The PROPACK utility creates a procedure archive file with a manifest. The manifest file contains additional information about the files like vendor, version, and custom attributes. After creating an archive, it can be signed using the PROSIGN utility. Signed archives improve security because before use they allow the AVM to validate at run time that the r-code has not changed. If the signatures do not match, the AVM flags the mismatch and does not run the r-code.

Operating system Syntax
UNIX, Windows 
PROPACK [[--create | --update] --file=filename [options...] files...] |
	   [[--extract | --list] --file=filename [options...]]
Note: The PROPACK utility is based on the Java jar command. The actions and options are similar to the jar command operation modes and operation modifiers. For more information about jar, see the Java documentation.
action

Specifies the action to be taken on the archive.

Action Minimal action Description
--create -c Creates a new archive.
--extract -x Extracts the files from an archive.
--list -t Lists archive information and file contents.
--update -u Adds files to an archive.
option
All actions can take the following option:
Option Minimal option Description
--file=filename -f=filename Required. The name of an archive file with a .apl extension. You can add an archive to the PROPATH environment variable by specifying the absolute path name of the file or its path name relative to the current working directory.
--help -h Displays help.
--verbose -v

Directs PROPACK to display processing information.

The --create and --update actions take the following options:
Option Description
--attribute key=value Adds a custom attribute and value to the manifest file using a key=value pair.
--component-name=component-name Sets the Component-Name in the manifest file. The default is filename.apl.
files Required. Specifies the r-code files to add to the archive. This can identify files, directories, or both.
--os={all|unix|windows} Sets the Build-OS in the manifest file to one of the following:{all | unix | windows}. The default is all.
--signature={open|required} Sets the Signature-Policy in the manifest file to one of the following: {open | required}. The default is open.
--title string Sets the Implementation-Title in the manifest file. The default is filename.apl.
--validation {none|warn|fail} Sets the Validation-Policy in the manifest file to one of the following: {none | warn | fail}. The default is warn.
--vendor string Required. Sets the Implementation-Vendor in the manifest file.
--vendorid string Sets the Implementation-Vendor-ID in the manifest file. It is not included by default.
--version string Sets the Implementation-Version in the manifest file. The default is 0.0.0.0.
PROPACK processes options in the left-to-right order of their appearance on the command line. If an error occurs while executing the PROPACK command, PROPACK terminates. This behavior occurs so that the options specified later on the command line, which might depend on the failed option, do not execute.