February 2008 - Installer-dev

Create Alias w Leopard PackageMaker
by Jim Hoyt 22 Feb '08

22 Feb '08

site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com Delivered-To: installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com I could find no documentation on how this is supposed to work. Looked in PackageMaker_UserGuide_10.5.pdf. I tried several variations and got no aliases. I used this syntax: I would like to be able to put an Alias in the Dock and on the Desktop. Thanks, Jim Hoyt, Filemaker Developer, Great Cacapon, West Virginia. _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists.… PackageMaker 3.01 (Leopard) has an Actions function that is supposed to let you create an alias as a Postinstall Action. Point to Component (then selected the .app), Alias Path: /Desktop (also tried /Desktop/) Since the package I am installing has about a dozed file in the program folder, I don't want to force the user to find the right one and put in on the Desktop or Dock. I know it doesn't suit some people's tastes to plunk things on the users workspace, but that is my choice, and knowing my users, they will like my choice. Any help deeply appreciated, if you know of some more detailed documentation, that would be great, also. This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

Re: perms problem
by Bill Coderre 22 Feb '08

22 Feb '08

site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com Delivered-To: installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists.… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

perms problem
by Daniel Birns 22 Feb '08

22 Feb '08

site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com Delivered-To: installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com Dkim-signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:received:received:mime-version:content-type:message-id:content-transfer-encoding:from:subject:date:to:x-mailer; bh=unSDzQcKH1SePFhQF60vkGCjrnR0XnHNP1oGWvjVbd0=; b=mq7UZbCvRXPn90GNHbHxj7IxNCj7MdPZu+rKZ2QoXpBoRaaPmugzyOtJQ6wXLqcGuWMCDIM6aaiQowy8FlgMasYaBq/XXmay/V71Mbveg2PBGzEf8cQRW7kwJDTbElvMgQwymss3wajiEv75SfyeLfyhN0xhF5CVp0oLJI0xvUU= Domainkey-signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=mime-version:content-type:message-id:content-transfer-encoding:from:subject:date:to:x-mailer; b=JSoZJTlUxYFbcevw6nEOzw+wFoGxHawvwIWHedKJ8hhWyF6Xx0Yeq4PU3x19XcHg3GTE46tJn0Dui8JaE/kqXXGQnmUqJtaUsETB8Z5zSWpCAtV2sjwXyJXL514uSGa07lX6UBloqDw3xtlU5tHtVuHAX3AAaojOgGmVP/KSmFM= Hi all, --Daniel _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists.… I'm using Iceberg. I created a project for a .mpkg, and imported 2 existing .pkg packages. This works fine, but I have one problem: one of the packages is optional and requires root perms (for a printer driver) and the other is required, but can be installed as a regular user. The problem is that even when I deselect the optional package, it's always prompting for special perms. Am I doing something wrong? This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

Re: Installer Package database questions
by Stéphane Sudre 21 Feb '08

21 Feb '08

site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com Delivered-To: installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com On Feb 21, 2008, at 10:22 AM, Glover,David wrote: Thanks for the reply. Yes, just target Mac OS X 10.5. _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists.… Is it possible to create a flat package through the PackageMaker application on Leopard? You will either get a flat package (no distribution script) or flat "metapackage" (which will include a distribution script, resources and flat packages). This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

RE: Installer Package database questions
by Aaron London 21 Feb '08

21 Feb '08

site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com Delivered-To: installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com Thread-index: Ach0xMyRAAmMMTxlTeegMi6Mz9U4pgAACvEA Thread-topic: Installer Package database questions >>Is it possible to create a flat package through the PackageMaker application on Leopard? If so, any ideas how? The short answer is to create a package that targets only 10.5. The long answer is read all the available documentation including the PackageMaker app help, the Apple Software Delivery Guide, man packagemaker, man pkgutil, and man installer. Once you do that a clear picture of what can be done and how to do it will emerge. Cheers, A _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists.… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

RE: Installer Package database questions
by Glover,David 21 Feb '08

21 Feb '08

site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com Delivered-To: installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com Thread-index: Ach0GoiHZHC+3hWoRkyGORdQ7CyW/gATZbbw Thread-topic: Installer Package database questions Thanks for the reply. Is it possible to create a flat package through the PackageMaker application on Leopard? If so, any ideas how? -----Original Message----- From: Stéphane Sudre [mailto:iceberg-dev@orange.fr] Sent: 20 February 2008 23:02 To: Glover,David Cc: installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com Subject: Re: Installer Package database questions On Feb 20, 2008, at 5:26 PM, Glover,David wrote: > Hi all, > > > > I've just upgraded to Leopard, and PackageMaker v3.0.1. I see that > Apple have introduced a database for installer packages in \Library > \Receipts. > <pedantic mode=on>No, it's in /Library/Receipts</pedantic> > I can't seem to find much info or documentation about this. Test > installers I've created with the new PackageMaker end up as a .pkg > bundle in \Library\Receipts, like they used to on Tiger. Using > pkgutil to display the contents of the database shows no sign of my > test packages. > > > > First question I guess is this - Does anyone know of any useful > documentation or information source for this installer package > database? > I'm afraid the only documentation is: man pkgutil > Second question(s) - How to make an installer package integrate > with the database? I've seen references to 'flat packages' here > and there - is this what it needs? > Apparently, according to the man page, it's a yes. ***************************************************************** This email has been checked by the e-Sweeper Service ***************************************************************** _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists.… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

xar packages
by Karl Kuehn 20 Feb '08

20 Feb '08

site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com Delivered-To: installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists.… Good afternoon! I have been mulling over an idea to try and push Radmind towards using a common package format with Apple's installer, in the hopes that my workflow in creating images can be streamlined. This was partially inspired some time ago when I read that the new .pkg flat files used xar. However my enthusiasm was somewhat dashed today when I took apart a sample flat-file .pkg today and discovered that the format has not seemingly used the xar format for anything truly useful. I was hoping that it would use the xar system to store a series of files, and that I could piggy-back on this hierarchy by adding more meta-data to get the couple of other markers that Radmind needs (things like negative transcripts and the like). But instead I have found that inside the xar package are three files: a PackageInfo file, a BOM, and a gziped cpio file.... so pretty much exactly what I would have found in the folder version of a .pkg. That is rather disappointing, and seems like a waste of a perfectly good opportunity, and of the wonderfull facilities offered by xar. I do understand that the .pkg system does need to also work for "special" objects in the system (devices, etc) that cpio has been extended to handle, but it is a real disappointment that this requirement has hamstrung the adoption of xar as a really useful way of improving the openness of the .pkg format. Does anyone have and good news for me? Am I missing something? Or are my visions of making Radmind overloads merge with .pkg's destined for failure? -- Karl Kuehn larkost(a)softhome.net This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

Re: PackageMaker 3.0.1 problems
by Paul FitzGerald 20 Feb '08

20 Feb '08

site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com Delivered-To: installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists.… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

Re: Installer Package database questions
by Stéphane Sudre 20 Feb '08

20 Feb '08

site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com Delivered-To: installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com On Feb 20, 2008, at 5:26 PM, Glover,David wrote: Hi all, <pedantic mode=on>No, it's in /Library/Receipts</pedantic> I'm afraid the only documentation is: man pkgutil Apparently, according to the man page, it's a yes. _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists.… I’ve just upgraded to Leopard, and PackageMaker v3.0.1. I see that Apple have introduced a database for installer packages in \Library \Receipts. I can’t seem to find much info or documentation about this. Test installers I’ve created with the new PackageMaker end up as a .pkg bundle in \Library\Receipts, like they used to on Tiger. Using pkgutil to display the contents of the database shows no sign of my test packages. First question I guess is this – Does anyone know of any useful documentation or information source for this installer package database? Second question(s) – How to make an installer package integrate with the database? I’ve seen references to ‘flat packages’ here and there – is this what it needs? This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

Re: PackageMaker 3.0.1 problems
by Stéphane Sudre 20 Feb '08

20 Feb '08

site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com Delivered-To: installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com On Feb 19, 2008, at 9:59 PM, Paul FitzGerald wrote: On Feb 15, 2008, at 2:56 PM, Paul FitzGerald wrote: On Feb 15, 2008, at 2:29 PM, Stéphane Sudre wrote: On Feb 15, 2008, at 12:29 AM, Paul FitzGerald wrote: I am using the PackageMakers Users Guide as my reference. -- Stephane AFAIK, there are 2 ways to do a distribution script: So, I started with a new startup company and I'm the only Mac Engineer. That means I now have to build my own installers. Log time Mac developer, new to PackageMaker. What I want to do is to use the PackageMaker GUI to setup a pmdoc file that I can call from a shell script to package up our product. I'm having several issues. The biggest one is consistency. It seems that every installer I build (currently building from the GUI) behaves differently. So far I can't nail down specifics. But I'd like to get a feel for the stability of this version of PackageMaker before I go nuts. Two issues that I'm having problems with are... 1) Setting Owner/Group/Mode. I want to set Owner to root and Group to Admin and one directory in the app need write access for everyone. The permissions in the app are already set as I need them but the Owner/Group is not. It seems that sometimes the installer does what I want and sometimes it does not. 2) I have a Postinstall Action that is suppose to launch the application when the installer is done. (I'd also like the installer to quit post install as well) I've seen it work a couple of times but usually nothing happens. Thanks for any help and pointer in the right direction, Which package format do you use (or to be PackageMaker compliant, which OS do you target when you create your project)? A postinstall action does not mean the same thing depending on the package format... I had to stop and think about what you were asking. Since I was using the GUI "target" wasn't clicking. I'm targeting 10.4 for the app. I also have given up on the GUI and am trying to put it together from the command line. Slowly building it up while re- reading "Software Delivery Guide" I'm making progress ever so slowly. I am now building a component package from the command line using the following (formatted for readability)... /Developer/Applications/Utilities/PackageMaker.app/Contents/MacOS/ PackageMaker -t Name -b -m --target 10.4 -h system -r build/Release/temp -f resources/install_resources/Info.plist -e resources/install_resources/Resources -s resources/install_resources/Scripts -o "Name.pkg" This is working out OK but I want to embed this into a Distribution Package. I've hand-rolled one that works for me but there are some things in the distribution.dist file that may not be exactly correct (like installKBytes="5000"). I started by editing a distribution.dist file from a previous failed attempt at using the GUI. So, my question... Is there a way to build a distribution package from the command line that incorporates an existing flat package? If you're targeting Mac OS X 10.4, you can't use a flat package. Flat packages are 10.5 or later. - you create a metapackage and then you add your distribution script inside the metapackage. - you create a package and then you create your distribution script (For instance this is what the FrontRowUpdate2.1.2 update looks like). I'm not sure you can create just a distribution script using the command line tool. I don't have a good experience with the command line tool as, at this time, I mainly use the GUI or a text editor when I need to work on the dist script itself. Regarding the installKBytes info, this attribute is optional. So you can omit it. To answer your question regarding point (2), you can use su $USER -c 'open thepathtoyourapplication' _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists.… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0