Editing contents of a WSP (SharePoint)

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 would not allow it to be deployed (which is a good thing !)

My thinking was to just ‘remove’ 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 way to simply modify 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 – these don’t work :

• 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 could 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

——————–

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 could 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”

——————–

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 – and Options

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

NEXT – switch to the Options tab >

• 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 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 !