This page allows you start the compilation of your package.
Building your package
Package Filename
Please provide the full path to the final package file (directory+filename). It should be an executable file (.exe extension) if you create a Self-Extracting Package, a zip file (.ZIP extension), a Cabinet file (.CAB extension) or a 7-Zip file (.7z extension). It depends on the type of your project and compression method.
Notes:
It is recommended that you save your project before compiling your package.
If the package file you specified already exists, it will be overwritten.
If the output folder does not exist, it will be created.
All resources (billboards for example) and source files must exist when you compile the package.
Ensure you have enough free disk space as Paquet Builder does not check for free disk space.
You have several ways to launch the compilation of your package:
- Click on the Compile button to create your package.
- Click Build in the toolbar.
- Use the menu commands from the Build menu.
- Press CTRL+F9 or F10 (full build).
- Use the command line parameters.
When you create a package, Paquet Builder first compresses the files into a single archive file and then converts it into a Self-Extracting executable file. The file compression is the operation that takes the most compilation time.
That's why Paquet Builder stores a newly created archive into a temporary folder: we say it "caches" the archive. As long as you do not modify the source file list or compression options, Paquet Builder will use this cached archive when building your package instead of compressing all files again.
It works exactly like caches of Web browsers (places of temporary Internet files).
Consequently building time is highly increased. This caching operation is especially useful if you work with custom actions (debugging purposes for instance).
Paquet Builder will do this operation each time: to make it reconstruct the entire archive by compressing source files again, press F10 or select the "Build full package" menu command.
The cached archive is automatically deleted when you close Paquet Builder or when you work with another project. It is temporarily stored in the working folder you can define in the environment options.
Build Options
Usually packages (especially Setup packages) are designed to perform tasks only allowed by Windows if the end user has administrative privileges (like placing files into common folders, writing registry keys, registering shared files...). Turn on this option to ensure that the package will only run if the user has administrative or power user rights; otherwise an error message will be displayed.
Note: you can also check the value of the %ISADMIN% variable thanks to custom actions.
Configure how elevated rights are requested on Windows Vista at the beginning (UAC feature).
Be sure to read this article about how Paquet Builder makes your packages compatible with Windows Vista UAC
For testing purposes only. Files are not compressed, just stored (whatever compression method) and the package is not digitally signed (if this option was enabled).
If you want Paquet Builder to execute the package immediately after its compilation.
If you do not want Paquet Builder to show you the compilation log. You can still display it later using the F11 shortcut or the "View compilation log" menu command from the "Build" menu.
When a package is run by end users, it must first initialize itself by decompressing and loading its internal data (dialogs, wizard pictures, texts, billboards...). Generally this operation is very fast but on old computers or if you have large billboard files, it may take several seconds. In this case, you can make the package display a "wait" dialog box during this initialization phase.
Note that enabling this option will increase the package size a little.
Cancel
Available on the compilation progress monitor, this button lets you cancel the compilation. Generally this should be not used. If you press the button during the file compression, the compilation will stop only when Paquet Builder has finished to compress a file and before another one starts being compressed. It may also be disabled when the compilation is going to end quickly.