Adding Packages in NI Package Manager

[SreeRanjaniSG]

Hi All, 

I would like to know if we can add the nipkg files that are created using the NI Package Builder to the NI Package Manager and distribute them to the others. Example: I wanted to create a package for few PPLs/VIs are distributed as using NIPM which users can download and install.

PS: I am not able to find a discussion category for NIPM so I am posting in this category

Thanks in Advance,

Sree

[JoshuaP]

One option you could look at is using SystemLink's Repository Manager to create new feeds and host them from a central server.

Here is a YouTube video that shows how to use it and there are others that cover how to install and setup the SystemLink server.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP5nylkUBes&t=2s

[SreeRanjaniSG]

Thank You Joshua,

I explored on System Link also, I was able to understand that we can distribute and deploy packages to the client directly from the server. But I was not able to understand if the server can just publish the packages and client can download and install only the required package when needed by itself(similar to NIPM). Please give your suggestions on this.

Thanks,

Sree

[LTR_AZ]

The client feeds and pushing packages to the client are separate tasks.  If you wanted to have the model where the server pushes and removes feeds as needed only and the client manually installs packages from those feeds that is a valid use case.   However, this does not leverage the ability of SLS to manage a collection of clients at the same time and forces updates and maintenance to the client side.  You could use SLS to monitor/audit what the client has done so it is a trust but verify type setup.

[ShockHouse]

There is a NIPM Forum Page that you may be able to get more assistance on: https://forums.ni.com/t5/NI-Package-Manager-NIPM/bd-p/1023

But essentially you can create Feeds with your Packages. Feeds are just collections of Packages with some metadata files. You can put Feeds on Network Drivers, on SFTP sites, and then have NI Package Manager point to them. So whenever the Feed gets updated, whoever is pointed at that Feed will see the updates and new packages if they want to use them. (Putting a feed online is exactly how NI does distribution. Their online installers just have an exe that adds the Website Feed to your local NI Package Manager, and then installs the packages).

Internally, we used to do this with our company. Where we had a OneDrive location with Feeds. Everyone would add those feeds into their version of NIPM (You can do this through programmatically if needed). Then whenever some company tool, or package was updated, we would update the feed, and anyone could grab it if they wanted to.