Creating Custom Packages

.msi is the preferred file format for creating custom packages. An .msi file is easy to configure at the time of installation and while the product installation is executing the installation chain, the .msi file does not need additional parameters to perform silent installation in the background.

There are many external tools that can help you create MSI, some of them are listed below:

WiX (Windows Installer XML)
InstallShield
Advanced Installer
InstallAware

Note: Bentley neither recommends nor supports any particular authoring tool for creating the MSI packages. The examples given here are just for information purpose.

Following is an example for creating a custom package using WiX installer.

WiX is free open-source tool set. WiX itself does not provide an IDE (Integrated Development Environment), but there are many free and commercial IDEs that can be used with WiX to develop MSI packages. Some of the IDEs are listed below:

MSI Factory
Microsoft Visual Studio
WiXEdit

While creating MSI packages, files need to be identified in one or all of following categories:

Program files for OpenBuildings Speedikon - These are the set of files that need to be delivered in OpenBuildings Speedikon's Program directory. The location will look similar to C:\Program Files\Bentley\OpenBuildings Speedikon\ directory. These are generally configuration (.cfg) files.
WorkSet files for OpenBuildings Speedikon- These are the set of files that need to be delivered in OpenBuildings Speedikon Configuration. The location will look similar to C:\ProgramData\Bentley\OpenBuildings Speedikon\. These are generally additional data files or WorkSet files.
Miscellaneous files - These files can link with any product. These are just distributed along with OpenBuildings Speedikon. For example, common libraries, or files that can be used by other products.

Files in each of the above categories should be arranged in correct directory hierarchy. The Directory Identifier (refer Directory Table) for the top most node of each category should be a Public Property of MSI package, that is, the Directory Identifier should be in uppercase. Following are examples for configuring files under Directory Identifiers as per their types:

Program Files (.cfg files): MyCompanyPolicy.cfg and MyCompanyWorkSet.cfg. This file type needs to be delivered in OpenBuildings Speedikon's program directory. Hence, let us put this set under directory with identifier MYCOMPANY_CONFIGURATIONFILES.
DGN files (WorkSet files): MyWorkSetLibrary.dgn and MyPartnerWorkSetLibrary.dgn. This file type needs to be delivered in OpenBuildings Speedikon's Configuration directory. Hence, let us put this set under directory with identifier MYCOMPANY_CONFIGURATION.
A set of files that can be delivered anywhere on the machine. Hence, let us put this set under directory with identifier MY_EXTRAFILES.

This kind of separation of files as per delivery location will allow easy configuration of the package. It is not necessary to have all file types in same package. It is a good practice to package related file types in one package, which allows installation and maintenance to work as single unit for that package.

Command Line Parameters

As soon as an MSI is selected, OpenBuildings Speedikon setup knows the configurable directory identifiers. Hence, when you start editing in the Command Line Parameters window, a list of possible identifiers in displayed.

Following is an example of command line parameters:

INSTALLFOLDER_CONFIG_FILES and INSTALLFOLDER_WORKSET_FILES - The location where OpenBuildings Speedikon will be installed is set at install time as per Windows Standard Directory paths. Hence, the installer will try to help in setting path relative to OpenBuildings Speedikon directories or Windows Standard Directories. For these command line parameters, the configuration files can be installed in Config\System folder by setting the value [InstallDirectory]\<product_name>\config\system\. Similarly, WorkSet files can be installed in WorkSet location by using the path [ConfigurationDirectory]Configuration\Workspaces\MyCompany\. The standard properties like [InstallDirectory] and [ConfigurationDirectory] will be available through drop-down list as possible relative paths, along with Windows Standard Directories.

The command line parameter name and it's value should be separated by a "=".

To add another directory identifier, press <space> and then enter the directory identifier.