step‐by‐step guide to creating and distributing a package in Umbraco 8 - FadiZahhar/umbraco8showandtell GitHub Wiki

Ensure you have:

• An Umbraco 8 project set up and running.
• Access to the project's file system and the Umbraco backoffice.
• Basic knowledge of Umbraco's structure and components.

---

1. Log in to the Umbraco backoffice.

2. Navigate to the Packages section.

3. Click on Created in the top-right corner.

4. Click the Create package button.

5. Fill in the package details:

   • Name: e.g., Custom Welcome Dashboard.
   • Version, Author, License, etc.

6. Under Package Contents, select the items you want to include:

   • Document Types, Data Types, Templates, Stylesheets, Scripts, Partial Views, etc.

7. Click Create to generate the package schema.

8. Click Download to download the package as a .zip file.([docs.umbraco.com][1], [docs.umbraco.com][2])

---

The downloaded .zip file contains:

• package.xml: Contains metadata and definitions of the included items.
• Folders for any included media or other assets.([docs.umbraco.com][2], [Umbraco][3], [docs.umbraco.com][1])

You can inspect and modify the package.xml if needed to fine-tune the package contents.

---

For broader distribution, especially if you plan to share your package via NuGet, follow these steps:([Umbraco][3])

1. Set Up a Class Library Project:

   • In Visual Studio, create a new Class Library (.NET Framework) project.
   • Add your custom code, views, and other assets to this project.([codeshare.co.uk][4], [Stack Overflow][5])

2. Organize the App_Plugins Folder:

   • Create an App_Plugins folder in your project.
   • Place your package's files (e.g., package.manifest, views, scripts) inside App_Plugins/YourPackageName/.

3. Edit the .csproj File:

   • Include the following properties within the <PropertyGroup>:([docs.umbraco.com][1])

     <PackageId>YourPackageName</PackageId>
     <Version>1.0.0</Version>
     <Authors>Your Name</Authors>
     <Company>Your Company</Company>
     <Description>Your package description.</Description>
     <PackageLicenseExpression>MIT</PackageLicenseExpression>
     <PackageProjectUrl>https://yourprojecturl.com</PackageProjectUrl>
     <RepositoryUrl>https://github.com/yourrepo</RepositoryUrl>
     <RepositoryType>git</RepositoryType>

   • Ensure that the App_Plugins folder is included in the package by adding:([docs.umbraco.com][2])

     <ItemGroup>
       <Content Include="App_Plugins\**\*.*" Pack="true" PackagePath="contentFiles\any\any\App_Plugins\" />
     </ItemGroup>

4. Build the NuGet Package:

   • Open the command prompt and navigate to your project directory.

   • Run:([Umbraco][6])

     nuget pack YourProject.csproj

   • This will generate a .nupkg file in the output directory.

---

• Via Umbraco Package Repository:

  • Log in to [Our Umbraco](https://our.umbraco.com/).
  • Navigate to the Packages section.
  • Click Create Package and upload your .zip file.

• Via NuGet:

  • Create an account on [NuGet.org](https://www.nuget.org/).
  • Upload your .nupkg file.
  • Once published, others can install your package using NuGet Package Manager.

---

Before distributing, test your package to ensure it installs and functions correctly:

1. Install the Package:

   • In a fresh Umbraco 8 project, install your package via the backoffice or NuGet.([docs.umbraco.com][2])

2. Verify Functionality:

   • Check that all included components (e.g., document types, templates, dashboards) are present and working as expected.

3. Check for Errors:

   • Monitor the logs for any installation errors or issues.