As soon as a packaging project (RPP), an Installer database (MSI), or a transform file (MST) has been opened for edition in PackDesigner, it is always possible to build a target package from it.
Always means, that from a technical perspective, the Build option is permanently available. Users may simply use the hot key F7 to call the Build dialog at any time during a PackDesigner working session. From a logical point of view, packages should not be build from invalid or incomplete resource bundles. Therefore, it is highly recommended to validate the project / the package contents first and only build target packages from them when the validation has been successful.
However, from an RPP project opened within PackDesigner packagers may build the following target formats:
•MSI
•App-V 4.6*
•App-V 5.X*
•MSIX
•MSIX app attach (VHD)
•ThinApp**
•SWV***
•Citrix AppLayering (LAYPKG)
•Intune (win32 package)
Packagers may build the following target formats from an MSI package opened within PackDesigner:
•RPP
•MSI
•App-V 4.6*
•App-V 5.X*
•MSIX
•MSIX app attach (VHD)
•ThinApp**
•SWV***
•Citrix AppLayering (LAYPKG)
•Intune (win32 package)
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Be aware: Building is a different process than simply saving. When a target package is build, all resources are checked for validity and existence, all target format restrictions are evaluated, and finally, the target package files (e. g. *.msi and *.cab files) are generated anew.
Saving changes made to a file does not include all these steps but simply saves the updated state of the current project or package. Saving should never be the last step for a target package. The last step for a target package should always be build. |
The following table shows the differences between building and saving of packages:
Target format Source format |
MSI |
MST |
RPP |
Virtual formats (App-V, ThinApp, SWV), MSIX packages, AppLayering files |
|---|---|---|---|---|
MSI |
|
BUILD: Not available |
BUILD: Extracts the content of an MSI package, creates a project file (XML-based), does not recompress resources. |
BUILD: Exports the current package to a virtual format. |
MST |
|
BUILD: Not available |
BUILD: Not available |
BUILD: Exports the current package to a virtual format. |
RPP |
SAVE: Not available |
BUILD: Not available |
BUILD: Not available |
BUILD: Exports the current package to a virtual format. |
To Build a Target Package...
1.Click on the FILE button within the Main Toolbar at the top of the Visual Designer application screen, or simply hit F7 on the keyboard.
2.Select Build from the options menu column on the left-hand side.
Make sure the radio button To disk is selected.
3.Decide whether the newly created target format object should be displayed in the context of a system explorer instance once the build process has finished. If such an inspection explorer is wanted, users have to activate the checkbox Open the folder after the building is finished, displayed within the Settings section, at the lower dialog area.
4.Click on the tile that represents the desired target format (see the list of available target formats above).
5.Define the target package name and location.
6.Click save.
7.Wait for the process to finish.
Depending on the complexity of the resources that have to be molded into the target package format, the build process may take a while.
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Note: The process information will be displayed within the progress dialog: The currently processed resource is displayed by type and path, indicating the area of activity and possible reasons for longer waiting periods (e. g. because a file that has to be deployed with the package is quite large). |
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* Only when the virtualization pack has been licensed
** Only when the virtualization pack has been licensed, and the ThinApp SDK is installed on the packaging machine. Please refer to the Release Notes for details regarding supported ThinApp SDK versions
*** Only when the virtualization pack has been licensed, and the SWV agent is installed on the packaging machine. Please refer to the Release Notes for details regarding supported SWV agent versions
To Build a Target Package and Save It to RayFlow...
Chapter Saving Files in RayFlow describes how to build a package and upload it automatically to the current RayFlow instance.
To Make a Quick Build...
Quick build is an option to build the package to a predefined folder and MSI format. You can find more information about quick builds in section Making Quick Builds.