Build NSIS Installer

[willwade]

As a windows user I want a easy to install software package where I don't have to worry about file paths and it's familiar to my platform.

Focus on Windows.

• [ ] Build nsis installer. Icon. Readme and docs from consent work to be added. Example here https://github.com/AceCentre/RelayKeys/blob/master/build-installer.nsi
• [ ] Add to GitHub action workflow https://github.com/NSIS-Dev/github-action-examples/blob/master/.github/workflows/windows-latest.yml

[willwade]

Started this NSIS installer- but not tested. @gavinhenderson

[gavinhenderson]

@willwade, looks good. I have a potentially silly question. How do we tell pyinstaller to use the nsis file?

[willwade]

So usually - you would:

1. Build your EXE
2. Sign it
3. (Install NSIS (https://nsis.sourceforge.io/Download))
4. path/to/makensis path/to/build.nsi (or run the GUI)

makensis is usually in the NSIS program files directory

to clarify - you create the installer - AFTER you've created the .exe from pyinstaller.. & you need to sign both exes too :)

[willwade]

See line 63 of that nsis file. That's the thing that needs chsnging depending on the location of the built exe from the pyinstaller output.

[gavinhenderson]

Ah got you, seems simple enough.

The official NSIS team has some nice Github Actions demos aswell https://github.com/NSIS-Dev/github-action-examples

[gavinhenderson]

Another perhaps obvious question.

Whats the benefit of an installer over just running the exe directly?

[willwade]

Well mainly that the thing runs and you can direct to things like help files and uninstall stuff. I guess short answer to that is support. If you use a installer you know the thing is properly working. Right now you are right - there isnt a big benefit. It might get more useful down the line if we need to do things like add more files or support material..

[gavinhenderson]

We use windows squirrel as our installer so this is no longer required