Via Lars Fastrup, I ran into the SharePoint Solution Installer for SharePoint 2007.

The SharePoint Solution Installer includes the following features:

  • Support for all relevant operations:
    • Add solution to the SharePoint solution store.
    • Deploy solution to one or more web applications.
    • Upgrade solution.
    • Retract and remove solution.
  • Pre-install system check for the following conditions:
    • WSS V3 is installed.
    • MOSS 2007 is installed (This check can be disabled in config file),
    • User has permission to install solutions.
    • SharePoint database is online.
    • WSS Administration service is started.
    • WSS Timer service is started.
  • Implements a work around for the following error conditions:
    • Another solution deployment job never finished and is now blocking for the creation of a new job. Work-around: Delete old job from the list of Timer job defnitions.
    • Timer service is not started: An attempt is made to start it (please note that timer services on other front ends will not be started).
    • Database is offline, which will yield an ugly NullreferenceException from SharePoint offering little clue to the root cause of the problem. Work around: Detect NullreferenceException and display nice error message.
  • Display EULA. (Can be disabled in config file). 
  • Web application list where user can select the web apps. to deploy the solution to.
  • Rollback after installation errors.
  • Configurable Product Title.
  • Configurable banner image.
  • Configurable logo image.

SharePoint Solution Installer
Mart Muller
Mon, 26 Mar 2007 14:39:43 GMT