CubMakr enables us to generate custom .cub validation files via our web application, without the need for scripting knowledge or cub file creation knowledge.
We should use it to improve the standard of the MSI packages which we deliver to clients. It can be used to check for the existence of certain values (For example Properties, Registry, Custom Actions.....anything else), check that values don't exist (For example hard-coded paths, machine names etc) and also to check that values are of the correct format (For example ProductVersion is of the form major.minor.build etc).
To search for entries to validate, we can use multiple string comparison types such as:
- Starts
- Ends
- Contains
- Equals
- Regular Expression
Find out more about what it does in the introduction here: http://www.alkanesolutions.co.uk/2013/02/07/cubmakr-introduction/
Find the tool here: http://www.alkanesolutions.co.uk/content/cubmakr.aspx
Find some detection examples here to get you started: http://www.alkanesolutions.co.uk/2013/02/12/cubmakr-detection-examples/
At the moment, it enables us to add multiple validation rules and generate a cub file FOR THE CURRENT BROWSER SESSION only. Ultimately, I would like to save each cub file so that they can be re-loaded and amended (or re-generated) at a later date. Or even duplicated and tweaked for a newly acquired client! But we'll only implement this if people find the tool useful, and this will be based on the feedback we receive over at our blog or here on ITNinja.
Comments/Bug Reports/Feedback always welcome (good or...(cough) bad).
Thanks.
I should really get around to updating the content of those links too, since there have been updates to the tool in recent weeks:
1. Ability to save cub files online. These cub files are saved per customer and per project. This is handy if you work for a company offering packaging as a service to multiple clients. Because it now saves cub files, people will actually require logins. So registration is required.
2. Bug fixes to cub validation
3. Ability to edit cub rules, as opposed to deleting and re-creating them
I'm hoping to follow up with a video soon, so people can see how it works/what it does more clearly. - captain_planet 11 years ago
I've made a quick, informal screencast which gives an overview of what this tool does and how it works. You can see it here: http://www.alkanesolutions.co.uk/2013/09/06/cubmakr-video-demonstration/ - captain_planet 11 years ago