SharePoint wsp solution: How to Deploy Globally

Question

I have created a wsp package and add it to

Central Administration > Operations > Solution Management

using the addsolution command of stsadm. When I click on the Deploy Solution menu, it transfers me to deploy to the solution page. In this page, in the "Deploy To?" section, it shows me a dropdown list with entries like 'All Content web Applications'.

I want to deploy my solution globally so that it is applicable to all new web applications created after the deployment. I have seen WSPs for which "Deploy To?" section shows only a message like "This solution deploys globally" and no dropdown list.

Answer 1

"Globally deployed" only applies to WSP files that don't have web controls and web parts in them. These cannot be "Globally deployed", because the web.config of the web application you choose to deploy to is changed, ie entries are inserted in order to register your .dll's containing web controls and web parts.

Answer 2

I think you need to install it into the GAC - However here's a more informed answer:

C:>stsadm.exe -o deploysolution -name MossSolution.wsp -immediate -allowgacdeployment

this will deploy it globally. i will check some time later for allcontenturl. i have couple of batch files to deploy WSP files at some customers. i will check them to see again in which scenario we used allcontenturl. but my above reply about not specifying a URL is correct that in case when WSP contains only dll for GAC, you should not specify a URL.

from this thread on the social.msdn.microsoft.com forums