This documentation supports the 20.08 version of BMC Helix Platform.  To view an earlier version, select 20.02 from the Product version menu.

Creating install packages to deploy entire applications

On dedicated or shared systems, administrators and developers can create install packages. You use the install package to deploy entire codeless applications in test or production environments. An install package contains all the codeless application's data, which is, the JAR files, definitions, and configuration data of an application. You cannot choose to include specific data, such as only JAR files, definitions, or configuration data in an install package. 

You can share the install package with administrators, who can use it to deploy an entire application to a test or production environment. 

Workflow of creating install packages

The following image shows the workflow for promoting an install package from development or tailoring environments to production environment: creating install packages to deploy entire applications.png

Before you begin

Ensure that you complete the following actions:

  • You have created a codeless application.
  • You are logged in to a development or tailoring environment where the Developer ID is configured.
    For more information about downloading and installing BMC Helix Platform SDK, see Setting-up-your-IDE-and-installing-BMC-Helix-Platform-SDK.
  • If you are creating the third version of an application (by changing the major and minor version numbers), uninstall the oldest version from Workspace > application bundle name > Actions > Uninstall Application.  

To create install packages

The deployable install package is downloaded as a ZIP file and consists of the following items:

  • JAR files, which include only the manifest file that contains the bundle descriptor
  • Definition data, such as records, views, processes, rules, named lists, documents, and associations
  • Localized data
  • Configuration data 

The install file is named in <developer ID>.<application name>-<application version>-install.zip  format. For example, com.example.workorder-2.0.0-install.zip.

The following video (4:20) provides the process overview to create install packages. The video shows an older version of BMC Helix Platform. The previous product name was BMC Helix Innovation Suite. Although there might be minor changes in the UI, the overall functionality remains the same:

icon_play.png https://youtu.be/3h1cXnvRkh8

Important

Use the 7 Zip utility to extract the contents of the ZIP file. You cannot extract the contents of the install ZIP file using the Windows Zip utility or Mac archive utility.

To create an install package, perform the following steps:

  1. Log in to Excerpt named productname was not found in document xwiki:Service-Management.Innovation-Suite.BMC-Helix-Platform.helixplatform._inclusionsLibrary.WebHome. and navigate to the Workspace tab. 
  2. Select the application that you want to package.
    The application details are displayed.
  3. Click Actions > Create Install Package.The Create Install Package window appears as shown in the following image:
    Create install package.PNG

  4. Provide the following information

    UI element

    Description

    Select Definitions tab

    View the definitions that are included in the install package and click Next.By default, all definitions are added in the install package. You cannot select to include only specific definitions in the install package.

    Order Data tab

    Reorder data items by moving them up or down and click Next. The data items are installed in the same order on the target computer.

    Specify Options tab

    From the Options area, specify the following information and click Next:

    • Application name: Enter a display name to identify the application. For example: Work Order.
    • Version: Enter the version number in the <major>.<minor>.<maintenance><anystring> format. For example, enter version numbers such as 17.11.0, 17.11.0-SNAPSHOT, 1.0-SNAPSHOT, or 1.0.0.RELEASE.
    • Description: Enter a short description for the install package.
    • Depends On: Select the application or library on which your application should depend on. You can select multiple applications or libraries.  
    • Developer ID, Application ID: Review these autopopulated fields. You cannot change the value of these fields. The Developer ID matches the ID configured in your sandbox instance.

    Package tab

    Click Create Package to create the install package. After the package is created, click Next.If the package creation fails, see Troubleshooting-application-deployment-issues.

    Download tab

    Click Download. The install package is downloaded to the default download location of your web browser.

The deployable install package is downloaded as a ZIP file. You can upload the install package to a version control system and share the package with administrators for installing the codeless application to test or production environments.

Where to go from here

Install the codeless application to test or production environments