Adding new features to the Notes install kit using addToKit (Macintosh)

If you are installing Notes® clients on Macintosh, you can use the addToKit tool to add new, signed features to the Notes install kit before installing or upgrading Notes.

About this task

Using the addToKit tool, you can customize the Notes install kit for Macintosh by copying the signed contents of a customized, zipped update site (features subdirectory, plugins subdirectory and site.xml file) and customized install manifest (install.xml) file to the Notes install kit structure prior to installing or upgrading Notes. For required file structure and signing information, see the related topics.

The addToKit tool is available as addToKit_Mac.pl.

The addToKit tool is part of the Apps directory toolkit available with the Notes install kit.

After you update the content of your zipped update site directory, place it at the same level as the Notes install kit structure and use the addToKit tool to copy your source files into the install kit's structure.

Before using the addToKit tool, perform the following tasks:

  • Create and sign any new Eclipse features that you want to add to the Notes install kit.
  • Place the new features and plug-ins JAR files in the features and plugins update site subdirectories (updateSite.zip\features and updateSite.zip\plugins).
  • Create and validate the new site.xml site manifest file (updateSite.zip\site.xml).
  • Create and validate the new install.xml install manifest in the deploy directory (deploy\install.xml).

The following information is helpful when using the addToKit tool:

  • There is no validation capability with the addToKit tool so be sure that your XML is validated and your "installfeature" ID attribute values are unique.
  • You can run the addToKit tool with or without arguments.
  • The addTokitPath must contain a deploy directory and zipped updateSite directory that matches the format of the Notes install kit.
  • The updatesSite.zip\site.xml and deploy\install.xml information is merged from the addTokitPath to the destKit path and the plug-ins and features are copied over. The files in addTokitPath are added to the existing kit; they are appended to the destination site.xml and install.xml files.
  • Running the tool with no arguments copies files to a temporary directory. If you do not specify a source path .\addTokitPath in the command line, the default source path is .\addToKit. If you do not specify a destination path destKit, the default destination path is the current working directory. The .\addToKit value should be the default source path.
  • Before running this tool, place your signed features and plug-ins correctly in the update site directory and update the site.xml and install.xml files in their correct directories. Zip the update site directory.

Procedure

  1. Extract addToKit.zip into the temporary directory in which your files reside, for example, c:\temp\notes8abx.mac. This zip file contains the directory addToKit, which contains your zipped update site directory (updateSite.zip), and your deploy (deploy) directory.
  2. Copy addToKit_Mac.pl to the same temporary directory.
  3. Run the tool using the following command line:
    sudo perl addToKit_Mac.pl [-dhnV] kitPath installPath

    This command merges information from kitPath into installPath.

    The kitPath identifies the folder containing the third-party updateSite.zip and site.xml and defaults to "addToKit".

    The installPath identifies the Notes installation Meta Package and defaults to IBM Notes Installer.mpkg.

    Command line parameters are as follows:
    sudo perl addToKit_Mac.pl -h
    • -d Turns debugging on
    • -h Prints command line option usage
    • -n Runs the utility as a dry run
    • -V Prints version information