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Spotfire Package Builder

Spotfire Package Builder provides a framework for developing, debugging, packaging and deploying extensions to Spotfire. It is an important tool when adding custom capabilities to the Spotfire platform.

Overview

Spotfire Package Builder is available in the Spotfire SDK distribution as of version 2.2. It is located in the Package Builder folder. You will also need a working installation of the Spotfire client on your computer.

Concepts

• Extension
  A piece of software adding functionality to Spotfire. It is made up of one or more DLLs and a module.xml. The module.xml file contains information about the included DLLs, as well as their names and version numbers.
• Package
  A file created from an extension, ready for deployment.
• Intended Client (From 3.0)
  Extensions may be developed for a specific Spotfire client. A model may be common to Spotfire Professional and Spotfire Web Player, but the corresponding views may differ. Since all extensions are deployed to a Spotfire Server, the package containing the intended client for the extension must be indicated in Package Builder.
  There are three options when selecting the Intended client. It is vital to select the proper one:
  • TIBCO Spotfire Any Client: Extensions without any UI logic. Typically extension providing models based on the Spotfire platform. Refer to the Runtime Structure overview.
  • TIBCO Spotfire Professional/Enterprise Player: Any Windows Forms UI component.
  • TIBCO Spotfire Web Player: Any Web Player UI component.
• Deploying
  Uploading one or more packages to a Spotfire Server, making the functionality available to end users.
• Configuration
  A definition of a number of packages to be deployed.
• Validation
  When the extension conforms to certain specifications, it validates. This is described in detail under the topic Validating and Deploying the Packages.

The Extension – From Template to Deployment

The recommended procedure to extend Spotfire with custom capabilities includes the following steps:

1. In Visual Studio®, open an existing extension or create a new extension, preferably from the TIBCO Spotfire Extension Template, and build it.
2. In Package Builder, add the extension to a configuration that includes the default Spotfire client.
3. In Visual Studio®, develop and debug the extension.
4. In Package Builder, build a Spotfire Package file containing the extension.
5. In TIBCO Spotfire Professional, use Administration Manager to deploy the Spotfire Package file to a Spotfire Server.

Upon deployment, users will be prompted to download updates when they start their clients and access the Analytic Server. If the end user accepts the prompt, the extension will be downloaded to the client computer, the client will be restarted and the extension is loaded into the running Spotfire instance.

About the Package Builder Application

The Package Builder executable is located in the Package Builder folder of the Spotfire SDK distribution, along with the Spotfire.Dxp.PackageBuilder.exe.config file.

When launched, the application places the additional PackageBuilderSettings.xml file in the %APPDATA%/Local/TIBCO/X.Y/Settings folder, where X.Y conforms to the version number of the Spotfire client and Package Builder.