Improve handling of initialize_conda / register_python including its default values #1105

lrandersson · 2025-11-10T15:50:16Z

Description

This PR is to address:

Checklist - did you ...

Add a file to the news directory (using the template) for the next release's release notes?
Add / update necessary tests?
Add / update outdated documentation?

lrandersson · 2025-11-10T15:51:15Z

constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl

-{%- endif %}
+    !if ${INIT_CONDA_OPTION} == 1
+        # For consistency with other code, only for "Just Me" installation
+        ${If} $InstMode = ${JUST_ME}


Note that ${If} $InstMode = ${JUST_ME} is new (the option was still correctly disabled but this code should also account for this, correct?), but seems like it was missing based on the comment in OptionsDialog.nsh? I quote:

# AddToPath is only an option for JustMe installations; it is disabled for AllUsers

It is checked in the python code that's called, but I think I found the same thing. The code in main should have a check like that already.

If I understand correctly, the additional ${If} $InstMode = ${JUST_ME} I added is redundant and can safely be removed?
Update:
I saw when resolving the merge conflicts that you added ${If} ${FileExists} "$INSTDIR\.nonadmin" so I have removed the ${If} $InstMode = ${JUST_ME}

lrandersson · 2025-11-10T18:15:08Z

I've tested buildings installers and run them locally where I toggle all of these 4 options in various combinations and it looks good. Let me know if you need any screenshots.

lrandersson · 2025-11-10T18:44:19Z

constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl

    ${EndIf}

    ClearErrors
-    ${GetOptions} $ARGV "/RegisterPython=" $ARGV_RegisterPython


The old code (and not the updated one - yet) does not reflect what the docstring says:

/RegisterPython=[0|1] [default: AllUsers: 1, JustMe: 0]

i.e. the default value was never set based on scope. Should I update the code to reflect this? Or should we always just default it to 0?

The help text should be adjusted to what the code has been doing all along.

It's now /RegisterPython=[0|1] [default: 0]

marcoesters

My initial set of comments.

news/1105-improve-handling-of-certain-options

constructor/nsis/OptionsDialog.nsh

constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl

marcoesters · 2025-11-11T20:23:42Z

constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl

    ${EndIf}

    ClearErrors
-    ${GetOptions} $ARGV "/RegisterPython=" $ARGV_RegisterPython


The help text should be adjusted to what the code has been doing all along.

constructor/nsis/OptionsDialog.nsh

constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl

constructor/nsis/OptionsDialog.nsh

lrandersson · 2025-11-11T21:14:33Z

constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl

    ${EndIf}

    ClearErrors
-    ${GetOptions} $ARGV "/RegisterPython=" $ARGV_RegisterPython


It's now /RegisterPython=[0|1] [default: 0]

constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl

lrandersson · 2025-11-11T21:16:14Z

constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl

-{%- endif %}
+    !if ${INIT_CONDA_OPTION} == 1
+        # For consistency with other code, only for "Just Me" installation
+        ${If} $InstMode = ${JUST_ME}


If I understand correctly, the additional ${If} $InstMode = ${JUST_ME} I added is redundant and can safely be removed?
Update:
I saw when resolving the merge conflicts that you added ${If} ${FileExists} "$INSTDIR\.nonadmin" so I have removed the ${If} $InstMode = ${JUST_ME}

constructor/nsis/OptionsDialog.nsh

constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl

marcoesters · 2025-11-13T22:35:52Z

constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl

+        ${IfNot} ${Errors}
+            ${If} $ARGV_RegisterPython == "1"
+                StrCpy $REG_PY 1
+            ${ElseIf} $ARGV_RegisterPython == "0"
+                StrCpy $REG_PY 0
+            ${EndIf}


Looking at #1004 and your help text, this should default to 0 in the CLI, just like the SH installer. As it stands, it defaults to the default value. So, we need an else clause here for when that option has not been found. Some with the conda initialization.

If I'm not missing anything it does default to zero, however I have made it more clear (and safe?) in this commit https://github.com/conda/constructor/pull/1105/commits
I also noticed another doc-page that claimed that 1 is default so I changed that in the same commit.

I think us coming to different conclusions shows that it's necessary to be safe here 😅 Can you initialize $INIT_CONDA the same way?

I agree, added here 666c2e3

Update: I had to adjust it accordingly 83ed89a
I missed that Function .onInit calls !insertmacro ParseCommandLineArgs twice. First, early in the function call and then again (is this a mistake?) Call onInit_Release -> Which contains !insertmacro ParseCommandLineArgs

Therefore, we now have the following initialization:

Function .onInit ${LogSet} on Push $0 Push $1 Push $2 Push $R1 Push $R2 # Initialize INIT_CONDA and REG_PY, note that they to default 0 if the installer # is not configured to prompt the user with a choice. !if ${INIT_CONDA_OPTION} == 1 StrCpy $INIT_CONDA ${INIT_CONDA_DEFAULT_VALUE} !else StrCpy $INIT_CONDA 0 !endif !if ${REGISTER_PYTHON_OPTION} == 1 StrCpy $REG_PY ${REGISTER_PYTHON_DEFAULT_VALUE} !else StrCpy $REG_PY 0 !endif ...

marcoesters · 2025-11-13T22:36:49Z

constructor/nsis/OptionsDialog.nsh

+        # Ensure we initialize from compile-time default value
+        StrCpy $INIT_CONDA ${INIT_CONDA_DEFAULT_VALUE}
+    !else
+        StrCpy $INIT_CONDA 0


We need to update the documentation in the schema that the default values have no effect if initialize_conda and register_python are false. Maybe also add a sentence or two into the release notes for this since this is a behavior change?

So for initialize_by_default it says already:
Only applies if initialize_conda is not false.

And for register_python_default:
Only applies if register_python is true.

Are you thinking of anything else in addition to this?

Ah, I didn't see those isolated paragraphs, my bad. The release notes should be updated though since this is new for Windows. The documentation should be updated either way to emphasize that these values only apply to interactive installations and are false for CLI installations.

Updated again in db68a7c
It got pretty long, please leave some feedback. I'm also trying to stay consistent with the existing style of the release notes.

I left some feedback to be more user-oriented. We also need to update the description in the schema so that this is documented in CONSTRUCT.md. I think after those small comments are addressed, we're in business.

Okay so I have made a couple of changes, and there is already some text in the documentation I think already explains the situation. I'll try to explain it so we are aligned. First here are the changes from last 2 commits I've just done: https://github.com/conda/constructor/pull/1105/files/db68a7c3cdeaeaf53a0d832b100eb3bd666ca424..bf24d45b2aadbf0010e26118f5b89a380a107d34

We had initialize_by_default: bool | None = None, but comparing it to register_python_default I changed it to initialize_by_default: bool | None = False. And to be honest, I think we can drop the entire None-situation, True/False should suffice but I assume this was implemented as None because the option might be irrelevant depending on its parent (initialize_conda/register_python).

It says that initialize_by_default is True for GUI-installers, I quote: The default is true for GUI installers (EXE, PKG). But this is not correct because in winexe.py we can see variables["initialize_by_default"] = info.get("initialize_by_default", None), which means it's by default None. In the commit I linked to I also changed None to False for consistency with the other installers, the impact this has in the NSIS code is the same.

For register_python I added the additional text "If the installer bundles a Python instance,", to account for the situation that has_python could be false.

Finally, this leaves us with the following:

### `initialize_conda` Add an option to the installer so the user can choose whether to run `conda init` after the installation (Unix), or to add certain subdirectories of the installation to PATH (Windows). Requires `conda` to be part of the `base` environment. Valid options: - `classic` or `True`: runs `conda init` on Unix, which injects a shell function in the shell profiles. On Windows, it adds `$INSTDIR`, `$INSTDIR/Scripts`, `$INSTDIR/Library/bin` to `PATH`. This is the default. - `condabin`: only adds `$INSTDIR/condabin` to `PATH`. On Unix, `conda>=25.5.0` is required in `base`. - `False`: the installer doesn't perform initialization. See also `initialize_by_default`. ### `initialize_by_default` Default value for the option added by `initialize_conda`. The default is true for PKG installers, and false for EXE (GUI and CLI installations) and shell installers. The user is able to change the default during interactive installation. NOTE: For Windows, `AddToPath` is disabled when `InstallationType=AllUsers`. Only applies if `initialize_conda` is not false. ### `register_python` If the installer installs a Python instance, offer the user an option to register the installed Python instance as the system's default Python. (Windows only) ### `register_python_default` Default choice for whether to register the installed Python instance as the system's default Python. The user is still able to change this during interactive installation. (Windows only).

Let me know what you think.

marcoesters · 2025-11-14T20:35:58Z

news/1105-improve-handling-of-certain-options

+  The options `initialize_by_default` and `register_python_default` only applies for interactive installations.
+  Note that when installing via the command-line, the corresponding options `AddToPath` and `RegisterPython` are by default set to `0`. (#1003, #1004 via #1105)


Suggested change

The options `initialize_by_default` and `register_python_default` only applies for interactive installations.

Note that when installing via the command-line, the corresponding options `AddToPath` and `RegisterPython` are by default set to `0`. (#1003, #1004 via #1105)

Windows CLI installations now don't `conda` to `PATH` or register Python by default. (#1003, #1004 via #1105)

Added 666c2e3

conda-bot added this to 🔎 Review Nov 10, 2025

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lrandersson commented Nov 10, 2025

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lrandersson marked this pull request as ready for review November 10, 2025 19:45

lrandersson requested a review from a team as a code owner November 10, 2025 19:45

lrandersson force-pushed the dev-ra-649 branch from d458a35 to 89d6393 Compare November 10, 2025 19:45

This was linked to issues Nov 11, 2025

NSIS: /AddToPath and /RegisterPython always available #1003

Open

Inconsistencies in initialize_conda / initialize_by_default handling across installers #1004

Open

marcoesters reviewed Nov 11, 2025

View reviewed changes

Fix inconsistency in options

355a508

lrandersson force-pushed the dev-ra-649 branch from d69585b to 355a508 Compare November 11, 2025 21:47

lrandersson commented Nov 11, 2025

View reviewed changes

lrandersson added 3 commits November 12, 2025 08:10

Add missing %

e8af358

Ensure potential empty rows are trimmed

44c9f5f

Fixed another merge conflict

c9f9320

marcoesters reviewed Nov 13, 2025

View reviewed changes

This was referenced Nov 14, 2025

Fix inconsistent use between jinja-templating and nsis code #1109

Open

Improve variable and function names in NSIS templates #1110

Open

lrandersson added 3 commits November 14, 2025 12:34

Add clarity regarding default of REG_PY

77f8c5e

Account for has_python

bc6a315

Update release notes

db68a7c

marcoesters reviewed Nov 14, 2025

View reviewed changes

lrandersson added 2 commits November 17, 2025 13:26

Additional review fixes

666c2e3

Docs updates

bf24d45

lrandersson requested a review from marcoesters November 17, 2025 18:53

Adjust setting of default values

83ed89a

		The options `initialize_by_default` and `register_python_default` only applies for interactive installations.
		Note that when installing via the command-line, the corresponding options `AddToPath` and `RegisterPython` are by default set to `0`. (#1003, #1004 via #1105)

	The options `initialize_by_default` and `register_python_default` only applies for interactive installations.
	Note that when installing via the command-line, the corresponding options `AddToPath` and `RegisterPython` are by default set to `0`. (#1003, #1004 via #1105)
	Windows CLI installations now don't `conda` to `PATH` or register Python by default. (#1003, #1004 via #1105)

Improve handling of initialize_conda / register_python including its default values #1105

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Improve handling of initialize_conda / register_python including its default values #1105

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