Command-Line Interface
The MSI Package Builder command-line interface provides a set of commands that allow you to monitor installations, build packages, repackage installations, import/export projects and perform other operations. These commands can be used as alternatives for the features available in the program GUI, so you can run a command from the command-line for the main features instead of performing it in the GUI. However, the command-line interface supports the basic features only, and you need to use the GUI to work with the advanced features.
The command-line interface is provided by the PackageBuilderCMD.exe executable available in the program installation folder. You can run a command using the following format:
PackageBuilderCMD.exe <command>
Command |
Description |
|---|---|
-monitor |
Monitor system activity and create a project based on the captured changes. |
-build-msi |
Build an MSI package using an existing project. |
-build-appv |
Build an App-V package using an existing project. |
-build-appx |
Build an MSIX/AppX package using an existing project. |
-repackage-msi |
Repackage an installation to the MSI package format. |
-repackage-appv |
Repackage an installation to the App-V package format. |
-repackage-appx |
Repackage an installation to the MSIX/AppX package format. |
-sign-package |
Sign the package with a digital certificate. |
-import-project |
Import the project from an archive file. |
-export-project |
Export the project to an archive file. |
-test-deployment |
Test functionality of the package |
-help <command> |
Display detailed help for the specified command. |
The command-line interface requires that you should have a license for the program. It is possible to use the command-line interface in the trial mode, but the generated MSI packages will have the same restrictions as those applied to packages generated in the GUI.
You need to have local administrative permissions to run MSI Package Builder commands, so it is recommended to open the command-line prompt in Windows “As Administrator”.
If you would like to get help for a specific command, you can run PackageBuilderCMD.exe with the –help command, for example:
PackageBuilderCMD.exe -help monitor
Detailed information on these commands and examples of their usage are available in the next chapters.
What's Inside