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Packager

Scripts > Packager

The Packager is a wizard tool used to create a package when a pre-defined install solution cannot be used. Packager evaluates the state of a source machine before and after an installation and/or resource change. The Packager compiles the differences into a single executable file—the package—that can be distributed via scripts to any managed machine. Distribute a package any way you choose. You can email it, or store it on a server where a custom script can perform a silent installation on any managed machine.

Step 1: Download the Packager application to the machine you plan to build your install package on.

For best results, we recommend you create a package on a representative machine; that is, a machine that closely resembles the managed machines on which the package will be deployed.

Each Package is OS dependent. To deploy to multiple operating systems, you need to build a package for each OS. During installation, Packager checks the target machine's operating system and does not continue if the package is being deployed on an OS different than the source OS.

Step 2: Execute Packager.exe and follow the on-screen instructions to create a distribution package.

The following tasks are performed:

  1. Packager takes a snapshot of the source system.
  2. Install any application and/or resource on the source system.
  3. Execute Packager again. Packager records the changes in the source system and creates a package.

Packager picks up everything you do to a machine between the time you take the first snapshot and create the package. Be careful what additional tasks you perform on the source machine as any system changes will be rolled into the package. Close all applications before running Packager. This prevents open applications from modifying the system during package creation.

Step 3: Distribute the package via a script.

Packages can only be executed on machines with agents installed. If the package fails to install, Packager has complete rollback capability. The rollback executable and associated restore files are located in the agent directory on the target machine in the directory C:\Program Files\Kaseya\KPackage.