Setting Discovery Exclusions

Customize the Package Builder DiscoveryExclusion.txt file to exclude specific file dependencies during discovery performed on input files and directories. Package Builder automatically includes all dependent packages in the feed when building a local repository.

Before you begin, open Package Builder and run discovery to generate the DiscoveryExclusion.txt file.

This text file lists regular expressions that Package Builder uses to compare against dependent files found during discovery. The expressions can specify a partial path to a directory or file. Expressions can also specify a partial company and product name of a file.

The file format supports defining exclude and include expressions. Exclude expressions search for directories and files to ignore during discovery. Include expressions identify files to override their exclusion. The expressions do not affect the specific files and directories that you add to the Input pane. Package Builder logs any files excluded from discovery. The expressions in the file affect discovery of all solutions loaded on the system for the user associated with each DiscoveryExclusion.txt file.

  1. If open, close Package Builder.
  2. Navigate to [LocalAppData]\National Instruments\NI Package Builder.
  3. Open DiscoveryExclusion.txt.
  4. Add or remove entries in the sections you want to modify.
    The following table displays sections of the file that can contain filters that use regular expressions to specify exclusions and inclusions.
    Section Description
    [Exclude Paths] Excludes from discovery files with paths that match the expression.
    [Include Paths] Ignores excluding from discovery files that match the expression.
    [Exclude Company Products] Excludes from discovery executables and DLLs with company and product name properties that match the expression.
    [Include Company Products] Ignores excluding from discovery executables and DLLs with company and product name properties that match the expression.
    Note The expressions in the default DiscoveryExclusion.txt file prevent discovery of common files that are installed by the OS and by NI products like TestStand. These excluded files should be deployed when installing the OS and when installing packages for the NI product and runtime. NI recommends that you do not remove or change the default expressions in the file.
  5. Save and close DiscoveryExclusion.txt.
  6. Launch Package Builder and run discovery to apply any changes from the DiscoveryExclusion.txt file.
    Note Package Builder maintains DiscoveryExclusion.txt updates when it is upgraded.