## Summary How do I create packages? See https://chocolatey.org/docs/create-packages
If you are submitting packages to the community feed (https://chocolatey.org) always try to ensure you have read, understood and adhere to the create packages wiki link above.
Consider making this package an automatic package, for the best maintainability over time. Read up at https://chocolatey.org/docs/automatic-packages
Any executables you include in the package or download (but don't call install against using the built-in functions) will be automatically shimmed.
This means those executables will automatically be included on the path. Shim generation runs whether the package is self-contained or uses automation scripts.
By default, these are considered console applications.
If the application is a GUI, you should create an empty file next to the exe named 'name.exe.gui' e.g. 'bob.exe' would need a file named 'bob.exe.gui'. See https://chocolatey.org/docs/create-packages#how-do-i-set-up-shims-for-applications-that-have-a-gui
If you want to ignore the executable, create an empty file next to the exe named 'name.exe.ignore' e.g. 'bob.exe' would need a file named 'bob.exe.ignore'. See https://chocolatey.org/docs/create-packages#how-do-i-exclude-executables-from-getting-shims
If you have a self-contained package, you can remove the automation scripts entirely and just include the executables, they will automatically get shimmed, which puts them on the path. Ensure you have the legal right to distribute the application though. See https://chocolatey.org/docs/legal.
You should read up on the Shim Generation section to familiarize yourself on what to do with GUI applications and/or ignoring shims.
You have a powerful use of Chocolatey, as you are using PowerShell. So you can do just about anything you need. Choco has some very handy built-in functions that you can use, these are sometimes called the helpers.
https://chocolatey.org/docs/helpers-reference
A note about a couple:
Use the package parameters pattern - see https://chocolatey.org/docs/how-to-parse-package-parameters-argument
https://chocolatey.org/docs/how-to-mount-an-iso-in-chocolatey-package
Chocolatey makes a number of environment variables available (You can access any of these with $env:TheVariableNameBelow):
<id /> field in the nuspec (0.9.9+)<title /> field in the nuspec (0.10.1+)<version /> field in the nuspec (0.9.9+)C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\lib\packageName.The following are more advanced settings:
--package-parameters. (0.9.8.22+)Some environment variables are set based on options that are passed, configuration and/or features that are turned on:
--debug passed? If using the built-in PowerShell host, this is always true (but only logs debug messages to console if --debug was passed) (0.9.10+)--verbose passed? If using the built-in PowerShell host, this is always true (but only logs verbose messages to console if --verbose was passed). (0.9.10+)--force passed? (0.9.10+)-x86 passed? (CHECK)webRequestTimeoutSeconds (CHECK)commandExecutionTimeoutSeconds (CHECK)--use-system-powershell or the feature powershellHost (0.9.10+)--install-arguments-sensitive that are not logged anywhere. (0.10.1+ and licensed editions 1.6.0+)--package-parameters-senstivite that are not logged anywhere. (0.10.1+ and licensed editions 1.6.0+)The following are experimental or use not recommended:
--override-arguments being passed. (0.9.9+)--install-arguments being passed. (0.9.9+)--ignore-checksums passed or the feature checksumFiles turned off? (0.9.9.9+)--allow-empty-checksums passed or the feature allowEmptyChecksums turned on? (0.10.0+)--allow-empty-checksums-secure passed or the feature allowEmptyChecksumsSecure turned on? (0.10.0+)scriptsCheckLastExitCode turned on? (0.10.3+)--download-checksum passed? (0.10.0+)--download-checksum-type passed? (0.10.0+)--download-checksum-x64 passed? (0.10.0)+--download-checksum-type-x64 passed? (0.10.0)+Set-PowerShellExitCode (CHECK)proxy (0.9.9.9+)--skip-download-cache, --use-download-cache, or feature downloadCache (0.9.10+ and licensed editions 1.1.0+)proxyBypassList (0.10.4+)proxyBypassOnLocal (0.10.4+)http_proxy passthrough, or same as ChocolateyProxyLocation if explicitly set. (0.10.4+)https_proxy passthrough, or same as ChocolateyProxyLocation if explicitly set. (0.10.4+)no_proxy passthrough, or same as ChocolateyProxyBypassList if explicitly set. (0.10.4+)