Packaging and Unpacking Commerce Server Sites through PUP Package
Introduction
Commerce server provides PUP.exe to automate the process of packing and un-packing a commerce site. Tool has its existence from the days of Site Server. Complete Meta data of a commerce site is managed by pup package. Using the pup package in GUI mode is straight forward and it's quite simple. Every commerce server engagement demands for an automated process to pack and un-pack a commerce server site in an unattended mode. I tried the same in one of my commerce server engagement and tried pup.exe to automate the above process. I faced many hurdles while automating the process and got good support from Commerce Server PSS team in overcoming the hurdles. I would like to share my learning's in this article.
Configuration files
PUP package can be executed in un-attended / silent mode through a configuration file. Configuration file has complete information about the site to be unpacked. The configuration file doesn't play any role in the process of packing the site.PUP.exe packs the entire site content configured in commerce server manager. Profile resource is driven through an additional configuration file which has the information about the profile schema and profile SQL definition. Following are the list of configuration files expected by pup.exe to run in unattended mode.
File Name | Comment | |
Site Configuration file | Used only in the process of unpacking a site and instructs pup.exe with the information about the site resources to be unpacked. Configuration file should adhere to the format identified by the packaging tool and the same will be discussed later in the article. | |
BizData.ini – Profile specific configuration file | Used to provide information specific to the profiles (Global resource). Configuration file contains information's like profile schema definition, SQL schema definition, Site Terms definition xml etc. To achieve un-attended process we need to place this file in the commerce server installation directory (C:\Program Files\Microsoft Commerce Server 2007) and in the executing directory of pup.exe . Pup package tries to locate the profile information from this file and expects the file to be in the directories. If the file is not available, pup.exe pops up a UI to locate the same. | |
Site Configuration File
Site configuration file instructs the packager about the resources and applications needs to be unpacked. Following configuration file can be used to unpack the EmpySite in command line. The same file can be modified to unpack any commerce site through command line. Connection strings specified in the below configuration should be in the same format. PUP.exe expects the connection string only in that format.
[General]
SiteName=GameServiceSetup1
Description=Silent CSharpSite Install with Windows Authentication
NumOfResources= 7
NumOfApplications= 5
Resource0=Product Catalog
Resource1=Transactions
Resource2=Transaction Config
Resource3=Biz Data Service
Resource4=Site CS Authentication
Resource5=Marketing
Resource6=Inventory
Application0=CatalogWebService
Application1=CSharpSite
Application2=MarketingWebService
Application3=OrdersWebService
Application4=ProfilesWebService
NumOfConnStrs= 7
[ConnStrs]
ConnStrResourceName0=Product Catalog
ConnStrPropertyName0=connstr_db_Catalog
ConnStrFriendlyResourceName0=Product Catalog
ConnStrFriendlyPropertyName0=connstr_db_Catalog
ConnStrValue0=Provider=SQLOLEDB;Persist Security Info=False;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=CSharpSite_ProductCatalog;Data Source=localhost;
ConnStrResourceName1=Transactions
ConnStrPropertyName1=connstr_db_Transactions
ConnStrFriendlyResourceName1=Transactions
ConnStrFriendlyPropertyName1=connstr_db_Transactions
ConnStrValue1=Provider=SQLOLEDB;Persist Security Info=False;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=CSharpSite_Transactions;Data Source=localhost;
ConnStrResourceName2=Transaction Config
ConnStrPropertyName2=connstr_db_TransactionConfig
ConnStrFriendlyResourceName2=Transaction Config
ConnStrFriendlyPropertyName2=connstr_db_TransactionConfig
ConnStrValue2=Provider=SQLOLEDB;Persist Security Info=False;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=CSharpSite_Transactionconfig;Data Source=localhost;
ConnStrResourceName3=Biz Data Service
ConnStrPropertyName3=connstr_db_bds
ConnStrFriendlyResourceName3=Profiles
ConnStrFriendlyPropertyName3=connstr_db_bds
ConnStrValue3=Provider=SQLOLEDB;Persist Security Info=False;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=CSharpSite_Profiles;Data Source=localhost;
ConnStrResourceName4=Marketing
ConnStrPropertyName4=connstr_db_Marketing
ConnStrFriendlyResourceName4=Marketing
ConnStrFriendlyPropertyName4=connstr_db_Marketing
ConnStrValue4=Provider=SQLOLEDB;Persist Security Info=False;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=CSharpSite_Marketing;Data Source=localhost;
ConnStrResourceName5=Inventory
ConnStrPropertyName5=connstr_db_inventory
ConnStrFriendlyResourceName5=Inventory
ConnStrFriendlyPropertyName5=connstr_db_inventory
ConnStrValue5=Provider=SQLOLEDB;Persist Security Info=False;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=CSharpSite_ProductCatalog;Data Source=localhost;
ConnStrResourceName6=Marketing
ConnStrPropertyName6=connstr_db_Lists
ConnStrFriendlyResourceName6=Marketing
ConnStrFriendlyPropertyName6=connstr_db_Lists
ConnStrValue6=Provider=SQLOLEDB;Persist Security Info=False;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=CSharpSite_Marketing_Lists;Data Source=localhost;
[Product Catalog]
ResourceFlags=2
PupFlags=1
ProgidPUP=Commerce.CatalogPUP
ResourceType=Catalog
FriendlyName=Product Catalog
[Transactions]
ResourceFlags=2
PupFlags=1
ProgidPUP=Commerce.OrdersPup
ResourceType=Transactions
FriendlyName=Transactions
[Transaction Config]
ResourceFlags=2
PupFlags=1
ProgidPUP=Commerce.OrdersPup
ResourceType=TransactionConfig
FriendlyName=Transaction Config
[Biz Data Service]
ResourceFlags=7
PupFlags=1
ProgidPUP=Commerce.UPMPuP
ResourceType=BizDataStore
FriendlyName=Profiles
GlobalResourceName= (Add new global resource)
[Site CS Authentication]
ResourceFlags=3
PupFlags=1
ProgidPUP=Commerce.AuthPuP
ResourceType=AuthManager
FriendlyName=CS Authentication
GlobalResourceName= (Add new global resource)
[Inventory]
ResourceFlags=2
PupFlags=1
ProgidPUP=Commerce.CatalogPUP
ResourceType=Inventory
FriendlyName=Inventory
[Marketing]
ResourceFlags=2
PupFlags=1
ProgidPUP=Commerce.MarketingPup
ResourceType=Marketing
FriendlyName=Marketing
[CatalogWebService]
ResourceFlags=5130
PupFlags=1
ProgidPUP=Commerce.AddressPuP
ResourceType=Address
FriendlyName=Address
AccessFlags=513
AuthFlags=4
AppIsolated=0
AspCodePage=0
VRoot=CatalogWebService
CSAppName=CatalogWebService
Website=Default Web Site
Machine=localhost
[CSharpSite]
ResourceFlags=10
PupFlags=1
ProgidPUP=Commerce.AddressPuP
ResourceType=Address
FriendlyName=Address
AccessFlags=513
AuthFlags=7
AppIsolated=0
AspCodePage=0
VRoot=CSharpSite
CSAppName=CSharpSite
Website=Default Web Site
Machine=localhost
[MarketingWebService]
ResourceFlags=9226
PupFlags=1
ProgidPUP=Commerce.AddressPuP
ResourceType=Address
FriendlyName=Address
AccessFlags=513
AuthFlags=4
AppIsolated=0
AspCodePage=0
VRoot=MarketingWebService
CSAppName=MarketingWebService
Website=Default Web Site
Machine=localhost
[OrdersWebService]
ResourceFlags=3082
PupFlags=1
ProgidPUP=Commerce.AddressPuP
ResourceType=Address
FriendlyName=Address
AccessFlags=513
AuthFlags=4
AppIsolated=0
AspCodePage=0
VRoot=OrdersWebService
CSAppName=OrdersWebService
Website=Default Web Site
Machine=localhost
[ProfilesWebService]
ResourceFlags=17418
PupFlags=1
ProgidPUP=Commerce.AddressPuP
ResourceType=Address
FriendlyName=Address
AccessFlags=513
AuthFlags=4
AppIsolated=0
AspCodePage=0
VRoot=ProfilesWebService
CSAppName=ProfilesWebService
Website=Default Web Site
Machine=localhost
BizData.ini – Profile specific configuration file
This file needs to be placed in the commerce server installation directory and in the executing directory of pup.exe.
[BizDataSchema]
catalogSchema=catalogSchema.sql
expressionSchema=es_create.sql
expressionSprocs=es_stored_procs.sql
profileDefs=ProfileSQL_Starter.xml
siteTermDefs=SiteTerms.xml
expressionDefs=ExpressionDefinition.xml
[BizDataStoreFlags]
IsSilentMode=True
[UPM_SQLSource.SQLSource]
IsBizDataStore=True
ProviderString=SQLOLEDB.1;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=StarterSite_Profiles;Data Source=localhost;
schemaDefs=ProfileSQL_Starter.sql
dataDefs=
PUP Log File
Pup.exe creates a log file named pup.log in C drive and logs information to the file during the process of packing and unpacking a commerce site. The information in the file will be of great use for troubleshooting.
Packing a commerce site
Following command should be used to pack a commerce site in command prompt. Execute the below command in Commerce Server Command prompt.
PUP.exe /p /f:<valid siten ame>/i:Config.ini /s:<SiteName>
Config.ini is of no use in the process of packing a commerce site. Pup.exe packs the entire site content. If we are not using the /i: parameter, pup.exe will pop up the UI. To make the packing process silent, we need to use /i: option J
Unpacking a Commerce Site
Following command should be used to un-pack a commerce site in command prompt. Execute the below command in Commerce Server Tools Command prompt.
PUP.exe /u /f:<pup package path> /i:<Full path of the configuration file>/s:<New Site Name>
Sample Automation Tool
I have created a sample automation tool to automate the process of packing and unpacking commerce site. The Batch file takes parameters needed by pup.exe and calls the pup.exe with appropriate parameters. Following are the details about the tool. Automation tool has the configuration file in the Master Template folder with needed place holders. For every environment I have created a separated folder (Test, Staging etc) which contains the following files.
File Name |
Comments |
FindAndReplace.exe |
.Net console app used to do replacement in the configuration file based on the parameters passed. Can be replaced with some dos commands J |
InsallCommerce.bat |
Unpacks a commerce site. Takes site name as a parameter. Other parameters like pup package file path are hard coded in the batch file. Can be parameterized based on the requirement. Bat file does the following tasks.
Currently the tool unpacks empty.pup and can be modified to unpack any valid commerce server sites. |
PackCommerce.bat |
Takes existing commerce server site name as parameter and packs the site through pup.exe |
Using Automation Tool
- Download PUP Automation.zip .
- Extract the file content to a directory.
- Exaction process will create the following directories.
- Master Template &
- Test
- Use Commerce Server Tools prompt to execute installcommerce.bat with site name as parameter. (Batch file is located in the test directory).
- Above command will a new commerce site using empty.pup.
Packaging tool limitation
PUP.exe cannot be used to unpack a commerce server site in silent mode which has AD integration in profiles. The same is supported in GUI mode. It's a limitation in the tool.
Conclusion
PUP.exe is the not recommended way to deploy commerce sites in production environment. We need to use staging for the same. This can be used only to setup the initial site and further updates should be done through staging. To set-up the base commerce site pup package is the only option and can be automated with the command line options. Development stage of commerce server engagement demands for the above automation. The above process should be used only in the stage of development.