RayPack 1.2 is a next iteration of Raynet's framework for the creation and management of software packages. It is designed to support a broad variety of package formats, target operating systems and deployment systems. RayPack is available as stand-alone product as well as having the ability to be integrated into the RaySuite solution powered by RayFlow.

The RayPack components allow enterprises to implement well-structured processes, which control package evaluation, creation, manipulation, import, export, validation, storage, and deployment. 

In the upcoming release 1.2, Raynet introduces core components of the framework, which allow users to create MSI packages from scratch or build them based upon the result of installation capturing processes on Windows platforms. It is also possible to extend standard installations with transform files (MST), and edit their native contents, and to create App-V and SWV packages from packaging projects. 

Upcoming releases will introduce additional new components and features, resulting in boosted productivity, time and resource saving, and improving the overall product experience. The development of RayPack is customer-oriented - should you have any ideas or suggestions of how you see your ideal packaging tool: simply let us know and watch the product growing according to your business needs. Our sales team will be happy to assist you! 

Please make sure to check our website http://raynet.de to stay up to date with our next RaySuite product and service releases, announcements, special offers, and product trainings.

Symantecs Workspace Virtualization (SWV) format is supported as one of the build formats by version 1.2. A wide range of files supported by PackRecorder and PackDesigner can be converted to SWV packages, which are ready to be imported as layers. At any time of working with RCP/RPP/MSI or MST files, simply click FILE > BUILD to quickly generate a high quality, ready to be imported .xpf package.

The File menu has been redesigned. Now it provides easier overview and access to common functions, including:

The backstage menu exposes several options that used to be less accentuated in previous versions. We decided to highlight them, for example:

The App-V 5.x module has been rewritten to produce more accurate and reliable packages. Especially the handling of folders, INI files and registry objects has been greatly improved to ensure faster and smoother transitions between standard deployment formats and Microsoft App-V. The improved functionality allows to create virtual packages from all formats supported by RayPack, for example the repackaged project (.rcp), Windows Installer files (.msi, .mst) or RayPack projects (.rpp).

The RayPack license can be now automatically deactivated. If you don't want to use your RayPack license on a given machine, simply start the license activation tool again to deactivate the license. After this operation the old copy of RayPack will ask for activation when it starts, and the released quota can be used on different machines.

MSI Upgrades Support + Upgrade synchronization [RPK-9]

The visual package designer in version 1.2 has built-in support for MSI upgrades.

The upgrade wizard provides an easy way to define the upgrade, its scope and behavior. Additionally, with just one click RayPack can automatically synchronize the content of two Windows Installer packages to improve the speed of upgrade / installation processes. Major, minor and small upgrades are supported by RayPack 1.2.

8What's new? 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2

Custom and selective ICE validation [RPK-31]

This functionality has been greatly improved in version 1.2. The Professional and Enterprise editions of RayPack can use any custom validation definition file (.cub) to validate the packages against custom sets of rules. Additionally, certain rules can be globally excluded, or chosen on-demand just before the validation starts. To make the decision easier, RayPack displays handy descriptions for each ICE rule in predefined sets:

9What's new? 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2

The validation menu can be customized to include common custom rule sets or hide not required standard ones.

Improved features view [RPK-429] [RPK-30]

The features tree can be now searched and filtered. We changed the icons to make them more distinguishable from the components, which can be optionally hidden by using a new inline checkbox underneath.

10What's new? 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2

The version 1.2 makes it easier to understand the Feature/Component relations - empty features in the Features view are grayed out, and components belonging to no feature have a distinctive red icon.

Variables in project paths [RPK-58] [RPK-455]

Version 1.2 supports variables in the paths of the source files (saved in the RPSourcePath table). The following variables are available:

<ProjectFile> (resolving to the full path of the project)

<ProjectFolder> (resolving to the full path of the project folder)

<%NAME%> (resolving to the value of the environment variable NAME, for example <%ProgramFiles% >, <%Temp%> etc.)

Whilst importing new files, RayPack will by default try to use these variables instead of hard-coded paths.

File source dialog [RPK-141] [RPK-221]

The file dialog has been redesigned in version 1.2. The compression options have been converted into a new tab with additional functionality. No matter if you are working on a RayPack packaging project (.rpp) or just opened a vendor MSI file, the SOURCE tab in the file properties dialog can be used to show the actual data of the source file, like the actual size, modification/creation date, author, etc.

11What's new? 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2

Source file properties can be also synchronized and populated to the MSI tables.

MsiFileHash for non-versioned files [RPK-243]

RayPack 1.2 generates hash entries for each added file that is not a PE-executable. These kinds of files do not contain the necessary binary information about file version or language, therefore pre-calculated checksums are created so that two non-versioned files can be compared by the Window Installer engine.

Remove unused components [RPK-30]

When removing the last resource from a component (file or registry), the component itself will as well be removed if it is empty. This behavior ensures that there are no empty components in the Windows Installer package.

Performance and stability improvements

RayPack 1.2 has been optimized to work even faster and stable. The new file and folders browser can easily handle massive changes (like importing several gigabytes of files). Additionally, it will try to find any files that

12What's new? 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2

may not be imported due to the Windows Installer limitations and warn before the operation actually starts.

8.3 CAB naming convention [RPK-447]

Cabinet files (CAB) created by RayPack on various stages (customizing transform / saving MSI / rebuilding projects) are conform to the 8.3 naming convention. Previously, CAB's were automatically named after the MSI to which they belonged.

Attributes editor for Registry and Dialog table [RPK-247] [RPK-452]

The Registry and Dialog tables have been augmented with handy drop-downs, offering possible combinations of attributes:

       

13What's new? 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2 Other

Redesigned context menu view [RPK-266]

Redesigned extensions view [RPK-265]

Search dialog always on top [RPK-173]

Improved validation of ProductVersion, Upgrade version, etc. [RPK-176]

Renamed custom action 98 to "Executable on destination" [RPK-85] PackRecorder

Redesign user interface [RPK-4]

In RayPack 1.2 the user interface of PackRecorder has been redesigned. 

When opening any PackRecorder project, the new Your Project screen appears, providing quick links to standard views and information about the project. 

The build options are consolidated on one single screen, and instead of the BUILD button, the new backstage menu is used:

14What's new? 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2

It is now possible to manually pick up the export location, and to control whether or not an Explorer window will open after the build is done.

Improved exclusions editor [RPK-55]

The version 1.2 has improved editing capabilities for the PackRecorder exclusion lists. The new view (accessible by right clicking any exclusion and pressing "Test") provides an easy way to write, validate and test regular expressions:

15What's new? 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2

The exclusion view contains a compact interface, showing only the relevant columns for each view.

Ability to control capturing of .NET assemblies [RPK-239]

It is possible to control whether or not the captured .NET assemblies will be populated into MSI tables MsiAssembly* when the MSI is being created. The setting is available from the File options section of the MSI tab.

Enhanced exclusion lists [RPK-95]

The exclusion lists have been enhanced by several new rules, making the pre-capture cleaning measures for repackaging even easier than before.

16What's new? 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2

Other changes

It is possible to automatically open the recaptured project after the capture wizard finishes [RPK- 456] 

When working in RayFlow mode, a confirmation message box is shown before uploading the built package to RayFlow [RPK-471] 

By default, the registry view is now collapsed [RPK-272]

Improved progress feedback during repackaging [RPK-318] PackTailor

Improved folder handling [RPK-427]

RayPack 1.2 has a better support for directory modifications via Directory table. All changes captured during the tailoring process are immediately reflected in the Directory table (if possible within the given target tree). If the Directory table cannot be used to reproduce the change, a Custom Action of Type 35 will be used (as fallback to the well-known behavior in RayPack 1.1).

Automatic exclusion of user-folder changes [RPK-426]

Version 1.2 will deselect any directory change that resolves to the current user location. This modification intends to avoid the capturing of irrelevant background changes done by the Windows Installer wizard. Of course, you can include these changes by simply selecting the right checkbox.

Additionally, new buttons were added to quickly include/exclude all captured changes.

Other changes

The default MST path is now automatically generated (by default, transforms are saved in the Projects folder with the same name as the original MSI) [RPK-40]

General stability and performance improvements [RPK-426]

17What's new? 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2 Resolved issues and performance optimization

RayPack 1.2 resolves several issues and suggestions we gathered since the release of previous version 1.2. Below is the list of most notable changes:

Various improvements to the merge modules import [RPK-349] 

Improved parsing of shortcuts from RCP file [RPK-112]

Improved validation of environment variables in Visual Designer [RPK-62]

Improved registry import/export from RCP/RPP [RPK-277]

Improved INI files import and edit procedures (empty sections, keys, values) [RPK-267]

Improved INI file handling [RPK-84]

Activation of trigger for editing a custom action from the sequencing view [RPK-207]

Fixed building of administrative images [RPK-370]

Fixed problems with reflecting changes to the RPModuleSignature table [RPK-158]

Fixed issues with handling of feature options [RPK-89]

SQL Script wizard sometimes failed if the table was RPSqlDatabase was already present [RPK-54]

Empty Media table when generating MSI from empty RPP file [RPK-47]

Missing sources when saving as MST [RPK-69]

Unable to save project if its files are blocked or read-only [RPK-70]

Missing relations between the arguments of the CustomAction dialog and the OK/APPLY/CANCEL buttons [RPK-88]

Administrator options do not load default values  [RPK-109]

RPP validation enabled [RPK-134]

Could not build projects having long (256+ characters) paths [RPK-138]

Unpacking CAB files could crash if the file path was long (256+ characters) [RPK-142]

Merging a merge module does not report merging errors [RPK-166]

Not functional copy & paste shortcuts in table view [RPK-246]

Fixed: after merging a module, its components appeared as unassigned [RPK-342]

Dirty flag for RCP project [RPK-18]

Unique product codes in repackaged applications [RPK-8]

Rare crashes when pressing F1 [RPK-52]

Stability improvements [RPK-2]

More detailed messages when saving the MST [RPK-36]

18What's new? 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2

By default, environment variables are appended (not replaced) [RPK-61]

Before building the project, all file source paths are checked [RPK-177]

19Migration 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2

Migration

Migration from version 1.1

No special steps have to be performed in order to migrate. Starting the installation via the provided MSI will automatically upgrade RayPack to the newest version. If you experience abnormal symptoms (like program not starting, missing features etc.) please try to perform the clean installation (see Troubleshooting).

Migration from version 1.0

The licensing system in RayPack 1.2 is far more flexible, allowing tailoring your license to actual business needs. Therefore, all licenses generated for version 1.0 have to be reactivated again. Please make sure that you delete all *.license files from the installation folder (default C:\Program Files (x86)\RayPack) and then simply start RayPack or contact our support in order to get a new license.

Of course all order numbers generated for the version 1.0 are still valid and were automatically converted to the new edition.

Additionally, in release 1.2 we improved the settings and packaging environment by merging the templates for the new MSI (RPP) and repackaged projects (RCP). For the best experience it is recommended to clear the old profiles folder on the machine affected by the upgrade. The old profiles are located in %AppData%\RayPack folder.

If you already had a highly customized profile, please contact our support, we will be happy to assist you on migration.

Troubleshooting

If you experience abnormal symptoms (like program not starting, missing features etc.) after the upgrade, we highly recommend to perform the clean installation of RayPack 1.2. In order to do that, please perform the following steps:

1) Locate your product order number. If you can't find it, contact our support.

2) Make a backup of your license file (by default installed to C:\Program Files (x86)\RayPack\*.license)

3) Uninstall the previous version of RayPack

4) Delete content of the installation folder (by default C:\Program Files (x86)\RayPack)

5) Install RayPack 1.2. 

6) Start the main program to re-activate RayPack again.

If the issues are not resolved after performing the steps described above, the following steps will revert the profile to the original state:

7) Close RayPack

8) Backup and then remove the content of the following folders:

20Migration 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2

%AppData%\RayPack

AppData\Local\Raynet

9) Start RayPack again.

If the procedures given above did not resolve the issue, please contact our support.

21System Requirements 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2

System Requirements

Hardware Requirements for Devices Running RayPack

This section lists the minimal hardware requirements for running RayPack. Minimal 

Screen resolution: 1024 x 768 pixels

Color settings: 16 bit 

RAM: 2GB

Disk space: 10GB

Recommended 

Screen resolution: 1280 x 1024 pixels

Color settings: 32 bit

RAM: 4GB or higher

Disk space: 100GB or more

Note: The installation of the RayPack framework itself requires about 100MB of disk space. The amount of additional space needed depends on the volume of your packaging material and the location of the data store.

22System Requirements 

Release Notes RayPack 1.2 Supported OS for RayPack Framework Installations

The following operating systems are supported for the installation and running of RayPack.

Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 x64

Windows 8

Windows 8 x64

Windows 7

Windows 7 x64

Windows Vista

Windows Vista x64

Windows XP Professional SP3

Windows 2012 R2 Server

Windows 2012 Server

Windows 2008 R2 Server

Windows 2008 Server SP1-SP2

Windows 2008 Server x64 SP1-SP2

Windows 2003 R2 Server

Windows 2003 R2 Server x64

Windows 2003 Server SP2

Note: Packages generated with RayPack have their own, individual set of target OS. The list above is not designed to display which target OS are reachable by RayPack packages.

Prerequisite Software

.NET 4.0 Client & Full for Windows XP up to Windows 7 systems (both 32bit and 64bit)

Visual C++ Runtime 10.0 Redistributable (32- or 64- bit, depending on the target platform).

As a packaging best practice, it is recommended to install available .NET versions onto the base instead of including it within a package.

The VC++ redistributables are automatically deployed to the local installation folder during installation of RayPack, eliminating a need of manual installation.

Virtualization pack prerequisites

In order to create SWV packages, the Symantec Workspace Virtualization Agent 7.5 has to be installed on the packaging machine.