An MSI template is nothing more than an empty MSI file. This template can be used to create a MSI based project that contains pre-defined information that will be applied during the creation of all MSI based files created with RayPack. This ensures a uniform (base) for all transforms created.
As an example, the MSI template can contain predefined properties and predefined Summary Information. The templates themselves can be edited with RayPack. Only one template can be chosen at any one time, although it is possible to create more than one template. The location of the template to be used is set using the profile editor here.
The standard template applied to the process of new project creation in PackDesigner (or for the export of package information from rcp to rpp) is documented within the Default MSI template tables help topic.
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Tip: Please refer to the Authoring large packages section for further details regarding the default MSI templates that are delivered along with the RayPack application resources. |
Using GUID Placeholders in Templates
When adding components to the template, it is important to ensure that the package-specific components get new unique identifiers so that packages created from the same template can coexist on the same machine. For example, a component containing the registry branding should always have an unique GUID, because the branding information has to be installed for each package separately.
In order to control the automatic GUID generation, RayPack recognizes special character "*" (asterisk) present in Component table, column ComponentId. Asterisks are are replaced with unique identifiers when a new project is created from a template.
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Be aware: RayPack does not generate the identifiers for all components automatically, because in some situations leaving hardcoded GUIDs may be desired. For example this may be a case if the component present in the package template belongs to a Merge Module or is by any other mean common and has to be shared accross packages. |
