Creating a customized add-on installer

The IBM® Lotus® Expeditor framework enables you to create and use an add-on installer as an alternative method for deploying a third-party feature or plug-in to an existing Notes® installation. For example, rather than deploy a custom feature to users as part of the Notes® install kit, or use a widget to deploy a custom feature to an existing Notes® runtime, you can create and use an add-on installer.

About this task

The Notes® add-on installer toolkit provides a streamlined process for creating an MSI installer to deploy a valid Eclipse feature or plug-in to an existing Notes® runtime.

The customized add-on installer tool is available with Expeditor 6.2.1 and as part of a utility directory toolkit available with the Notes® install kit. The notes.addon.installer.toolkit.zip toolkit, which contains CustomizeAddon.exe and AddonConfig.ini, is available in the Notes® install kit's utility subdirectory.

Procedure

  1. Unzip the supplied notes.addon.installer.toolkit.zip toolkit to a local temp directory.
  2. Navigate to the local temp directory and open the supplied AddonConfig.ini file.
  3. Add the following AddonConfig.ini properties except the TARGETUPGRADE and TARGETVERSIONS properties, which are preset. \
    • MSIFileName -- The new msi file name
    • ProductName -- Set to your addon's display name and version (this is used for display purposes only in some panels)
    • ProductNameNoVersion -- Set to your addon's display name
    • ProductVersion -- Set to your addon's version (in format major.minor.build, with maximum value of 255.255.65535)
    • TargetProductName -- Set to the name of the product your addon intends to install into (this is used for display purposes only in some panels)
    • TARGETUPGRADECODE1 -- This is set to the Notes® Allclient kit value.
    • TARGETUPGRADECODE2 -- This is set to the Notes® Notesclient kit value.
    • TARGETUPGRADECODE3 -- This is set to the Notes® client value.
    • TARGETVERSIONS1 -- This value is preset.
    • TARGETVERSIONS2 -- This value is preset.
    • TARGETVERSIONS3 -- This value is preset.
    • EMBEDDED -- Set to "true" if you wish this to be an embedded addon, or leave as "false" (default) if you wish this to be an external addon
    • NOLICENSE -- Set to "true" if you do not wish to have the LAP panel used or licenses laid down, or leave as "false" (default) if you wish to display/require license acceptance and have license files laid down.
    • LicenseDir -- Only required if NOLICENSE =false). Replaces the default  ADDON_~1|ADDON_NAME  DefaultDir value in the Directory table within the MSI. It also updates the external directory name used for your licenses ( /license/). This is the directory name used for the destination of the license files laid down on disk during installation ( /rcp/license/).

      The LicenseDir value should be in the format of <short name>|<long name> -- where is first_six_characters_of_longname~1 Example: Sameti~1|Sametime Advanced

    • UpgradeCode -- Modify this to be a unique code. By default, a unique code is automatically generated and saved to the AddonConfig.ini file after tool execution. This new value must be used for this property in any future customizations of your addon MSI (for example, the UpgradeCode should never change for your addon once it has been set.) The tool also modifies the UpgradeCode entry in the Upgrade table.
    • XPD_WizardImage -- Specify a location of the new bitmap image. Modified in the Binary table, it utilizes the new bitmap as the dialog background image. The image is displayed on the left hand side of dialogs. Alternatively, you can place an image with the file name "wizard.bmp" in the <addon source dir>. The bitmap image size should be 160 x 314.
    • ARPProduction.exe -- Specify a location of the new icon image. Modified in the Icon table, it utilizes the new icon to display in the Add/Remove Programs. Alternatively, you can place an image with the file name "arpicon.ico" in the <addon source dir>.
    • LauncherName -- Sets the LauncherName value in the Setup.ini file and renames the setup.exe file.
    • EnableLangDlg -- Sets the EnableLangDlg value in the Setup.ini file. Set the value to "Y" if you wish to show an initial language selection dialog before install begins.
  4. Move the unzipped CustomizeAddon.exe tool up one directory level.
  5. Run CustomizeAddon.exe as described in the article.
  6. Replace licenses (if needed) in the license directory in the add-on installer kit.
  7. Add the deploy directory and updatesite.zip (for the signed feature(s) that the add-on installer will deploy) to the add-on installer kit.
    Note: If you are using a deploy.nsf, include it in the kit's deploy\extras subdirectory. For information, see the link for Customizing an install kit to set certifier and trust defaults in the related tasks.
  8. Ensure that Notes® is not running.
  9. Run the add-on install kit's setup.exe installation executable and respond to all prompts.