Count and split string with space except if between quotes in NSIS

Question

My question is like Split string on spaces in Java, except if between quotes (i.e. treat \"hello world\" as one token) but in NSIS way. Hopefully without any external plugins.

How do I split a String based on space but take quoted substrings as one word?

Example:

Location "Welcome to india" Bangalore Channai "IT city"  Mysore

it should be stored in ArrayList as

Location
Welcome to india
Bangalore
Channai
IT city
Mysore

Answer 1

There is no array support without plugins so I left out the array part.

Any string operation can be performed with the 3 basic string functions in NSIS (StrLen, StrCpy and StrCmp):

!include LogicLib.nsh
Function SplitArg
Exch $0 ; str
Push $1 ; inQ
Push $3 ; idx
Push $4 ; tmp
StrCpy $1 0
StrCpy $3 0
loop:
    StrCpy $4 $0 1 $3
    ${If} $4 == '"'
        ${If} $1 <> 0 
            StrCpy $0 $0 "" 1
            IntOp $3 $3 - 1
        ${EndIf}
        IntOp $1 $1 !
    ${EndIf}
    ${If} $4 == '' ; The end?
        StrCpy $1 0
        StrCpy $4 ' '
    ${EndIf} 
    ${If} $4 == ' '
    ${AndIf} $1 = 0
        StrCpy $4 $0 $3
        StrCpy $1 $4 "" -1
        ${IfThen} $1 == '"' ${|} StrCpy $4 $4 -1 ${|}
        killspace:
            IntOp $3 $3 + 1
            StrCpy $0 $0 "" $3
            StrCpy $1 $0 1
            StrCpy $3 0
            StrCmp $1 ' ' killspace
        Push $0 ; Remaining
        Exch 4
        Pop $0
        StrCmp $4 "" 0 moreleft
            Pop $4
            Pop $3
            Pop $1
            Return
        moreleft:
        Exch $4
        Exch 2
        Pop $1
        Pop $3
        Return
    ${EndIf}
    IntOp $3 $3 + 1
    Goto loop
FunctionEnd


Section
push 'Location "Welcome to india" Bangalore Channai "IT city"  Mysore'
loop:
    call SplitArg
    Pop $0
    StrCmp $0 "" done
    DetailPrint Item=|$0|
    goto loop
done:
SectionEnd