NOTES CLIENT INSTALLATION AND UPGRADE
You can customize the supplied Notes install kit to add your own features and plug-ins to the install manifest and update site folder. This is ideal if the new feature is available when you are ready to install a Notes release and you want to install it when you install or upgrade to Notes.
For information, see the topic "Customizing Notes installation using the install manifest topic."
This is the feature and plug-in deployment method of choice and should be used in place of the traditional Eclipse update manager method mentioned in earlier Notes and Domino release documentation and still referenced in this guide.
This method is available for deploying new features and plug-ins to an existing Notes install and also to an Expeditor client that may not be running Notes, such as a client on which a stand-alone IBM® Lotus® Symphony™ deployment exists.
This method is not available for updating Notes features that were installed as part of the Notes installation program, specifically the install kit's install manifest or update site.
For information, see the topic "Deploying and managing client plug-ins with widgets and the widget catalog."
You can create an NSF-based update site using the supplied UPDATESITE.NTF template.
For information, see the topic "Creating and using an NSF-based update site."
You can use composite applications alone or with an NSF-based update site to install or update custom or third-party features.
For information, see the topic "Configuring component update for composite applications."
This method has been superseded by the widgets and the widget catalog method mentioned above.
For information, see the topic "Enabling user-initiated update."
You create an install manifest and update site folder containing the feature and plug-in JAR files for the new feature and SITE.XML. You can distribute the installer to deployers or users to perform their own installation, or you can install the new features for users who already have Notes installed.
For information, see the topic "Creating a traditional third-party installer."
You can determine which update sites a user can obtain features from using a variety of options including a server managed update site list, which can optionally be specified as the only site list from which the user can obtain updates.
For information, see the topics "Controlling feature install and update" and "Specifying available update sites."
Creating features and plug-ins
Regardless of how you make third-party or custom features and plug-ins available for IBM® Lotus® Notes® installation or update, you must first create or obtain the feature, create an install manifest to describe what is to be installed and place the new features and plug-in JAR files correctly in an update site directory along with a site index. Tools such as the IBM® Lotus® Expeditor integrated development environment (IDE) help automate the Eclipse™ feature development process for you.
You should also specify feature and plug-in security settings for signing, and can specify additional information such as a list of valid sites from which to obtain install and update information, and some security settings, using a PLUGIN_CUSTOMIZATION.INI file.
For information, see the topic "Creating custom or third-party features."
Signing features and plug-ins
Prior to making a new third-party or custom Eclipse-based feature available for Notes installation or update, you must correctly sign the feature. Once signed, you must also include signing information in the PLUGIN_CUSTOMIZATION.INI file that accompanies the install manifest.
For information, see the topic "Signing custom or third-party features and plug-ins."
Related topics