Difference between NI Package Builder and Creating Packages using Package Manager Command Line

[RagMan]

I have read through the introductory documentation on both products, but it is not clear to me what is the difference between using NI Package Builder and Creating Packages using Package Manager Command Line?

Is NI Package Builder only for creating package from your custom code (user LabVIEW Projects, VIs, TestStand sequences etc)?

Is NI Package Manager's command line option to create packages only for NI Products (LabVIEW, Device Drivers etc)?

Thanks!

[Scott_Richardson]

Ragman, hope this helps...

NI Package Manager

• GUI is for managing packages installed on a system.
• CLI has low-level commands for:
  • packing (creating) and unpacking a package. The pack command requires a very specific directory structure with source files to pack on disk and an optional instructions file as input.
  • creating and editing feeds
  • editing the list of feeds in a configuration, such as on the system
  • install, repair and remove package(s) for the system
• CLI cannot create installers
• Has no knowledge of LabVIEW or TestStand.

NI Package Builder

• A development GUI for building packages, feeds, and installers.
• CLI has high-level commands for loading a project, building the project, and exiting the application. If you do not exit the application the GUI becomes visible.
• Has knowledge of how to build packages for TestStand and the LabVIEW code modules that TestStand sequence files call.
• Does not have any unique knowledge of building packages for LabVIEW applications, but it can include any files, including LabVIEW files from disk.
• Supports creating "suite" installers from other installers on disk.

[CL_eisenwr]

Basically the Package Builder (NIPB) is a GUI for the Package Manager (NIPM). NIPB does not expose everything that you can do with nipkg.exe command line. Either can be used to create NI Packages. One of NIPB goals was to replace the TestStand Deployment Utility, but I do not think it can fully replace it yet. That is why you see a lot about packaging code & sequences in its documentation. Also you can build NI Packages in a LabVIEW project using the package build specification.