Package Manager New Features and Changes

Learn about updates—including new features and behavior changes—introduced in each version of Package Manager.

Package Manager 2024 Q1

New Features

Create an Add/Remove Programs entry to uninstall or repair a product package

Package Manager 2023 Q3

New Features

  • Create custom directories for select package file installation
  • Incorporate support for URL redirection, commonly referred to as URL forwarding, in Package URLs
  • Additional options available for automating an installer
  • Configuration options to control the behavior of Package Manager available, including a new option nipkg.enable-NI-connectivity

Package Manager 2023 Q2

New Features

  • .NET Framework 4.8 now installs with NI Software.
  • Improved performance by minimizing wait times for package download during online installation.

Package Manager 2022 Q4

New Features

  • New command-line option—Use the command-line option --exclude-dependencies for repairing only packages listed in the command from the Package Manager CLI. Refer to Accessing the Command Line Interface for Package Manager for more information about how to access the built-in help.
  • A status bar now displays the number of selected packages on each tab in Package Manager.

Behavior Changes

  • You can perform installations, repairs, and updates to all software packages you select including software hidden by filtering and search.

Package Manager 20.7, 21.0, 21.3, 21.8, and 2022 Q3

New Features

New command-line option—Use the command-line option --quiet for fully silent installation from Package Manager online installers, offline installers, and the main Package Manager GUI. Refer to Accessing the Command Line Interface for Package Manager for more information about how to access the built-in help.

Behavior Changes

  • BROWSE PRODUCTS tab reintroduced—Package Manager reintroduces the BROWSE PRODUCTS tab, which was removed in Package Manager 20.6, to align with customer workflows and processes.
  • Changes to Windows support—Package Manager drops support for Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, and all 32-bit Windows operating systems. Package Manager adds support for Windows Server 2019. Due to the supported OS changes, upgrading Package Manager or installing most 2021 NI software will cause all deployment installers built in LabVIEW, TestStand, NI Package Builder, or LabWindows/CVI to now only support Windows 10 64-bit (version 1507) or newer. For detailed information about NI operating system support, visit ni.com/r/win32bitsupport.
  • Requirements for offline installers—Users scripting offline installers must use the command-line option --accept-eulas if using the options --quiet or --progress-only.

Package Manager 20.6

New Features

Add arguments to shortcuts—Use the optional attribute arguments to add arguments to shortcuts that Package Manager creates during installation. Refer to Instructions XML for File Packages for more information.

New control file attribute—Use the new value relative-file of the control file attribute XB-Plugin to install all files in a folder relative to the root of the installation target directory. Refer to Assembling a Relative File Package and Control File Attributes for more information.

Behavior Changes

The BROWSE PRODUCTS tab is no longer available. Click the Browse Products link to open ni.com/downloads and find product installers.

Package Manager 20.5

New Features

Define operating system requirements for packages—Use the attribute XB-OSRequires to specify the operating systems the package supports. Refer to Control File Attributes for more information.

Behavior Changes

NI Package Manager 20.5 does not have new behaviors.

Package Manager 20.1

Behavior Changes

NI Package Manager enables the Automatically download and install missing dependencies from ni.com setting by default. This setting allows Package Manager to search for, download, and install missing dependencies from ni.com for both installation and upgrade operations.