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1. Introduction

CEE The Checkmk extension packages (MKPs) can package functional extensions as well as those for the graphical user interface (GUI), i.e. dashboards, views or reports. The advantage with this feature is that in the commercial editions you can create such MKPs directly from the web interface, and no external files or tools are needed. Of course, the command line is also available for this purpose, also exclusively in the commercial editions.

The MKPs can then be shared internally with other users and Checkmk installations, and of course via the Checkmk Exchange. But even without the participation of the community or other sites, it can be useful to be able to package complex creations.

For example, if a dashboard is created using the Make this dashboard available for other users option, it will also be available to all or to selected users. If users delete their dashboards at some point, they are of course lost for everyone else — unless others have already made personal copies. This is why it makes sense for users with the appropriate rights to make dashboards available as an extension.

This also enables the versioning of dashboards — useful for problem-free updates.

The procedure for creating MKPs is identical for all types of GUI extensions, so we will limit ourselves to the dashboard example described below.

Prerequisite: Users need the Manage Extension Packages (MKPs) permission.

2. Web interface

2.1. Creating GUI-MKPs

Let’s start in the dashboard list under Customize > Visualization > Dashboards. If you have already created your own dashboard, you can work with that one. Otherwise, create a private copy of any built-in dashboard. In both cases, your starting point is a dashboard in the Customized section.

List of custom dashboards.

Via Icon for cloning elements. Clone this dashboard for packaging as extension package you create an extension from the dashboard, which will subsequently be listed in the Extensions section:

Lists of customized dashboards and dashboards managed as extensions.

From here, Icon leading to package management. Go to extension packages will take you to the extension package management. You can see your unpackaged extensions, or files, under Packages > List unpackaged files.

List of GUI extensions.

Via icon new mkp Create Package you can now create the package.

Settings dialog for a dashboard to be packaged.

In the package properties, at the bottom under Packaged files, add the GUI extension you have just created. Of course, this can also be multiple dashboards or other elements. Otherwise, the main thing you need to pay attention to is the correct version information. First, the package itself needs a version number. This must follow the guidelines explained in Semantic Versioning, for example 1.0.0. Secondly, you can specify the minimum and maximum supported Checkmk versions. Versioning is handy for Checkmk updates and distributed monitoring which includes sites with different Checkmk versions (see the MKP article for more information).

After packaging, your new packages will be listed on the extension packages home page — here in our example in two different versions, one activated, one deactivated:

Versioned and packaged extensions in the packages overview.

Under All packages (enabled or disabled) you now have the option to download the packages as MKP files.

2.2. Installing GUI-MKPs

The installation of packages is largely self-explanatory. First, upload the desired package via Icon for package upload. Upload package under Setup > Maintenance > Extension packages.

Upload extension packages selection menu in the MKP dashboard.

The package then ends up in the All packages (enabled or disabled) table again and from there can be activated via Icon to enable (install) extensions..

Uploaded, not activated package in package management.

3. Command line

3.1. Creating GUI-MKPs

As an alternative, you can also perform packaging from the command line. The procedure is exactly the same as packaging functional extensions, as described in detail in the MKP article, so only a shortened version is presented here:

  1. Create the dashboard.

  2. Switch to the command line as site user.

  3. List unpackaged files:
    mkp find

  4. Create the package configuration:
    mkp template mydashboard

  5. Edit the configuration in:
    ~/tmp/check_mk/mydashboard.manifest.temp

  6. Create the package with:
    mkp package tmp/check_mk/mydashboard.manifest.temp

  7. Package is saved as:
    /var/check_mk/packages_local/mydashboard-1.0.0.mkp

3.2. Installing GUI-MKPs

If you now want to install and activate such MKPs:

  1. Install:
    mkp add /tmp/mydashboard-1.0.0.mkp

  2. Activate:
    mkp enable mydashboard-1.0.0.mkp

For command references, a description of the MKP format, and other notes, see the MKP article.

CRE Note for users of the Raw Edition: Again, you can install GUI extensions just like all other MKPs. However, since the commercial editions contain some exclusive visual elements (such as dashlets), you might stumble across a message of the following type:
Dashlet type 'state_host' could not be found. Please remove it from your dashboard configuration.
In this case a single dashlet is missing, but the rest of the dashboard is still usable.

4. Files and directories

File path Description

~/local/lib/check_mk/gui/plugins/views

Depository for views cloned as extensions.

~/local/lib/check_mk/gui/plugins/reports

Storage location for reports cloned as extensions.

~/local/lib/check_mk/gui/plugins/dashboards

Location for dashboards cloned as extensions.

~/tmp/check_mk/mydashboard.manifest.temp

Configuration file to build the package.

~/var/check_mk/packages_local/

Location for installed MKPs.

~/local/share/check_mk/enabled_packages/

Location for activated MKPs.
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