How to take advantage of WPI to distribute our software?

The Web Platform Installer has an o开发者_高级运维ption to load an external feed in order to present the user with more products

In what format should be that feed, what elements does it require?

and

How can we send and setup the database (like Umbraco does)?

P.S. Keep in mind that I do not want to submit the app to Microsoft, just use the feed

What you need is to create a custom feed/xml and add it through the options dialog.

I wrote a series of blogs on how to create custom Web PI feeds:

• Web PI Extensibility: Custom Feeds – Installing Custom Products
• Web PI Extensibility: Custom Feeds – Installing Custom Applications

Here is an example of a product and app that is distributed through a custom feed:

• Install SIR Web Application with Web PI

And here is how you can test whether your feed doesn't have any errors by plugging into Web PI APIs:

• Web PI APIs: Install a product from a custom feed