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diff --git a/doc/niminst.md b/doc/niminst.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..cc399c57a --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/niminst.md @@ -0,0 +1,197 @@ +========================= + niminst User's manual +========================= + +:Author: Andreas Rumpf +:Version: |nimversion| + +.. default-role:: code +.. include:: rstcommon.rst +.. contents:: + +Introduction +============ + +niminst is a tool to generate an installer for a Nim program. Currently +it can create an installer for Windows +via [Inno Setup](http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php) as well as +installation/deinstallation scripts for UNIX. Later versions will support +Linux' package management systems. + +niminst works by reading a configuration file that contains all the +information that it needs to generate an installer for the different operating +systems. + + +Configuration file +================== + +niminst uses the Nim [parsecfg](parsecfg.html) module to parse the +configuration file. Here's an example of how the syntax looks like: + +.. include:: mytest.cfg + :literal: + +The value of a key-value pair can reference user-defined variables via +the `$variable` notation: They can be defined in the command line with the +`--var:name=value`:option: switch. This is useful to not hard-coding the +program's version number into the configuration file, for instance. + +It follows a description of each possible section and how it affects the +generated installers. + + +Project section +--------------- +The project section gathers general information about your project. It must +contain the following key-value pairs: + +==================== ======================================================= +Key description +==================== ======================================================= +`Name` the project's name; this needs to be a single word +`DisplayName` the project's long name; this can contain spaces. If + not specified, this is the same as `Name`. +`Version` the project's version +`OS` the OSes to generate C code for; for example: + `"windows;linux;macosx"` +`CPU` the CPUs to generate C code for; for example: + `"i386;amd64;powerpc"` +`Authors` the project's authors +`Description` the project's description +`App` the application's type: "Console" or "GUI". If + "Console", niminst generates a special batch file + for Windows to open up the command-line shell. +`License` the filename of the application's license +==================== ======================================================= + + +`files` key +------------- + +Many sections support the `files` key. Listed filenames +can be separated by semicolon or the `files` key can be repeated. Wildcards +in filenames are supported. If it is a directory name, all files in the +directory are used: + + [Config] + Files: "configDir" + Files: "otherconfig/*.conf;otherconfig/*.cfg" + + +Config section +-------------- + +The `config` section currently only supports the `files` key. Listed files +will be installed into the OS's configuration directory. + + +Documentation section +--------------------- + +The `documentation` section supports the `files` key. +Listed files will be installed into the OS's native documentation directory +(which might be ``$appdir/doc``). + +There is a `start` key which determines whether the Windows installer +generates a link to e.g. the ``index.html`` of your documentation. + + +Other section +------------- + +The `other` section currently only supports the `files` key. +Listed files will be installed into the application installation directory +(`$appdir`). + + +Lib section +----------- + +The `lib` section currently only supports the `files` key. +Listed files will be installed into the OS's native library directory +(which might be `$appdir/lib`). + + +Windows section +--------------- + +The `windows` section supports the `files` key for Windows-specific files. +Listed files will be installed into the application installation directory +(`$appdir`). + +Other possible options are: + +==================== ======================================================= +Key description +==================== ======================================================= +`BinPath` paths to add to the Windows `%PATH%` environment + variable. Example: ``BinPath: r"bin;dist\mingw\bin"`` +`InnoSetup` boolean flag whether an Inno Setup installer should be + generated for Windows. Example: `InnoSetup: "Yes"` +==================== ======================================================= + + +UnixBin section +--------------- + +The `UnixBin` section currently only supports the `files` key. +Listed files will be installed into the OS's native bin directory +(e.g. ``/usr/local/bin``). The exact location depends on the +installation path the user specifies when running the `install.sh` script. + + +Unix section +------------ + +Possible options are: + +==================== ======================================================= +Key description +==================== ======================================================= +`InstallScript` boolean flag whether an installation shell script + should be generated. Example: `InstallScript: "Yes"` +`UninstallScript` boolean flag whether a de-installation shell script + should be generated. + Example: `UninstallScript: "Yes"` +==================== ======================================================= + + +InnoSetup section +----------------- + +Possible options are: + +==================== ======================================================= +Key description +==================== ======================================================= +`path` Path to Inno Setup. + Example: ``path = r"c:\inno setup 5\iscc.exe"`` +`flags` Flags to pass to Inno Setup. + Example: `flags = "/Q"` +==================== ======================================================= + + +C_Compiler section +------------------ + +Possible options are: + +==================== ======================================================= +Key description +==================== ======================================================= +`path` Path to the C compiler. +`flags` Flags to pass to the C Compiler. + Example: `flags = "-w"` +==================== ======================================================= + + +Real-world example +================== + +The installers for the Nim compiler itself are generated by niminst. Have a +look at its configuration file: + +.. include:: ../compiler/installer.ini + :literal: + |