Automate VIPM packages instalation

[pawhan11]

We are looking for a way to automate interaction with vipm in Docker container so i can install dependent packages during build process, we could not find any documentation in this topic.

I have seen there is API for VIPM but it is not installed with free edition and paying for that feature is not an option.

Worst case solution I have now is to include all required vi packages in project repo, checkout and manually unzip in vi.lib directory, but that seems like very bad approach and there must be something better.

[raphschru]

With VIPM free, you can create your own (unpublished) package and add all your dependencies to it.

Then when you install it via VIPM, all the dependencies are installed in a row.

The package build specification file has an XML-based format, which could also be edited programmatically without VIPM.

However this will not be 100% automatic because you will need to manually build and install the package with VIPM, but it still saves a lot of time compared to installing all dependencies separately on each individual machine.

[pawhan11]

Thanks for reply,

this build is running in headless github hosted runner. New build spinns new clean VM where those packages must be applied.

Editing will be done manually when new dependency is required for given project

Can this package configuration be installed by vipm in automated way? Like in pip or nuget package managers?

[Hooovahh]

VIPM actually has a command line interface for automating the install and uninstall of packages.  The was a feature limited to the pro license of VIPM.  But luckily for you these features and a few other, are now free.  Also free now is the VIPM toolkit for controlling VIPM from LabVIEW.  So you can automate installs and updates of packages.

[pawhan11]

Thanks, they say it will be released 2023 

[Hooovahh]

Yup sorry I missed that, and I can't edit my post.

[pawhan11]

VIPM 2023 Q1 was released.

Does anyone know where to find some documentation regarding CLI or if it was released?

There is nothing in VIPM instllation directory

[Hooovahh]

I only used it once many years ago, but the VIPM API might be what you want.  This is a VIPM package that can be installed, which adds a palette of tools for controlling VIPM from within LabVIEW.  These tools are for things like automatically building packages, installing packages, or doing other VIPM related tasks.  Years ago I remember digging into the VIs and they were just command line calls to a helper application.  I do not know if there is documentation on the CLI interface, or if only the VIPM API is what JKI expects you to use.

[pawhan11]

It seems this tool is broken. When used on desktop pc works fine.

When used in docker container it hangs forever. Seems vipm must start before this API executes and can't do it inside docker.

I think now the way to go is to manually specify list of vipm packages to download and unzip content to LabVIEW folder. 

[Hooovahh]

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@pawhan11 wrote:

It seems this tool is broken. When used on desktop pc works fine.

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I wouldn't say it is broken.  I'd say it was designed around an operating system that has a GUI.  Glad you got your answer without having to pay for the pro version of VIPM, only to find it doesn't meet your needs.