Tuesday, April 10, 2018

The unofficial way to install Apps and Packages in Your Trailhead Playground

There is a Trailhead module called Trailhead Playground Management that includes a unit on Install[ing] Apps and Packages in Your Trailhead Playground. This is an important step in many other modules and day to day Salesforce work. You need to be able to install an App/Package into a target org so you can use its features.

The unit goes into the steps in some detail and focuses on being accessible to those just starting out with Salesforce.

Above is a quiz question from the Trailhead Playground Management module. It's technically correct as per the instructions in that module, but I don't think it is the best approach and from what I've seen is a common source of confusion.

I'd like to present an alternative approach. It might not be as accessible, but it does bypass a number of steps that can lead to further complications. So, without any more fanfare I present the Deployment Fish approved way of installing packages and apps into a Salesforce Org.

The URL Hack Manipulation Maneuver

The steps are as follows:

  1. Obtain the package installation URL.
  2. Copy everything from that URL except for the domain
  3. Log into the org where you want to install the package
  4. Paste the content copied from Step 2 after the domain.
  5. Follow the remaining prompts.

Let us try this as a worked example using the Install the DreamHouse app package from the Trailhead unit

  1. Obtain the package installation URL:
    Just right click on the package link and Copy Link Address. The approach will vary based on the browser, but there should be a fairly simple way to extract the link.
    https://login.salesforce.com/packaging/installPackage.apexp?p0=04tB00000009UeX
  2. Copy everything from that URL except for the domain:
    /packaging/installPackage.apexp?p0=04tB00000009UeX
    The ID with the 04t keyprefix is the important part here. That identifies what package/app you are installing.
  3. Log into the org/playground where you want to install the package
  4. Paste the content copied from Step 2 after the domain.
    URL before: https://curious-raccoon-286917-dev-ed.lightning.force.com/one/one.app#/home
    URL after: https://curious-raccoon-286917-dev-ed.lightning.force.com/packaging/installPackage.apexp?p0=04tB00000009UeX
  5. Follow the remaining prompts.

AppExchange packages

A similar technique can be used with the AppExchange. The only catch here is they make it a bit harder to get the package version id. Lets use the Salesforce Adoption Dashboards as an example app.

  1. From the app listing, press "Get It Now".
  2. You may need to login to the AppExchange. It doesn't matter what account you log in with at this step.
  3. On the "Where do you want to install this package?" select either the "Install in Production" or "Install in Sandbox" buttons. It shouldn't matter.
  4. Move past the Confirm Installation Details page and press "Confirm and Install"
  5. You will end up at a login page. DO NOT LOGIN HERE!
    Look closely at the URL. You will see the package version ID.
    In my case it was https://login.salesforce.com/?startURL=%2Fpackaging%2FinstallPackage.apexp%3Fp0%3D04t410000009jsfAAA%26newUI%3D1%26src%3Du
  6. Append that ID to /packaging/installPackage.apexp?p0= on your actual target org as you did in step 4 of the URL Manipulation Maneuver.
    /packaging/installPackage.apexp?p0=04t410000009jsfAAA

These steps may look complicated at first, but in reality it is a small cut-and-paste job to find the package version Id. Once you have the Id the rest of the process becomes much simpler. You could even look at automating the process using the SalesforceDX CLI.

The real benefit is for those that routinely work between multiple orgs. It provides more certainty that you are installing in the org you intended to. Plus you don't even need to figure out your Trailhead playgrounds authentication details.