Packet Express

Packet Express overview
How to build a package
1 Package Descriptor
2 File List
3 Install Actions
4 Save

version 03 - 20/08/08

Packet Express overview

PacketExpress is a WireLess Deployer tool to make packages easily in a couple of minutes.

In order to help you to build a package, Packet Express is divided into tabs. Each tab contains specific information about the package.

• Package Descriptor tab: It provides information about the package (id, version, what model and platform is the package for...)
• File List tab: It contains the files to be downloaded on the PDA.
• Install Actions tab: It contains a list of actions to be applied after downloading all files. 

How to build a package

1.- "Package Descriptor"

Click on "Package Descriptor" tab and complete all the fields.

Identifier:
This frame contains identification data about the package and its working mode.

Id: 
Package identification. This is the name for managing the package. A folder having the same name will be generated on the PC (Console) in the following location: "C:\Program Files\WireLessDeployer\tools\PE\Pkg". 
Valid characters for folder names on Windows must be respected. Special characters are not allowed: / : < > \ * " ' ? . , & à á è é `ù, etc. Try to use short names (see Save).

Version:
Version number allows to follow changes. Use only digits. All fields must be filled.

Type:
"Application" unique option in the current version.

Persistent:
Here you can define if the package is cold boot persistent. In that case, files should be placed on those folders of the PDA that are not erased after cold boot. If you select "Yes", pay special attention to use only the "flash" folders of the PDA.

Information
This frame allows to input a package description, which is useful for the Console administrator and for the Client user. This data can be used for defining package download conditions (Console).

Name
Package name that will be displayed to the Console administrator and to the Launcher user, if the package contains an application for the Launcher.
Please, choose a name that is clear for the user.

Description
Miscellaneous data about the package. May be empty.

Model
PDA model where to install the package. This field has informative purposes and it can also be used for defining package download conditions on the Console (see Add, delete, edit formulas). It is not mandatory that this field information corresponds exactly to the PDA model to be used.

Platform
Operating System of the PDA. This field has informative purposes and it can also be used for defining package download conditions on the Console (see Add, delete, edit formulas). It is not mandatory that this field information corresponds exactly to the PDA model to be used.

Vendor
This field will be displayed only on the Console.

2.- "File List"

Click on "File List" tab.

"Files and folders" tree represents the structure of files and folders and their future location on the PDA once the package is loaded. 
"PDA" folder stands for the root of the tree. Other folders can represent: 

• folders already existing on the PDA (\Windows, \Application, \Flash File Folder, etc.) or 
• new folders, which will be created when loading the package into the PDA.
  

Use this button for creating the PDA folder structure: To create a subfolder, select the folder where you want to create the subfolder, then click on this button . You can use [F2] in order to rename the selected folder.
In order to delete a folder from the package, select it and click on this button .

In order to add files to the package, select the folder of the PDA where to you want to add files, then click on this button and browse for the file on your PC.
The files selected to be loaded into the PDA are copied in "C:\Program Files\WireLessDeployer\tools\PE\Temp", so keep in mind that if these files are modified on the PC, changes won't be applied to the package copy.
In order to delete a file from the package, select it and click on this button .

 

"PDA" folder stands for the root of the tree. Use this button to create files. Use this button to browse files to add to the package.

Start Exe  
On this field you can define an application, which icon will appear on the Launcher. 
Input a path to an exe file or to a link (.lnk). An icon for starting the application associated to the package will appear on the Laucher (the icon contained on the executable will be used). 
It is possible to define a link towards an application loaded with the package or an application already existing on the PDA.

• Link towards an application loaded with the package: Select the exe file from the tree placed at left, the click on [Set as Start Exe]. The full path towards the file will appear automatically.
• Link towards an application already existing on the PDA: Type in the full path (on the PDA) towards the exe file (for example, \Windows\calc.exe).

3.- "Install Actions"

Click on "Install Actions" tab.

This tab groups all the actions which are performed by WireLess Deployer Client when installing a package. These actions are performed on files downloaded with the package or already existing on the PDA.
These actions are:

• Unzip files: Select a ".zip" file downloaded with the package or already existing on the PDA. The file can be erased after unzip using "Del" action.
• Copy files (apply ".cpy" or ".copy" files): Select a copy file downloaded with the package or already existing on the PDA. See technical documentation for file format.
• Modify the registry (apply ".reg" or ".rgt" files): Select a registry file downloaded with the package or already existing on the PDA. The format of these files is a Windows standard.
• Execute files (execute ".exe" files or links ".lnk"): Select an executable file downloaded with the package or already existing on the PDA.
• Delete files: Select any type of file downloaded with the package or already existing on the PDA. The file will be deleted from the PDA.

When installing a package, the PDA executes these actions ON THIS ORDER. There's one or several file extensions corresponding to each action. For example, ".cpy" and ".copy" files correspond to COPY action, ".reg" and ".rgt" files correspond to REG action, etc.

If you want to apply an action on a file, click on the frame of the action, then use the browse button to add files.
You can select:

• Files downloaded with the package: Select a file from the list and click on [OK].
• Files already existing on the PDA: Type in the full path (folder on the PDA \ file name) on the input zone and click on [OK].

4.- Save

Finally, go to [File] menu and save the project for the package to be generated.

Packet Express creates new folder called "Pkg", at the same level as PacketExpress.exe (usually "C:\Program Files\WireLessDeployer\tools\PE\Pkg"), where the new package will be saved.

You can save the package creation project file (.pkgproj) anywhere. It is advised to save projects in "C:\Program Files\WireLessDeployer\tools\PE".

The package is always created inside "\Pkg" folder and contains the package id on its name. For example, "MyIpView" package would have this folder: "C:\Program Files\WireLessDeployer\tools\PE\Pkg\MyIpView-1-0-0".

Don't move folders created this way. 

In order to incorporate the new package to the WireLess Deployer Console, you must create a "zip" file of the package folder in "C:\Program Files\WireLessDeployer\tools\PE\Pkg". First, open the file explorer and locate "MyIpView-1-0-0" folder. Then, make right click on it to treat it with a data compression software, like "winzip". At last, place the zip file (MyIpView-1-0-0.zip) on the Console integration folder: "C:\Program Files\WireLessDeployer\New".

Then, on the WireLess Deployer Console, you can go to [Configuration / Add Packages / Look for new packages] in order to incorporate the new package to the Console (see "Add packages" on chapter VI of the Administrator's guide).

The new package will appear on "Packages" window. To be able to load it on a PDA, you must create a collection detailing which conditions a terminal must satisfy to download the package (see Create a new collection on chapter VI of the Administrator's guide).