Open File
Here you can choose a file that will be opened when the setup has been completed successfully and the user closes the installer window. This can be an executable file, a directory, an URL starting with "http://" or any other kind of file. If the specified file is a non-executable file, the operating system will automatically choose an application to open the file with.
For example you can use this feature to run the application that has just been installed or to view the readme-file.
Run Executable
Here you can specify an executable files that will be executed during the installation process. For example you can use this feature to run executables that are needed to complete the installation. This is very usefull in combination with the Extract to temporary Folder option.
Note: Use the Executable File field to enter the path to the executable file that is to be executed. But do *not* enter any command-line paramters there! If any parameters are needed, use the Command-Line Parameters field! Optionally you can enable the Wait until executable has terminated option, which will force the installer to wait for the executable before proceeding.
Create an Uninstaller
If you enable this option, your installer will automatically create an unistaller application (Uninstall.exe) in the output directory. The user can run this uninstaller in order to remove the application and all of it's components. The uninstaller will be linked to the control panel automatically.
Use "tiny" User-Interface
If you enable this option, your installer will use the new "tiny" user-interface instead of the default NSIS dialogs. It's recommended to disable this option, if your installer shows a license.
Extract to temporary Folder:
If you enable this option, your installer will extract all files to a new "temporary" Folder, which will be located in the computer's TEMP directory. After that, the installer will run all executables specified at Run Executables and wait for these executables to terminate. Finally all extracted files and the temporary folder that has been created before will be removed. Several other features will be disabled when you enable this option (shortcuts, uninstallers, etc.).
Path Variables:
On each computer there exist so-called "special directories". These directories have a special purpose and are very important, espacially when creating installers. For example there is the Program Files directory, a directory where all applications are to be installed in.
Unfortunately the locations (paths) of all special directories can differ from computer to computer. For example the Program Files directory can be "C:\Program Files" as well as "C:\Programme" or might even be located on another drive ("D:\Program Files" or stuff).
So it's highly recommended to use "path variables" whenever it's neccessary to call special directories. Each path variable will always contain the correct location of it's corresponding special directory. For example use "<PROGRAMFILES>\My Application" instead of stuff like "C:\Program Files\My Application".
The following path variables are aviable:
<INSTDIR> The Install Directory where the application is installed in. The installer will extract all files to this directory. Usually the user chooses this directory during the installation process.
<WINDIR> The computer's Windows directory, the root directory of the Windows operating system (usually C:\Windows but detected at runtime)
<SYSDIR> The computer's System directory, the directory where system files like DLLs, drivers, or system-applications are stored in (usually C:\Windows\System32 but detected at runtime)
<TEMP> The computers's TEMP folder, a directory that should be used to store temporary files (usually C:\Windows\TEMP but detected at runtime)
<PROGRAMFILES> The computers's Program Files directory, a folder where applications should be installed to (usually C:\Program Files but detected at runtime)
<DOCUMENTS> The user's My Documents directory, a folder where personal documents should be stored at (usually C:\Documents and Settings\<User>\My Documents but detected at runtime)
<MUSIC> The user's My Music directory, a folder where audio files should be stored at (usually C:\Documents and Settings\<User>\My Documents\My Music but detected at runtime)
<PICTURES> The user's My Pictures directory, a folder where image files should be stored at (usually C:\Documents and Settings\<User>\My Documents\My Pictures but detected at runtime)
<VIDEOS> The user's My Videos directory, a folder where video files should be stored at (usually C:\Documents and Settings\<User>\My Documents\My Videos but detected at runtime)
<DESKTOP> The user's Desktop directory, a folder where the desktop items are stored at (usually C:\Windows\Desktop but detected at runtime)
<FONTS> The cimputers's Font's directory, the folder where all installed fonts are stored at (usually C:\Windows\Fonts but detected at runtime)
<COMMONFILES> The computers's Common Files directory, a folder where files that are shared across several application should be stored at (usually C:\Progarm Files\Common Files but detected at runtime)
<APPDATA> The user's Application Data directory, a folder where applications should store data that refers to the current user (usually C:\Documents and Settings\<User>\Application Data but detected at runtime)
<EXEDIR> The directory where the installer executable itself is located (detected at runtime)