Editing contents of a WSP (SharePoint)

Editing contents of a WSP (SharePoint)

July 7, 2010

When deploying a new SharePoint feature for a trial upgrade 2010 environment, I was striking a problem with the contents of the WSP.

Inconsequential to this story, there was a system. Web. dll file within the WSP-And SharePoint 2010 wocould not allow it to be deployed (which is a good thing !)

 

My thinking was to just 'delete' the offending DLL from the WSP, and re-deploy.

WSP-> cab file

In case you were unaware, you can see the contents of the WSP by changing the file extension to cab.

You can then open the file like a zip file within Windows Explorer, or via WinRAR (my choice of zipper ).

Can't update Contents

But-and this is the annoying bit-you cannot change the contents of the cab file, and thus the contents of the WSP. for a file type that is vital to the operation of SharePoint 2010, there is no waySimplyModify the innards of a WSP file.

The preferred approach (?) Is to open the WSP within Visual Studio 2010-and/or visual Studio 2008 along with wspbuilder. but-that's not really a workable solution, when needing to do a 'quick' Update-or modify the contents within a server environment.

No, I'm not going to install Visual Studio on the server !!

The Problem

So-how do you do it ?? How do you delete a file from a WSP-and/or update the manifest. xml file?

From some fiddling, testing and trials-theseDon'tWork:

• Creating a new archive file within Windows Explorer-and changing to cab or WSP Extension
• Trying to delete or drag into an archive shown in Windows Explorer
• Creating a new archive with WinRAR-and/or dragging into a cab file using WinRAR
• Using makecab. EXE to create an archive via command line
• It's just too fiddly & difficult
• Need a DDF definition file to define the constructs-if needing to do more than one file (!)
• And, the help files from Microsoft (for makecab + cab SDK) have been dropped/yanked
• All other technical documentation in this area relates to MS-BUILD instead.
• Try a different zipping tool (7-zip), based on a recommendation from a work friend to create or edit cab
• Try yet another zipping tool (izarc)-after another work friend said that he 'd used it with success (?)

But-none of the above worked for me!

Aaarrrrgggghhhh !!

About the only way that I coshould think of-and supported by suggestions from other work colleagues-was to use wspbuilder and/or Visual Studio.

I'm staggered-and a little bit annoyed-that there is no decent tools for managing the contents WSP's-especially given the importance (Vitality !) For SharePoint 2010.

If anyone knows of any such tools-then let me know-please!

The solution:

I'm happy to report that there is one such zipper product (Tool) that allows you to create a CAB archive-and then rename TO BE A WSP-and problem solved!

It turns out I was sooo close to getting it sorted out-using izarc-there's a minor quirk which I'll explain in a moment-but it definitely works! Yay!

The steps involved to update the WSP are as follows:

1. Rename the WSP to cab
2. Extract all contents to a folder-using Windows Explorer, or WinZip, WinRAR, or whatever
3. Change the items you want, ie. manifest. xml and remove a DLL (in my case)
4. Create a new cab file with the updated contents, using izarc
5. Rename the newly created cab to WSP
6. Install to SharePoint

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NB. I'm using a WSP FOR THE SharePoint Reporting Services webparts-just as an example-rswebparts. WSP

As mentioned, the first steps are to rename the WSP to cab, and extract the contents to a folder.

You don't have to use izarc for this step; You cocould do using WinZip, or WinRAR-or even the default Windows Explorer.

 

Next-Go into the folder, and change whatever you need-such as DLL's or XML's, whatever.

For this example, I'm going to remove the language sets for De, es, FR, it (German, Spanish, French & Italian ).No reason-other than to 'invent' a change for this post-I don't have anything against the European Union-honest!

 

The next step is to create a new WSP-by re-cab 'ing these files-and here's the trick that caught me out.

You may be tempted to simply do CTRL-A-and then right-click> izarc> 'add to archive file'

But-This won't allow you do sub-folders-I don't know why !!

 

See...> !?!!?

 

Instead-the steps you need to do are these:

1. Open izarc as a 'program'
2. Create a new archive
3. Choose a cab file type
4. Add the files-and check the box for "subfolders"

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So-Let's give it a go:

• Click Start> lzarc
• Click new
• Give the new archive a name-eg. newrswebparts (can change it later)

 

The next window has two tabs-Selection-AndOptions

• Firstly select all the files you need for the new WSP-inSelectionTab
• I chose the folder and then did CTRL-A to select all the files needed

 

Next-switch toOptionsTab>

• Change the archive type to be "cab"
• Check the box for "include sub-Folders"
• Click OK

 

After half a milli-second, you'll have your new cab file.

• Can then click the big red "exit" button-as we're re done with lzarc.
• Switch back to Windows Explorer
• Re-name the newly created cab file-> WSP extension.

 

And-that's it!

Only took a few steps to create a new WSP file-with updated contents-without needing Visual Studio-or WSP builder!

Just remember that you might need to update your initial projects back in TFs, or Visual Studio anyway.

This is just for those emergency updates-or if you don't have the source code/project.

Very nice indeed-very easy-and extremely useful!

Resource: http://sharepointroot.com/2010/07/07/editing-contents-of-a-wsp-sharepoint/