We have developed several examples which are ready for instant start with Graphical Installer (can be found in ${NSISDIR}\Graphical Installer\Examples folder):

Basic example - This is basic example for Graphical Installer.
Basic example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for Basic example.

Install Designer example - This example shows how to integrate dialog(s) created with Install Designer tool with Graphical Installer.
Install Designer example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for Install Designer example.

Skin example - This example demonstrates using of OLE images (.jpg .gif .bmp) for background image.
Skin example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for Skin example.

RTL Languages example - This example demonstrates creating installer with support for RTL languages. Script files should be saved in UTF-16 encoding.
If you are using NSIS 2.46 or older then you need to use an Unicode build of NSIS to view languages correctly Recommended: http://www.scratchpaper.com/.
NSIS 3 (since 3.0a0) has command Unicode (true/false) which can turn creating Unicode installers on and off so there is no problem with Unicode languages.
RTL Languages example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for RTL example.

nsDialogs example - This example demonstrates using of nsDialogs together with Graphical Installer.
nsDialogs example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for nsDialogs example.

InstallOptions example - This example demonstrates using of InstallOptions together with Graphical Installer.
InstallOptions example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for InstallOptions example.

Print and Save example - This example demonstrates creating of installer with possibility to Print and Save License file.
Print and Save example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for Print and Save example.

Multiple Backgrounds example - This example demonstrates using of Multiple OLE images (.jpg .gif .bmp) for background image.
Multiple Backgrounds example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for Multiple Backgrounds example.

Visual & Installer example - This example demonstrates integrating NSIS into Microsoft Visual Studio (any version).
Visual & Installer example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for Visual & Installer example.

RAD & Installer example - This example demonstrates integrating NSIS into Embarcadero RAD Studio (any version).
RAD & Installer example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for RAD & Installer example.

Irregular Form example - This example demonstrates creating non rectangular forms (forms with transparent areas).
Irregular Form example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for Irregular Form example.

Start menu example - This example demonstrates creating Start menu page with Graphical Installer.
Start menu example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for Start menu example.

Visual_UI example - This example demonstrates VisuaL_UI feature - creating 'Visual Studio Setup' like design of installers without any pictures - by using colors only.
Visual_UI example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for VisuaL_UI example.

Drag and Drop example - This example demonstrates Drag & Drop installation page (page without buttons where user needs to drag image and drop it on target to continue installation).
Drag and Drop example (graphics) - file with graphic settings for Drag and Drop example.

In next section you can find several situations which can occur in your installer and solutions for them.

• Background is not drawn correctly in nsDialogs page. What to do?

  
  
  Solution:
  
  Use ${GraphicalInstallerRedrawnsDialogsPage} symbol into each nsDialogs page creator's function.
  
  This symbol should be inserted just before nsDialogs::Show (so everything is initialized correctly). It calls appropriate macro to redraw the dialog correctly.
  
  See the nsDialogs example for more details.
  
  
  For InstallOptions pages (officially deprecated) use the ${GraphicalInstallerRedrawInstallOptionsPage} macro. This macro requires 1 parameter which is image control HWND.
  
  See the InstallOptions example for more details.

• Some controls in nsDialogs page lost their transparency. How to fix them?

  
  
  Solution:
  Use ${GraphicalInstallerRedrawCONTROL} symbol to set transparency on such controls. This macro requires 1 parameter which is control HWND. CONTROL can be one of these:
  
  Label: Redraws label (no result)
  CheckBox: Redraws CheckBox (result is stored in $R9)
  RadioButton: Redraws RadioButton (result is stored in $R9)
  
  Example:
  
  # Create CheckBox control
  Var /Global CHECKBOX
  ${NSD_CreateCheckbox} 0 -50 100% 8u Test
  Pop $CHECKBOX
  
  # Apply transparent redrawing to control
  ${GraphicalInstallerRedrawCheckBox} $CHECKBOX  # $CHECKBOX contains control HWND
  # $R9 contains result (you can check this result and show message on error)

• How to call some function in page PRE or SHOW?

  If you need to call some function for some page in its PRE or SHOW usually you would use !define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_SHOW MyFunction
  But this SHOW function is already used for redrawing page in Graphical Installer. Use this piece of code to keep both - your and Graphical Installer's function active:
  
  !define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_SHOW MyFunction
  
  Function MyFunction
  # Call GraphicalInstallerRedraw to redraw page
  Call GraphicalInstallerRedraw
  # Continue with your code here...
  
  FunctionEnd

• How to use custom .onGUIInit function?

  If you want to use your custom .onGUIInit function you need to 'overwrite' the onGraphicalInstallerGUIInit function. See the Irregular Form example for details.
  
  ; As Graphical Installer defines custom MUI_CUSTOMFUNCTION_GUIINIT function it is necessarry to overwrite it
  ; Put this code after line: !include "${NSISDIR}\\Graphical Installer\\GraphicalInstaller_functions.nsh"
  
  !ifndef MUI_CUSTOMFUNCTION_GUIINIT
  !define MUI_CUSTOMFUNCTION_GUIINIT onGraphicalInstallerGUIInit
  !else
  !undef MUI_CUSTOMFUNCTION_GUIINIT
  !define MUI_CUSTOMFUNCTION_GUIINIT onGUIInit
  !endif
  
  Create your own .onGUIInit function (without the dot '.'!) and call the original onGraphicalInstallerGUIInit function.
  
  ; This function is required for initialization of the installer
  Function onGUIInit
  ; Extract transparency mask (.bmp file)
  SetOutPath $PLUGINSDIR
  File "mask.bmp"
  ; Set form transparency and no border
  GraphicalInstaller::RemoveFormBorder /NOUNLOAD $HWNDPARENT
  Pop $0 # Get result of plug-in: 0 means OK, any other value is error
  GraphicalInstaller::MakeFormTransparent /NOUNLOAD $HWNDPARENT "$PLUGINSDIR\mask.bmp"
  Pop $0 # Get result of plug-in: 0 means OK, any other value is error
  
  ; Call original Graphical Installer GUI Init function
  Call onGraphicalInstallerGUIInit
  FunctionEnd

• How to switch between 'skinned' and 'classic' look of installer?

  To enable skinning mechanism of Graphical Installer you need to define symbol GRAPHICAL_INSTALLER_PROJECT_UID. See the section File <project>.graphics.nsh for details.
  
  When this symbols is defined skinning mechanism is enabled. Simply delete this symbol (or comment it out) and rebuild so the installer will look like any regular NSIS one.
  
  # Hash character (#) at the beginning of line is a comment. Use it to comment the line out
  # !define GRAPHICAL_INSTALLER_PROJECT_UID "Some value"
  
  And of course if you define this symbol (remove comment) and rebuild the installer the skinning will work again.

• Graphical Installer error: '/textcolor=000000'. - or - The skinning mechanism is not applied to all controls. What to do?
  
  

  You need to install Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package (x86)
  
  Download it here (it is free) and install it on your machine.

• How to create background image for NSIS?

  See this technical section how to properly create background images for NSIS.