Create a package installer using the NIPM CLI

[jfolerka]

It would be nice to create an offline installer that includes the NIPM bootstrapper installer from the NIPM CLI.

The installer payload would come from any of:

• A feed in the current configuration
• A feed from a directory on disk
• A selection of installed packages
• A selection of packages in a directory on disk

There would be options for indicating:

• Which package(s) would always be installed
• Whether to include Depends, EULAS, Suggests, and Recommends packages (resolved from current configuration and/or the source feed)

I've recently been able to do this with a ton of scripting but it would likely be so much cleaner and reliable if NIPM managed it all.

[CL_eisenwr]

NI Package Builder (NIPB) may already cover this. You can use NIPB to create the package installer and it also has a command line interface that allows you to build. I would suggest looking into this.

[jfolerka]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for your reply. As far as I know, NIPB only lets you create an installer from packages that are currently installed in your development PC or packages you create using NIPB itself.

This is not the same functionality I'm looking for.

NIPB is not as flexible in the types of packages that can be created as NIPM, and the GUI is a bit restrictive. I much prefer to create my control and instructions file using a proper text editor and also reaping the benefits of specifying whatever options I want for the type of package that I'm building.

The command line for NIPB is also quite restrictive as you have to build a solution file which you can't update through the command line itself.