Use the TestStand Deployment Utility or NI Package Builder to build a package distribution for the deployable image or patch deployable image.

You can customize the package attributes, the dependency relationships, and the inclusion of individual files in the package distribution. If you choose the Repository or Package Installer build outputs, you can include the TestStand Runtime and installers for NI hardware drivers and other software components. If you choose the single package build output, the generated package will require these components to be present on the test station computer, but will not include them in the distribution.

A package installer you build automatically requests a reboot when any of the NI drivers or software components you redistribute require a reboot, such as the TestStand Runtime.

Upgrading Previous Package Distributions

NI packages are uniquely identified by the package name that you specify. If you create a new package with the same name as another package, NI Package Manager will replace the previous package with the newer package. If the version number of the newer package is less than the existing package, NI Package Manager will indicate that the package is a downgrade.

When you create a patch for a package distribution, the package name must remain the same to ensure that the previous package version is replaced with the updated package.

Troubleshooting Installers You Build with the TestStand Deployment Utility

Use the following techniques to troubleshoot building installers with the TestStand Deployment Utility:

• Review the Status Log on the Build Status tab of the deployment utility for more information about installer build errors. Right-click the Status Log and select Group By»Severity or use the column headers to filter and display only errors and warnings to help you locate possible problems with the installer. Click the Save Log drop down button and select Save Technical Support Report to save a copy of the log that NI can use the log files the deployment utility generates to help you diagnose installer-related issues.
• Ensure the hard drive has sufficient disk space for building the installer. For example, including the TestStand Runtime requires about 450 MB of disk space.

Troubleshooting Installers You Build with the NI Package Builder

NI package builder provides build output and error log panes to help troubleshoot issues with deployment. Refer to NI Package Builder Help for more information on how the application displays error logging and output messages.

Installing Package Distributions Silently

You can install a package distribution without viewing any installation dialog boxes. For single packages, refer to the NI Package Manager Manual for information on silent installation through the command line.