General information about the configuration file

This SFX module retains all the standard features described in the 7-zip manual and adds the new features listed in this documentation.


IMPORTANT! Certain two-symbol sequences in the Value are parsed as follows:

As a result, you MUST use DOUBLE backslashes (\\) wherever you normally use backslashes (\) (e.g. in paths or dialog texts). Similarly, if the Value contains double quotes ("), you MUST precede them with a backslash (\").


In addition to the regular environment variables (%SYSTEMDRIVE%, %PROGRAMFILES%, etc), during the module operation the environment variables defined by user in 'SetEnvironment' parameters are available as well as extra variables pointing to the following folders on the hard drive:

The variables listed above can be used in the module parameters as well as in other executables (.cmd, .bat files) launched from the module.

In addition, you can use the following module variables (only in the module parameters, but not in other programs launched from the module):

All environment variables will be expanded in the following parameters:

Only the module variables %CommonDesktop%, %CommonDocuments%, %MyDocuments%, %MyDocs%, %UserDesktop%, %%T and %%S as well as the variables defined in 'SetEnvironment' will be expanded (replaced with variable value) in the following options of the 'Shortcut' parameter:

Environment variables are not expanded and treated as text strings in all other parameters.


The module also supports relative paths in the parameters and switches listed below:


For 'RunProgram' and all 'AutoInstall' parameters you CAN/MUST enclose the path to the executable along with its name in quotes.

You CAN do so, even if the path and file name DO NOT contain spaces. You MUST do so, if the path or/and file name CONTAIN spaces. This is due to the fact that the full path is formed AFTER expanding the variables. For instance,

RunProgram="nowait:%ProgramFiles%\\test.exe /s"

In this string file name and its path do not contain spaces; however, after expanding the %ProgramFiles% variable the full path may contain spaces (i.e. C:\Program Files). Therefore, it is recommended to always enclose the path and file name in quotes:

RunProgram="nowait:\"%ProgramFiles%\\test.exe\" /s"

Prefixes and executable file command line switches DO NOT need extra quotes.

Extra quotes are not required for 'ExecuteFile' parameter even when the path contains spaces (this is because this parameter does not contain command line switches). Thus, the previous example can be rewriten as follows:

ExecuteFile="nowait:%ProgramFiles%\\test.exe"
ExecuteParameters="/s"

Multiple lines of text are allowed in dialog windows controlled by the following parameters:

Any symbols can be used in text. Slashes (\) and quotes (") are subject to the "Leading Slash" rule (see above). For example, having the following text in the config file:

HelpText="Here is how to use (\"quotes\" and parenthesis)\nHere's how to specify path C:\\Windows\nHere's how to use TAB\nStart\tTab1\tTab2\tTab3"

produces the output shown below:

help

The dialog window dimensions are adjusted automatically according to the number of strings and their lengths. Do not make the lines too long, because the window may get out of the screen range with no scroll bar provided .


You can cancel the SFX operation by:

Any of the above actions will cause the cancel prompt to appear, if it is permitted by 'GUIFlags' parmeter with the value of 256. The cancel prompt text can be customized with 'CancelPrompt' parameter. This prompt will NOT be displayed in the error message windows and windows defined by 'FinishMessage' and 'HelpText' parameters.