Create a Package Installer From NI Software Offline Installers

Updated Sep 29, 2023

Environment

Software

  • NI Package Builder

This article goes through the steps on how to create a package installer using the NI Package Builder when the NI software to deploy is not installed on the system. This approach uses the offline installers of the NI software that you need to deploy and creates a package installer with the NI Package Builder that will be run on the target PCs to install the desired software. NI Package Builder 2022 Q3 Patch 1 was used for this how-to article.

In order to create a package installer using the offline installers of the NI software that you want to deploy, please follow these steps:

1. Download the offline installer of the software that you want to create a package for. 
2. Once you have the .iso file for the software you must decompress the .iso contents into a folder.
3. Open the NI Package Builder and select File >> New Solution or use the solution that was created by default when you open the NIPB.
4. Click on New Package in the central panel if the solution has no packages or go to the "Packages" panel and click on the first option New Package.
 
 new package 2.png

4. Create a new package installer by clicking on the first icon "New Installer or Repository" option in the "Installer and Repositories" panel and click on New Package Installer.
 
New package installer.png

5. In the "Installer and Repositories" panel, select the package installer you wish to add the installers to and click on Add Packages... In the screenshot below, a new package will be added to the "Test Package Installer" which is selected.
 
Add Packages.png

6. A window will open named "Add Packages to '<Name of Package Installer>'".  In this window select Installer Products in the left section.
7. In the "Installer Products" section select Add Installer....
 
Add installer.png
 
8. When you click on "Add Installers..." it will open a window so that you can browse to the folder where the .exe installer is located. Select the Install.exe from the decompressed .iso file and click on Open. Then select the checkbox for the products that you wish to add to the package installer. In the screenshot below, the LabVIEW 2023 Q3 32-bit was selected for demonstration purposes. 
 
LabVIEW 2023 Q3 installation.png

9. The installer(s) previously selected will now be visible under the package installer as shown below. If needed, change the Include recommended and suggested packages and modify the Installation Behavior from Optionally Install to Always Install.
 
Added package.png

10. If this is a new solution, then select File >> Save Solution to save the .pbs file. This is necessary because build outputs are placed in subdirectories relative to the solution by default.
11. Build the installer by selecting the package installer and then clicking on Build Installer & Repositories and then on Build Selected. Use the Errors and Warnings pane to address errors as needed.
 
Build selected.png

12. You can open the output folder where the installer files have been created by clicking on the Open Output Location option. The output folder should have all the necessary files to install the selected products including the Install.exe.
 
Open output location.png