\*\Same\Path\For\All\*.ext"

However, I get the message File: ".\ParentFolder\*\Same\Path\For\All\*.ext" -> no files found.

Question

Is there something wrong with using multiple wildcards * in my File query?

What would be the correct way to query multiple files in different folders?

Answer 1

You can't put wildcards anywhere, only in the filename unfortunately.

What you can do however is to use !system to execute a batch file (or any other command or application) that writes NSIS instructions to a file you can !include :

Section

SetOutPath $InstDir
!tempfile folders ; temporary .nsh
!system 'for /D %A in (.\ParentFolder\*) do @>>"${folders}" echo File /r "%~A\Same\Path\For\All\*.ext"'
!include "${folders}"
!delfile "${folders}"

SectionEnd