Introducing InterSystems ObjectScript Package Manager

Hi Developers!

Often when we develop some library, tool, package, whatever on InterSystems ObjectScript we have a question, how we deploy this package on the target machine?

Also, we often expect that some other libraries already installed, so our package depends on them, and often on some particular version of it.

When you code on javascript, python, etc the role of packages deployment with dependency management takes package manager.

So, I'm pleased to announce that InterSystems ObjectScript Package Manager available!

CAUTION!

Official Disclaimer.

InterSystems ObjectScript Package Manager server situated on pm.community.intersystems.com and InterSystems ObjectScript Package Manager client installable from pm.community.intersystems.com or from Github are not supported by InterSystems Corporation and are presented as-is under MIT License. Use it, develop it, contribute to it on your own risk.

How does it work?

InterSystems ObjectScript Package Manager consists of two parts. There is a Package Manager server which hosts ObjectScript packages and exposes API for ZPM clients to deploy and list packages. Today we have a Developers Community Package Manager server available at pm.community.intersystems.com. 

You can install any package into InterSystems IRIS via ZPM client installed first into IRIS system.

How to use InterSystems Package Manager?

1. Check the list of available packages

Open https://pm.community.intersystems.com/packages/-/all to see the list of currently available packages. 

[{"name":"analyzethis","versions":["1.1.1"]},{"name":"deepseebuttons","versions":["0.1.7"]},{"name":"dsw","versions":["2.1.35"]},{"name":"holefoods","versions":["0.1.0"]},{"name":"isc-dev","versions":["1.2.0"]},{"name":"mdx2json","versions":["2.2.0"]},{"name":"objectscript","versions":["1.0.0"]},{"name":"pivotsubscriptions","versions":["0.0.3"]},{"name":"restforms","versions":["1.6.1"]},{"name":"thirdpartychartportlets","versions":["0.0.1"]},{"name":"webterminal","versions":["4.8.3"]},{"name":"zpm","versions":["0.0.6"]}]

Every package has the name and the version.

If you want to install one on InterSystems IRIS you need to have InterSystems ObjectScript Package Manager Client aka ZPM client installed first.

2. Install Package Manager client

Get the release of the ZPM client from ZPM server: https://pm.community.intersystems.com/packages/zpm/latest/installer

It is ObjectScript package in XML, so it could be installed by importing into classes via Management Portal, or by terminal:

USER>Do $System.OBJ.Load("/yourpath/zpm.xml","ck")

once installed it can be called from any Namespace cause it installs itself in %SYS as Z-package.

3. Working with ZPM client

Zpm client has CLI interface. Call zpm in any  namespace like:

USER>zpm

zpm: USER>

Call help to see the list of all the available commands.

Check the list of currently available packages on ZPM server (pm.community.intersystems.com):

zpm: USER>repo -list-modules -n registry

deepseebuttons 0.1.7 dsw 2.1.35 holefoods 0.1.0 isc-dev 1.2.0 mdx2json 2.2.0 objectscript 1.0.0 pivotsubscriptions 0.0.3 restforms 1.6.1 thirdpartychartportlets 0.0.1 webterminal 4.8.3 zpm 0.0.6

Installing a Package

To install the package call

install package-name version

This will install the package with all the dependencies. You can omit version to get the latest package. Here is how to install the latest version of web terminal:

zpm: USER> install webterminal

How to know what is already installed?

Call list command:

zpm:USER> list

zpm 0.0.6

webterminal 4.8.3

Uninstall the Package

zpm: USER> uninstall webterminal

Supported InterSystems Data Platforms

Currently, ZPM supports InterSystems IRIS and InterSystems IRIS for Health.

I want my package to be listed on Package Manager

It's possible. The requirements are:

• Code should work in InterSystems IRIS
• You need to have module.xml in the root.

Module.xml is the file which describes the structure of the package and what is need to be set up on the deployment phase. Examples of module.xml could be very simple, e.g.

ObjectScript Example

Or relatively simple:

Samples BI (previously known as HoleFoods),

Web Terminal

Module with dependencies:

DeepSee Web expects MDX2JSON to be installed and this is how it described in module.xml:
DeepSeeWeb

If you want your application to be listed on the Community Package Manager comment in this post or DM me.

Collaboration and Support

ZPM server source code is not available at the moment and will be available soon.

ZPM client source code is available here and is currently supported by InterSystems Developers Community and is not supported by InterSystems Corporation. You are welcome to submit issues and pull requests.

Roadmap

The current roadmap is:

• introduce Open Exchange support,
• introduce the automation for package updating and uploading;
• open source ZPM server.

Stay tuned and develop your InterSystems ObjectScript packages on InterSystems IRIS!