Spotfire Package Builder
Spotfire® Package Builder provides a framework for developing, debugging, packaging and deploying extensions to Spotfire. It is an important tool for adding custom capabilities to the Spotfire platform and can be used to sign visualization mods or action mods using a certificate from a certificate authority.
Spotfire Package Builder is available in the SDK folder of the Spotfire Developer software, which you can download from edelivery.tibco.com. On TIBCO Cloud Spotfire, the Package Builder can be downloaded from the library, under Resources.
It is also possible to do all development, debugging and building of packages in Visual Studio. See Creating an extension using only Visual Studio.
When Package Builder is launched, it places the additional PackageBuilderSettings.xml file in the %APPDATA%\...\Local\Spotfire\X.Y\Settings directory (where X.Y conforms to the version number of the Spotfire installed client and the Package Builder).
To use Spotfire Package Builder, you must have a working installation of a Spotfire installed client on your computer.
- Spotfire Package Builder concepts
Throughout this documentation, Spotfire Package Builder uses these concepts and terms that you should understand in the context of the Spotfire environment. - Extending the Spotfire installation
Use the following procedure to extend Spotfire with custom capabilities. This procedure is an overview of all of the tasks required to create, build, debug, and deploy a Spotfire extension. - Develop and debug extensions
After you add an extension in Spotfire Package Builder, you can develop its features and debug it for Spotfire Analyst using the special Spotfire starter executable. (Debugging in Spotfireweb clients requires a different procedure.) - Validate and deploy the packages
After you have created, developed, and debugged the extension, use Spotfire Package Builder to save, validate, test locally, and deploy a package to Spotfire Server. - 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 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 or a collection of actions based on scripts. The Spotfire Package Builder console is designed to work in an automated build environment. - Creating an extension using only Visual Studio
As an alternative to use Visual Studio to develop the source code and then use Package Builder to create the deployable package, it is also possible to stay in Visual Studio all through development, debugging and building of packages.
- Spotfire Package Builder concepts
Throughout this documentation, Spotfire Package Builder uses these concepts and terms that you should understand in the context of the Spotfire environment. - Extending the Spotfire installation
Use the following procedure to extend Spotfire with custom capabilities. This procedure is an overview of all of the tasks required to create, build, debug, and deploy a Spotfire extension. - Develop and debug extensions
After you add an extension in Spotfire Package Builder, you can develop its features and debug it for Spotfire Analyst using the special Spotfire starter executable. (Debugging in Spotfireweb clients requires a different procedure.) - Validate and deploy the packages
After you have created, developed, and debugged the extension, use Spotfire Package Builder to save, validate, test locally, and deploy a package to Spotfire Server. - 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 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 or a collection of actions based on scripts. The Spotfire Package Builder console is designed to work in an automated build environment. - Creating an extension using only Visual Studio
As an alternative to use Visual Studio to develop the source code and then use Package Builder to create the deployable package, it is also possible to stay in Visual Studio all through development, debugging and building of packages.