Creating Packages – Sandbox? Virtual Machine?

[dead2sin]

Hey guys, I’ve been looking into a method for making packages where I could create a package, upload it to a server and then go back to before I created the package to create another one.

Basically, I’m looking for VMware-like VM snapshot functionality.

How do you guys handle making packages? I’ve currently been using composer to make packages, then reimaging the machine and making other packages. I basically want to keep the system clean so that I don’t have any random issues with the packages I create.

I REALLY wish I could run OS X in a virtual machine, but I know Apple doesn’t allow this in their ToS, so I thought I’d ask how everyone here handles this.

Thanks,

Nate

[thisgarryhas2rs]

That is what I do. Make package. Reimage machine. Make package. Reimage machine. I know InstallEase has an option to make an uninstaller but haven’t tried/trusted that way yet.

[Rusty Myers]

I’ve partitioned my drive in three, one for package creation, one for package testing, one images. I start by making an image of the first partition, then I clone that to the other two partitions. Finally, I copy the disk images to the third partition. So I can build images on partition 1, test on partition 2, then boot into partition 3 to image partition one and two. Works, but a pain in the rear. I would really, really, really like to be able to virtualize the OS. Would make it so much simpler!
Rusty

[Patrick Fergus]

As long as you’re making small packages (CS packaging need not apply) diskless NetBoot would be an option. I use that to make any packages (FileWave FileSets in our case) that are less than 50MB.

Of course, when interactions with other installed software is of paramount importance, this won’t work. But it does work for a lot of smaller packages.

– Patrick

[dead2sin]

I was looking into using a 10.5 Server in a virtual machine to build packages. Would this be a problem? I know there are slight differences in the OS (otherwise they are virtually identical other then the server pieces themselves).

Nate

[Patrick Fergus]

You’d probably be OK using a VM of Leopard Server–most software doesn’t care if it’s installed on a server or client version of OS X. There might be some software that does care–I guess it’s your tolerance for building on one OS (Leopard Server) and deploying on another (Leopard Client).

– Patrick

[dead2sin]

Yea. Well, they are not all that different. Heck, Server gets iTunes just like the client does (which I still don’t get…) I will have to try it out and see if it works or not.

Nate

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