Automating the installation of VI Package Manager packages

[paule247]

I've used the NI Batch Installer Builder to create a customised LabVIEW 2015 build for silent distribution using SCCM2012 to a number of shared-use computers which will be used by students without Administrator rights. As part of the build I've been asked to include the Multicore Analysis and Sparse Matrix Toolkit. However this is installed via the JKI VI Package Manager and requires Administrator rights to install a package.

Is there any way to automate the silent installation of VI Package Manager packages which can then be distributed together with the main build? Does the Package Manager have a command-line interface?

[edjones93]

Hello,

I am Ed from National Instruments Technical Support and I am happy to assist you regarding this question. After doing some research into the possibility of automating the VIPM (VI Package Manager) I found an API which will allow you to automate Package Installations by creating a VI to do so, you can then build this VI to an executable to run (via batch command) from your batch script.

I have included a link to the main page for the VIPM API below:

http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/210804

Regards,

Ed

[paule247]

Hi Ed

Thanks for the reply, I had looked at the VIPM API but it requires the Pro edition of the VIPM and we only have the Free Edition. Also I'm not familiar with programming in LabVIEW and couldn't see a way to create an executable.

I have used Installshield to capture the changes made by installing the 'Multicore Analysis and Sparse Matrix Toolkit' to create my own MSI. I've yet to test this on another installation of LabVIEW other than the one it was build on. Ideally I would like NI to provide a pre-built .EXE or .MSI of the Multicore Analysis and Sparse Matrix Toolkit. We have over 1000 machines to distribute this on.

Regards

Paul

[edjones93]

Hi Paule,

I am looking into other alternatives however at the minute I am not finding much other methodologies to achieve this. Do keep me informed as to whether your own MSI performs to your needs, I have found literature regarding R&D looking further into this so it may be functionality that will be available in future releases.

Best Regards,

Ed

[Hooovahh]

Well the good news is a package is little more than a zip.  You can extract the VIP file and see the contents.  Files are categorized in groups, and a spec file in the archive states where each group should be copied to.  On top of that the spec file may specify things like a Pre Install VI that gets ran before an install, or Post Install, or Pre-uninstall etc, if there are dependencies, conflicts, what OSs and LabVIEW versions it is compatible with and a few other things.

VIPM gives you so much more than just a file extraction procedure.  It handles dependencies, conflicts, and configuration management.  So while you can accomplish what VIPM does by just copying some files and possibly running a VI, it is probably best you use VIP for what it was intended for and use it to install the package.