The PowerBuilder Runtime Packager is a tool that packages the PowerBuilder files an application needs at runtime into a Microsoft Windows Installer (MSI) package file or a Microsoft merge module (MSM). Windows Installer is an installation and configuration service that is installed with recent Microsoft Windows operating systems. The MSM file must be incorporated into an application MSI file using a merge tool before the components it contains can be installed on a client computer.
You can use the MSM or MSI file generated by the Runtime Packager as part of an installation package that includes the other files that your application needs.
You must have Microsoft Windows Installer on your system in order to run the Runtime Packager successfully.
To get more information about Windows Installer, see the Microsoft documentation at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc185688(VS.85).aspx.
Note
You must have Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package (32-bit or 64-bit) installed, if you use the EXE file generated by the Runtime Packager. You must also have Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 installed, if the Runtime Packager will install components such as ADO.NET and MS Excel12 Support which rely on .NET Framework to install and run.
The Runtime Packager can be used with client applications installed on Windows systems and applications deployed to the .NET Framework. It does not install most third-party components. See Third-party components and deployment for more information.
Make sure that you read the sections referenced in Table: PowerBuilder files required for deployment that apply to your application for more information about where files that are not installed by the Runtime Packager should be installed.
To use the PowerBuilder Runtime Packager:
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Select Programs>Appeon PowerBuilder [version]>PowerBuilder Runtime Packager [version] from the Windows Start menu or launch the pbpack220.exe file in your %AppeonInstallPath%\PowerBuilder [version]\IDE directory.
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Select the PowerBuilder Base Components.
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Select the PowerBuilder Runtime Version.
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Select whether to generate the PowerBuilder runtime files in a standalone MSI file or in an MSM merge module.
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Select a location for the generated MSI or MSM file.
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Select the database interfaces your application requires.
The DLLs for the database interfaces you select are added to the package. For ODBC and OLE DB, the pbodb.ini file is also added. See Third-party components and deployment.
Other ODBC or OLE DB files your application may require are not added. For information about deploying these files, see ODBC database drivers and supporting files and OLE DB database providers.
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If your application uses the following Web integration features, such as HTTPClient object, RESTClient object, OAuth 2.0, and WebBrowser control, select the corresponding check box.
The Runtime Packager adds the files listed for HTTPClient object, RESTClient object, OAuth 2.0, and WebBrowser control in Table: Additional PowerBuilder runtime files.
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If your application uses the rich text control for the RichTextEdit control or RichText DataWindow, select the corresponding check box.
For 32-bit, select TX TextControl ActiveX.
For 64-bit, select TX TextControl ActiveX or Microsoft RichEdit Control (in the Obsolete Features section)
The Runtime Packager adds the files listed for the rich text support in Table: Additional PowerBuilder runtime files.
Microsoft RichEdit Control is obsolete
Microsoft RichEdit Control is an obsolete feature. Obsolete features are still available to use, but are no longer eligible for technical support and will no longer be enhanced.
To know more about the built-in editor, see Rich text editors.
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If your application uses the following features such as data compression, JSON support, NativePDF, RibbonBar control, UI theme, XML support, and .NET assembly calls, select the corresponding check boxes.
The Runtime Packager adds the files listed for these feature supports in Table: Additional PowerBuilder runtime files.
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If your application saves DataWindow or graph data in Microsoft Excel format, select the MS Excel12 Support check box.
The Runtime Packager adds the PBDWExcel12Interop.dll and Sybase.PowerBuilder.DataWindow.Excel12.dll files to the MSM or MSI package that you generate. It does not add the .NET Framework that is also required for Microsoft Excel support.
The Sybase.PowerBuilder.DataWindow.Excel12.dll file will be automatically installed to the Windows GAC folder, for example, C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Sybase.PowerBuilder.DataWindow.Excel12, if you run the MSM or MSI package. However, if you manually copy runtime DLLs to the client (instead of using the MSM or MSI package), make sure to copy the Sybase.PowerBuilder.DataWindow.Excel12.dll file to the same directory as the application executable, as this file is a C# assembly DLL and cannot be loaded through the environment variable.
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If your application uses the XML services provided by the PowerBuilder Document Object Model, select the PB DOM check box.
The Runtime Packager adds the DLLs, PBXs, and JAR files required by the selected component.
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Click Create.
The Runtime Packager creates an MSI or MSM file that includes the files required by the components you selected, as well as the runtime DLLs for standard PowerBuilder applications listed in the following table.
Base components selected
Files
PowerBuilder components (Default file name for runtime package is PBCLTRT.msi)
libjcc.dll
libjutils.dll
libjtml.dll
libsybunic.dll
nlwnsck.dll
pbacc.dll
pbAccessibility.dll
pbcomrt.dll
pbdpl.dll
pbdwe.dll
pbdwr220.pbd
pbresource.dll
pbshr.dll
pbsysfunc.dll
pbtra.dll
pbtrs.dll
pbuis.dll
pbvm.dll
The MSI file is a compressed file that can be executed directly on any Windows platform. It registers any self-registering DLLs, adds the installation destination path to the Windows Registry, sets the system PATH environment variable, and adds information to the Registry for the Install/Uninstall page in the Windows Control Panel. It can also be used in some third-party installation software packages.
The MSI file generated by the PowerBuilder Runtime Packager tool has been enhanced, so that runtime files of different builds at the same major version (starting from 2019 R3 GA) can be installed and coexisting on the same computer, for example, 2019 R3 and 2019 R2 can coexist, multiple 2019 R3 MRs can coexist. And the MSI file no longer sets the runtime file path in the system PATH environment variable; therefore, the user will need to decide which build of runtime files will be loaded by the application executable file and place the application executable and the runtime files in the same folder.
The MSM file is similar to an MSI file, but the MSM file must first be merged into an installation package before its components can be installed on a client computer. A merge tool is required to merge the MSM file into an MSI installation package.
