Application Packaging in details

As we have disussed Application Packaging 5 Main Phases in Previous blog,
Here I will continue discusstion.

1. Source Validation

Source validation includes following major things

• Checking application is EXE or MSI

          If MSI - default silent switches available QB,QN etc.

          If EXE we need to find/search proper silent switch for particular EXE Ex /S, silent etc. by using command /? or -? etc.

          How to find silent switches for your application - Courtesy ITNinja
          http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/installshield-setup-silent-installation-switches

         

          General moto of application packaging is to make the Installation Unattended/Silent.

• Checking where all files ,Registries, Shortcuts are getting installed - accordingly we can decide approach for APP customization as per customer requirement’s.

• Testing basic functionality of application so that we can make sure created package should behave as per the source provided.

To test the application compatibility  below mentioned applications can be used,

• Picture Taker
• Process Monitor
• Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit

Refer below link to find detailed information about Source Validation - Courtesy ITNinja

http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/a-general-approach-to-software-packaging-starting-from-consistent-installer-analysis


2. Application Packaging

Apps packaging involves mainly
Capturing(If Required*) --- Editing --- Transforming --- Testing

As per the Source validation report packager decides approach of packaging.

If the given source is provided is EXE or in loose files format then it requires to be captured and make it in the .msi format.

Source is MSI then MSI have many advantages over EXE.
Install Shield, Wise Package Studio are the basic tools to complete the packaging process.
These tools have many sub tools for different purposes like capturing, validation, comparing etc.

In packaging basic standards are applied. Like junk files, folders, registry keys are removed/added from the package.

If any required remediation is mentioned then that is applied. If there are any post and pre installation configurations mentioned by the customer requirnment doc, any permission settings needs to be included in the package then those are also implemented.

Packaging Life-Cycle

*If the surce is EXE and no MSI is exracting from EXE or no silent switches are available for installation then we proceed with the Capturing. Application can be captured through tools like Installshild or WISE.

3.QUALITY ASSURANCE(QA)

Once application is passed the packaging phase Quality Assurance comes into picture and maintaining the quality of application in terms of customer’s need is very necessary.

In QA basically does a rigorous check for all the general standards and any client specific requirements had should have been implemented.

At the end of QA phase proper documents are maintained like QA Report,Major minor instruction to be followed in terms of customizations made in application.


4.VERIFICATION (VC)

Application Installation and clean uninstallation is neatly checked in this phase.

Most attention is given to All the services, driver gets installed and functions properly as with source.

After creating .msi basic stage is to check whether the application behavior meets client requirements.


5.USER ACCEPTANCE TEST (UAT)

This is the final stage done at client side, as per the requirement request whether the application is running properly or not.

If application is not behaving as per the needs requested then packaging team have to follow the same process again.

Thank you for reading.
We will discuss solving packaging issues,VBScripts for basic workouts etc in m upcoming blog posts.