Spotfire Developer Documentation

Package Builder console parameter reference

You can use the Spotfire Package Builder console to package DLLs and other files easily into a deployable package file (.spk). You can also create a deployable distribution file (.sdn) or build or sign a visualization mod file (.mod). A distribution file is basically a collection of packages or other distribution files; a convenient way to distribute a set of related packages, whereas a mod is a custom visualization. The Spotfire Package Builder console is designed to work in an automated build environment.

Common parameters Description
/targettype: targettype Optional. Can be one of: package, distribution, or mod. If this parameter is omitted, package is default.
/target:result file

Required. The path and file name to the package file (.spk), the distribution file (.sdn), or the mod file (.mod) to create or sign.

/cert:cert Optional. The path to the certificate file with which to sign the code.
Note: File-based certificates are no longer regarded as safe. Consider using /localcert instead.
/localcert:certificate identification Optional. Identifies a local certificate installed on the computer. Consists of either three or four parts that are separated by ':' (colon): StoreLocation:StoreName:IdentifierString:FindType.

StoreLocation can be one of CurrentUser or LocalMachine.

StoreName can be one of AddressBook, AuthRoot, CertificateAuthority, Disallowed, My, Root, TrustedPeople, or TrustedPublisher.

The identifier string is a string that describes the certificate. If no fourth argument is given, this defaults to the ThumbprintId. If four arguments are given, the identifier string will be interpreted according to FindType. For valid values for FindType, see the .NET documentation for X509FindType.

/password:cert password Optional. The password for the certificate file.
Note: File-based certificates are no longer regarded as safe. Consider using /localcert instead.
/help Show help for the command line options.
/? Show help for the command line options.
/usage Show usage of the command line options.
Table 1. Building packages
Parameters for building packages Description
/pkdesc: path to pkdesc file Required. The path and file name to the package description file (.pkdesc).
/refpath: path to referenced assemblies

Optional but highly recommended. A list of paths to assemblies that are referenced in the package. Each path shall be separated by semicolon.

If this parameter is omitted, it is assumed that all referenced assemblies are located in the same folder as the Package Builder Console executable.

/basefolder: path to base folder Required. The path to the base folder. All paths in .pkdesc files are interpreted relative to the base folder.
/folders: path to folders Optional. Relative path to a semicolon separated list of folders from where all files and subfolders shall be included.
/name: package name

Optional. The package name.

This parameter overrides the package name specified in the .pkdesc file.

/id: GUID

Optional. A GUID that uniquely identifies the package.

The format shall be xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx.

This parameter overrides the SeriedId specified in the .pkdesc file.

Note: This GUID must be reused if new versions of the same .spk file is created.
/packageversion: package version Optional. The version for the package. The format is Major.Minor.ServicePackLevel.BuildNumber. This switch overrides the version number specified in the .pkdesc file.
/intendedclient: intended client Optional. The client type for which the package is built.

Can be one of: any, professional or web. If this parameter is omitted, professional is default, which specifies the Spotfire installed client.

This parameter overrides the setting in the .pkdesc file.

/intendedplatform: intended platform Optional. The intended platform for which the package is built. This attribute can be set on most of the elements, including the PackageDescription element. The valid values are (the values are case insensitive):
  • windows. This is the default if no attribute is set.
  • linux
  • universal. For packages that should work on any platform.
/targetframework: target framework Optional. This an additional attribute used to identify whether an element is valid for different flavors of .NET. The attribute is not necessary to use, because the default for IntendedPlatform=windows is netframework and the default for IntendedPlatform=linux is netcore. In the future, this attribute could be used to provide potential future support for other .NET flavors on Windows.

The valid values are (the values are case insensitive):

  • netframework
  • netcore. The value netcore means that it applies to .NET 6 or higher.
  • any
/wpcontentfolder: Web Player content folder

Optional. The name of the folder within the web server where the Web Player service is installed. Valid for internal Web Player service packages only.

This parameter overrides the WebPlayerContentFolder attribute specified in the .pkdesc file.

/sign Optional. Indicates that an existing package (given by the target-argument) shall be unpackaged, signed and resaved.
/saveunpackedmodule Optional. Saves an unpacked copy of the package (base folder given by the parameter /unpackedmodulefolder).
/unpackedmodulefolder: folder

Optional. Base folder for unpacked modules. Only used if /saveunpackedmodule is present.

Unpacked modules are stored similarly to how packages are stored for Spotfire Analyst.

/automaticpackageversionnumber

Optional. Automatically sets the last two fields of the version number specified in the .pkdesc file to a unique and increasing value (with 10 seconds resolution).

The algorithm used is:

  • 3rd position is: 100 * number of months since 2017-01-01 + current day number
  • 4th position is: Number of seconds since start of current day /10
/timestamp: timestamp Optional. The URL of a timestamping module with which to timestamp packages.
/archiveformat: archive format

Optional. Specifies the archive format inside the .spk file.

Can be one of: cab or zip.

If this parameter is omitted, cab is default. lt is also the preferred choice for Spotfire extensions.

/cabcompressionlevel: level

Optional. Specifies how much compression the cab-archiver shall apply to embedded cab archives.

Can be one of: None, Min, Normal or Max. If this parameter is omitted, Normal is default.

Higher compression rate can reduce the size of the package file, but it will take longer time to create the package.

/zipcompressionlevel: level

Optional. Specifies how much compression the zip-archiver shall apply to embedded zip archives as well as to the package file (.spk), which technically is a zip archive.

Can be one of: Optimal, Fastest or NoCompression. If this parameter is omitted, Fastest is default.

Higher compression rate can reduce the size of the package file, but it will take longer time to create the package.

/sha256 Optional. Indicates that SHA256 shall be used instead of SHA1 when signing files and for timestamp digests.
Table 2. Building distributions
Parameters for building distributions Description
/distdesc: path to distdesc file

Required. The path and file name to the distribution description xml-file (.xml).

/basefolder: path to base folder Required. The path to the base folder. All paths in .sdn files are interpreted relative to the base folder.
/timestamp: timestamp Optional. The URL of a timestamping module with which to timestamp distributions.
/archiveformat: archive format Deprecated.
/cabcompressionlevel: level

Optional. Specifies how much compression the cab-archiver shall apply to embedded cab archives.

Can be one of: None, Min, Normal or Max. If this parameter is omitted, Normal is default.

Higher compression rate can reduce the size of the distribution file, but it will take longer time to create the distribution.

/zipcompressionlevel: level

Optional. Specifies how much compression the zip-archiver shall apply to embedded zip archives as well as to the distribution file (.sdn), which technically is a zip archive.

Can be one of: Optimal, Fastest or NoCompression. If this parameter is omitted, Fastest is default.

Higher compression rate can reduce the size of the distribution file, but it will take longer time to create the package.

/sha256 Optional. Indicates that SHA256 shall be used instead of SHA1 when signing files and for timestamp digests.
/ignorespotfirereferences Optional. By using this switch when building a distribution, all references to Spotfire API assemblies are ignored during validation of the built distribution file. This is the recommended way to build distribution files instead of listing Spotfire assemblies in the .pkdesc file as ReferencedFile.
Table 3. Building or signing mods
Parameters for building or signing mods Description
/mod-manifest: path to manifest file

The path and file name to the mod manifest file (.json) from where the mod shall be built. Used when building and/or signing visualization mods based on a mod source project, rather than an existing .mod file.

/sign Optional. Indicates that a visualization mod, which can be a an existing mod file or a mod project manifest (given by the target-argument), shall be built (or rebuilt), signed and saved.