Continue installation after issue with one package

[stefanha]

Hello,

we are using a custom Installer to install LabVIEW, TestStand and various drivers and tools.

Since the target systems are all very different, random packages of the installer fail to install (e.g. VI Package Manager fails to install because the target system already has a later version of VIPM installed).

This always stops and fails the entire installation.

Is there a way to continue the installation in such cases and just ignore that one package which cannot be installed?

Thanks

Stefan

[Scott_Richardson]

Stefan -

There are not exposed options to bypass the handling of installation errors. The following thoughts regarding current behavior:

1. Package Management relationships must be maintained when installing software, so if an error occurs while installing a dependent package that prevents that package from being installed properly, the depending package cannot be installed.
2. If an error occurs while installing files or from an underlying MSI, installation will prevent the package from being installed.
3. Many installation errors occur during the running of a custom executes for a package. The developer of the package really knows whether an error from a custom execute should impact installation success. The developer can configure for any custom execute that NIPM should ignore errors. If the error is not ignored, NIPM will stop installation.
4. We are aware of the request to have NIPM support configuring what error codes a specific custom execute should be raised to NIPM as an error or ignored. The developer still needs to decide whether an error stops installation.
5. We are aware of the request for NIPM to have a flag to ignore pre-uninstall custom execute errors because they can prevent the package from uninstalling. I think that this is a valid limitation that we will consider addressing. We currently do not have plans to add a flag to ignore installation custom execute errors.

For the VIPM issue, the underlying issue is likely in the VIPM package that has logic that can error, and if so, the VIPM package needs to be fixed. This issue sounds familiar and I think the issue was fixed in the 2021 JKI VIPM download from Aug 2021, and is likely included with LabVIEW 2021.

[stefanha]

Hello Mr. Richardson,

thanks for the fast response.

The packages included in the installer are all coming from the NI 2020 Software Platform Bundle.

From our side, no modifications were made so I am not aware of the custom executes within the packages.

In any way, if I understand correctly, we have to resolve every single possible issue in order to ensure the Installation will be successful on all clients.

Our most common error is that the LabVIEW installation fails due to Skyline RabbitMQ. Here is a description of the issue and solution:

https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA00Z000000kIbbSAE

Uninstalling RabbitMQ and Erlang before does not work, but skipping the Web Server Development Support as described in step 8 does.

Now we are running the installation unattended / silent via command line. Therefore as far as I know it is not possible to deselect single items there.

How can I cleanly change the installer sources to not install this item automatically?
Is there a cleaner way than to delete the package from the pool and manually edit the feed pointing at it?

Thanks again.

Stefan

[Scott_Richardson]

Stefan -

The issue you reference might be fixed in later versions of our SPB software, specifically Spring 2021 revision, but I am not sure.

NIPM does not have a way to "uncheck" top-level packages or recommended packages" on an existing installer. We are aware of that as being a requested capability.

Since NIPM generates the recommended list based on the references from packages you are installing, if NIPM does not find the NI Web Server package in the pool, it would ignore it. I do not know if you can just delete the package from the pool directory. Instead you should be able to use a NI Package Manager CLI command, "nipkg.exe feed-remove-pkg FEED-DIR PKG-PATHS" to remove the "NI Web Server" package from the feed(s) that references it, then it will not be found and will not be recommended during silent installation.