Application packaging during development

Application packaging is performed in three stages during the development process: unencrypted packaging, test encryption packaging, and production encryption packaging. In addition, you can split a package into multiple subset packages, which can then be burned to multiple discs.

This topic describes the following:

Test encrypted packaging

By default, makepkg pack creates a package with test encryption. This allows testing for performance. We recommend that you deploy and test packaging by using test encryption.

To create a package with test encryption, call makepkg pack as follows.

MakePkg.exe pack /f <Mapfile> /d <LooseContentDir> /pd <OutputFolder>  

Creating encrypted packaging for production

To create a package for your final submission, use the same packaging command as the one used to create a test package, but with the /l flag.

MakePkg.exe pack /f <Mapfile> /d <LooseContentDir> /pd <OutputFolder> /l  

Tip: For Xbox console packages: Use makepkg /lk to test and submit the same package! See the encryption section for more information on the available package encryption methods offered by makepkg.

Splitting a package

The splitpkg.exe tool allows you to split a package into one or more subset packages, according to a subset XML file. You can then burn these subset packages onto separate discs. This is especially useful if your game is very large and can't fit onto a single disc.

splitpkg split /f <SubsetFile> /p <SourcePackage> /pd <OutputFolder>  

See also

White Paper: Title Packaging and Streaming Installation Testing (Developer Education Materials > All NDA Whitepapers)