Question

Is there an API to create a Custom View in Windows Event Viewer?

I would like to do that in the installation using NSIS,
But if I cant and there is any other way then I’ll write a plugin for it.

Answer 1

The problem is not NSIS but the way the Event Log works, you need to install a message table DLL somewhere on the system and register it in the registry. This DLL has to stay on the system since it is used by the Event Log Viewer when you view the log and is not used when you log the message! This design is really problematic for a installer.

It is probably better to just log to a plain text file in $temp or $exedir.

If you really want to use the Event Log and you don’t mind hacks you could:

• Put the message table DLL in $pluginsdir and register/unregister when the installer starts/ends (If it crashes you leave junk in the registry!)
• Use a Microsoft/Windows message table (They are not documented, could change from version to version (And service packs?) so you would have to test every Windows version and configuration you support!)

The NSIS code looks something like this:

section

System::Call 'advapi32::RegisterEventSource(i0,t "Software Installation")i.r0'
#TODO: Check if $0 == 0 and display error message
System::Call '*(i,&t1000 "Hello world")i.r1'
IntOp $2 $1 + 4
System::Call '*$1(ir2)'
System::Call 'advapi32::ReportEvent(ir0,i ${EVENTLOG_ERROR_TYPE},i0,i 101,i0,i1,i0,ir1,i0)i'
System::Free $1
System::Call 'advapi32::DeregisterEventSource(ir0)'

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