Package file format in Software Installation Toolkit

A package (PKG) file is a text file containing statements that define the information required by the installation (SIS) file creation utility, MakeSIS.

The PKG file format, which is described in modified BNF notation, can be broken down into the following items:

The same list with further details:

Item/Statement	Description	Example
languages	List of languages provided by the SIS file. The supported languages and their abbreviations are defined in the language code table.	`&EN,FR`
package-header	Component name, UID, major version, minor version, build number and options	`#{"MyApp-EN", "MyApp-FR"}, (0x1000001F), 1, 2, 3, TYPE=SA`
vendor	Localised vendor names Non-localised vendor names	`%{"Vendor-EN", ..., "Vendor-FR"}` `:"Unique vendor name"`
logo	Defines the logo using file, MIME-type, and optional target	`="logo.jpg","image/jpeg","target.jpg"`
[package-signature]	Private key file and associated certificates used for signature. Note that this is deprecated from v9.1 onwards.	`*"files\private.key","files\cert.cer"`
package-body	Comments - are ignored by SIS creation tool condition-block - controls which parts of the SIS file are skipped options-list - to display a list of options to the user install-file - describes which files to install to which destination embedded-sis - to include a SIS file within a SIS file	`; this is a comment` `IF (some_condition) ... package-body ... ENDIF` `!({"Add-on 1 (20KB)"},{"Add-on 2 (75KB)"})` `"files\myFile.txt"-"!:\Documents\myFile.txt";` `@"depend.sis",(0x10000002)`
dependency	dependency on another component not embedded in the SIS file (UID contained in round brackets) dependency on specific target hardware/UI platform (UID contained in square brackets)	`(0x10000003), 2, 2, 3, {"Depend-EN", "Depend-FR"}` `[0x101F61CE], , , *, {"UIQ21ProductID"}`
properties	Defines the properties of the package	`+(0=1,1=2,3=-1)`

All PKG and text files parsed by makesis may be in either UTF8 or UNICODE format. UTF8 text is converted to UNICODE when creating a UNICODE SIS file. Both little-endian and big-endian UNICODE files may be used; automatic conversion is performed by makesis as appropriate.

Characters may be included within strings using an escape syntax. The following examples from a package-header add a "™" symbol to the end of the application name (for decimal and hexadecimal respectively):

#{"MyApp"<153>}, ... #{"MyApp"<0x99>}, ...

A numeric character code should be specified outside any double quotes and enclosed by "<" and ">" characters.

Each PKG item/statement may be spread over multiple lines if desired.

For example PKG files see: