First of all if you do not know what is this solution package then here is a simple classification : A solution package is a distribution package or a container that is use to install your custom SharePoint Server 2010 development work to the SharePoint Web servers.
In SharePoint 2010, user have many options to make and install solution packages for their custom development work, let me start with the most used method to make a solution package
1. Make Package by Visual Studio 2010 - Developers can build their SharePoint solutions in Visual Studio 2010 and produce .wsp files by by the automated build process. After you build your thing in VS 2010 by the SharePoint related templates available, you can just hit ctrl + F5. This will make a .wsp file and will also install it to the SharePoint server you are rising on.
Make a package – To Make a package in VS 2010, In Solution Explorer, click the machinate that you want to package. Then, on the Build menu, click Package.
Where is the .wsp – In Solution Explorer, click the Show All Files button. This shows all machinate items, including excluded and hidden items.Expand the bin node and
Expand the Debug or Release node to get your .wsp file.
Modify solution Package – When you make a SharePoint solution, Visual Studio adds the defaulting SharePoint Features (or items) to the solution package. Before final deployment, you can add and remove SharePoint machinate items and Features by the SharePoint package. To open Package Designer In your Solution Explorer, right-click Package and then click View Designer.
Use Add\Remove (>) or(<) button to add the items into the solution package.
In addition to select files for packaging, the Package designer allows you to set various properties for the deployment. Some of the properties that you can set are :
1. Name – It is a Required Property. The defaulting name of the package is set to ProjectName.
2. Reset WebServer – Discretionary. Select if you want to restart the Web server after the .wsp file is installed on the SharePoint server.
3. Deployment Server Type – This is a Required Field. By defaulting, the scope is set to ApplicationServer.
4. Items in the Solution – All SharePoint machinate items and Features that can be added to the package.
5. Items in the Package – Discretionary. All SharePoint items and Features that you want to install in your package.
After, VS 2010 lets see at other options to make a solution Package in SharePoint 2010.
2. Solution Package by By MSBuild – Using MSbuild you can build, clean, and validate a SharePoint package (.wsp) using command-line MSBuild tasks on a development computer. For this you need to Open a Visual Studio command prompt window -> Cd to your Project folder -> Type the command
“msbuild /t:Package ProjectName.csproj” to make a package for the machinate. ProjectName is a name for the solution Package.
Check it out:SharePoint Programming
How to make single wsp for multiple projects sharepoint 2010 solution?
We have multiple projects (4 projects) in single sharepoint 2010 solution. We want to make single wsp deployment for this. But when I right click on any machinate, it makes package means wsp on its own.
How to make single wsp for multiple projects sharepoint 2010 solution?
Is wsp builder which we are by for sharepoint 2007 machinate (works really fantastic) also works in sharepoint 2010?