Windows 10: What is MSIX?

GHacks · Nov 8, 2018

Windows users and administrators come into contact with different types of methods to deploy or install applications on devices running Windows: from MSI and click-one installers to App-V and APPX.

Microsoft unveiled MSIX recently, a new solution that it hopes will be the new standard going forward.

According to Microsoft, MSIX includes the best bits of all packaging solutions that are in use today in the Windows ecosystem.

MSIX provides a cross-platform, down level compliant, enterprise class installer with benefits ranging from existing LOB apps, distribution through the Microsoft Store, Store for Business, or other custom distribution methods.

But what is MSIX?

MSIX is an application packaging solution for Windows. At its core, an MSIX file is just a renamed zip archive that you can open in any compatible archiving software to see the content of the file or extract the data.

The benefits of MSIX

MSIX offers several advantages over current app packing solutions according to Microsoft:

Predictable and safe deployment.

Clean removal without leftovers.

Disk space optimization techniques such as single instance storage of files.

Managed by Windows (install, update, remove).

Differential updates support to minimize network usage.

Tamper protection.

Software updates are not centralized on Windows. While Windows Store apps do get updated through the Store, third-party software that is installed on the system is updated independently. It depends entirely on the developer if built-in updating is supported or if users or admins have to download and install updates manually on devices.

Some apps may include custom updating options that are built-in while others may not include any option to update the software directly.

MSIX hands over the updating process to the operating system which streamlines updating by making it more secure and reliable. The streamlining does remove control over the updating process from users, on the other hand.

The new format is also a replacement for existing container formats that allow developers to publish and distribute Win32 applications via Windows Store.

Microsoft revealed what is on the roadmap for MSIX going forward. Among the features mentioned are better integration with Intune and System Center ConfigMgr, and support for Win32 software that can't be converted using the Desktop App Converter at the time.

Support for MSIX will be included in the coming October 2018 Update for Windows 10. Microsoft released a preview version of the MSIX Packaging Tool on Windows Store that developers and users may download provided that they are in the Windows Insider Program and have a valid MSA alias.

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Brink · Nov 8, 2018

MSIX Packaging Tool (Preview) now available from Microsoft Store

We are happy to announce that MSIX Packaging Tool (Preview) is now available to from the Microsoft Store. MSIX Packaging Tool enables you to update your existing win32 application packages to the MSIX format. You can run your desktop installers through this tool and obtain an MSIX package that you can install on your machine and upload to the Microsoft Store (coming soon).

Prerequisites:

Participation in Windows Insider fast or slow rings

Minimum Windows 10 Build 17701 or later

Administrator privileges on your PC account

A valid MSA alias (to access the app from the Store)

To install MSIX Packaging Tool from Microsoft Store, go here, making sure you are logged in with the MSA that is used for your Windows Insider Program. Next, go to the product description page and click the Install icon to begin the installation.

Remember, this a preview and not all features are supported. Here is what you can expect to be able to do with this preview:

Package your favorite application(msi, exe, App-V 5.x and to MSIX format by launching the tool and selecting "Application package" icon.

Create a modification package for a newly created Application MSIX Package by launching the tool and selecting "Modification package" icon. More detail on modification packages coming shortly.

Open your MSIX package to view and edit its content/properties by navigating to "Open package editor" tab and browsing to the MSIX package and selecting open package.

Features not supported in the tool are currently greyed out. Here are some of highlighted missing features:

Some options in the Settings page, such as adding or removing VFS/VREG and defining a default save location.

Package Support Framework See [link] for more detail on how you can use Package Support Framework today.

Packaging on existing virtual machines. You can still install the Tool on a fresh VM but the tool cannot currently spawn off a conversion from a local machine to an existing VM.

Command Line Interface support

Conversion of App-V 4.6 SP3 packages

The app is automatically update from the Microsoft Store. More features will be available in August as we update the MSIX Packaging Tool (Preview).

How to file feedback:

Launch the MSIX Packaging Tool and select the Settings (gear) icon, then select Feedback. You will be redirected to Feedback Hub where you can file feedback for suggestions or problems and see other feedback items and upvote as necessary.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

When Packaging ClickOnce installers it is necessary to send a shortcut to desktop if the installer is not doing so already. In general, it is good practice to always remember to send a shortcut to desktop for the main app executable.

When creating modification packages, you need to declare the Package Name (Identity Name) of the parent application in the tool UI so that the tool sets the correct package dependency in the manifest of the modification package.

Declaring an installation location field in Package information page is optional but recommended. Make sure that this path matches the installation location of application Installer.

Performing the preparation steps in Prepare Computer page is optional but highly recommended.

Blog Credit: Peyman Zanjani, Program Manager, Microsoft
Click to expand...

Source: MSIX Packaging Tool

Download: MSIX Packaging Tool (Preview) app | Microsoft Store

Brink · Nov 8, 2018

MSIX support introduced in Windows 10 Insider Build 17682

We are excited to announce that starting with Build 17682, the Windows client platform supports MSIX! With this build, you can try many of the MSIX features we showed at BUILD. For example, you can package, bundle, encrypt and sign applications with our tools. In addition, you can distribute with auto updates through the Appinstaller file.

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This is only the first stage in our MSIX journey, and we are excited to share it with you early and to gather your feedback! In subsequent stages we are working to add Store support and richer tools, to give you the finest experience transitioning to MSIX, creating new MSIX apps and maintaining existing MSIX apps!

To create and package apps for client-side testing, you can now use the associated Windows SDK. Specifically, to create a MSIX package, use the MakeAppX Tool, which now supports MSIX!

To get instructions on running MakeAppx with MSIX, run this command: <makeappxLoc>\makeappx.exe /?

Here's a sample output:

Code:

Code:

<navigate to makeappx location>  .\makeappx.exe /? Microsoft (R) MakeAppx Tool Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft.  All rights reserved.   Usage: ------     MakeAppx <command> [options]   Valid commands: ---------------     pack        --  Create a new app package from files on disk     unpack      --  Extract an existing app package to files on disk     bundle      --  Create a new app bundle from files on disk     unbundle    --  Extract an existing app bundle to files on disk     encrypt     --  Encrypt an existing app package or bundle     decrypt     --  Decrypt an existing app package or bundle     convertCGM  --  Convert a source content group map (CGM) to the final content group map     build       --  Build packages using a packaging layout file   For help with a specific command, enter "MakeAppx <command> /?"     <navigate to makeappx location>  .\makeappx.exe bundle /? Microsoft (R) MakeAppx Tool Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft.  All rights reserved.   Usage: ------     MakeAppx bundle [options] /d <content directory> /p <output bundle name>     MakeAppx bundle [options] /f <mapping file> /p <output bundle name>     MakeAppx bundle [options] /d <content directory> /ep <encrypted output bundle name> /kf MyKeyFile.txt     MakeAppx bundle [options] /f <mapping file> /ep <encrypted output bundle name> /kt   Description: ------------     Creates an app bundle at <output bundle name> by adding all files from     either <content directory> (including subfolders) or a list of files within     <mapping file>.  If either source contains a bundle manifest, it will be     ignored.       Using /p will result in the bundle being unencrypted, while using /ep will     result in the bundle being encrypted. If you use /ep you must specify     either /kt or /kf.   Options: --------     /bv: Specifies the version number of the bundle being created. The version         must be in dotted-quad notation of four integers         <Major>.<Minor>.<Build>.<Revision> ranging from 0 to 65535 each. If the         /bv option is not specified or is set to 0.0.0.0, the bundle is created         using the current date-time formatted as the version:         <Year>.<Month-Day>.<Hour-Minute>.<Second-Millisecond>.     /mo: Generates a bundle manifest only, instead of a full bundle. Input         files must all be package manifests in XML format if this option is         specified.     /fb: Generates a fully sparse bundle where all packages are references to         packages that exist outside of the bundle file     /kf: Use this option to encrypt or decrypt the package or bundle using a         key file. This option cannot be combined with /kt.     /kt: Use this option to encrypt or decrypt the package or bundle using the         global test key. This option cannot be combined with /kf.     /o, /overwrite: Forces the output to overwrite any existing files with the         same name. By default, the user is asked whether to overwrite existing         files with the same name. You can't use this option with /no.     /no, /noOverwrite: Prevents the output from overwriting any existing files         with the same name. By default, the user is asked whether to overwrite         existing files with the same name. You can't use this option with /o.     /v, /verbose: Enables verbose output of messages to the console.     /?, /help: Displays this help text.   Examples: ---------     MakeAppx bundle /v /d "C:\My Files" /p MyBundle.msixbundle     MakeAppx bundle /v /o /bv 1.0.1.2096 /f MyMapping.txt /p MyBundle.msixbundle     MakeAppx bundle /v /o /bv 1.0.1.2096 /f MyMapping.txt /p MyBundle.msixbundle /fb     MakeAppx bundle /v /o /bv 1.0.1.2096 /f MyMapping.txt /ep MyBundle.emsixbundle /kf MyKeyFile.txt     MakeAppx bundle /v /o /bv 1.0.1.2096 /f MyMapping.txt /ep MyBundle.emsixbundle /kt       MakeAppx bundle /v /d "C:\My Files" /p MyBundle.appxbundle     MakeAppx bundle /v /o /bv 1.0.1.2096 /f MyMapping.txt /p MyBundle.appxbundle     MakeAppx bundle /v /o /bv 1.0.1.2096 /f MyMapping.txt /p MyBundle.appxbundle /fb     MakeAppx bundle /v /o /bv 1.0.1.2096 /f MyMapping.txt /ep MyBundle.eappxbundle /kf MyKeyFile.txt     MakeAppx bundle /v /o /bv 1.0.1.2096 /f MyMapping.txt /ep MyBundle.eappxbundle /kt   Format of mapping files: ------------------------     Mapping files must begin with a line containing the string "[Files]",     followed by lines describing the packages to add to the bundle. Each file     is described by a pair of paths in quotation marks, separated by spaces     or tabs, representing its source (on disk) and destination (in bundle).   Example mapping file: ---------------------     [Files]     "C:\MyApp\MyApp_x86.msix"                 "MyApp_x86.msix"     "C:\Program Files (x86)\ResPack.msix"    "resources\resPack.msix"     "\\MyServer\path\ResPack.msix"           "Respack.msix"     "my app files\respack.msix"              "my app files\respack.msix"       [Files]     "C:\MyApp\MyApp_x86.appx"                 "MyApp_x86.appx"     "C:\Program Files (x86)\ResPack.appx"    "resources\resPack.appx"     "\\MyServer\path\ResPack.appx"           "Respack.appx"     "my app files\respack.appx"              "my app files\respack.appx"   Format of key files: ------------------------     Key files must begin with a line containing the string "[Keys]",     followed by lines describing the keys to encrypt the package with. Each key     is described by a pair of strings in quotation marks, separated by spaces     or tabs. The first string represents the base64 encoded 32-byte key ID and the second string     represents the base64 encoded 32-byte encryption key.

Click to expand...

Source: MSIX support introduced in Insider Build 17682 - Microsoft Tech Community - 202376

Brink · Nov 8, 2018

Start developing on Windows 10 October 2018 Update today

We’re excited to announce that the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (build 17763) and SDK is now available. You may also know this as Windows 10, version 1809.

New APIs and Features for developers

Every update of Windows 10 is loaded with new APIs but don’t worry, Windows Dev Center has a full list of what is new for developers. Here are a few of my favorites.

WinUI Library: This is the way to get new controls! We are shipping new controls out-of-band such as Menu Bar and Navigation View. Head to Microsoft.UI.Xaml 2.0.181018003 for the latest package.

Density UI improvements: We’re making the default spacing and sizing about 20% tighter compared to the old standard.

MSIX packaging tool: The new packaging tool also makes upgrading existing applications a breeze to the new packaging format. It works both in an interactive UI or commandline! If you want to learn more about MSIX, head over to Docs.

Update your dev environment in two simple steps

Update your system to Windows 10 October 2018 Update.

Get Visual Studio 2017 with the updated tooling and Windows 10 SDK.

How to update your device to Windows 10 October 2018 Update

There are multiple ways you can update, but the easiest way is to go to Windows Update in your settings and click “check for updates.” It’s that simple!

Acquire the Windows 10 SDK and Visual Studio 2017

Now that your system is on Windows 10 October 2018 Update, install Visual Studio and the new SDK.

Currently with Visual Studio 2017, version 15.8:

Run the installer or go to Downloads | IDE, Code, & Team Foundation Server | Visual Studio and download it.

Go to “Individual Components”

Go to “SDKs, libraries, and frameworks” section

Check “Windows 10 SDK (10.0.17763)”

Click “Install”

In the near future with Visual Studio 2017, version 15.9:

Run the installer or go to Downloads | IDE, Code, & Team Foundation Server | Visual Studio and download it.

Select “Universal Windows Platform development” under Workloads, Windows 10 SDK (10.0.17763) will be included by default

Click “Install.”

More useful tips

Do you want tools for C++ desktop or game development for UWP? Be sure one of these two are selected:

C++ Universal Windows Platform tools in the UWP Workload section

Desktop development with C++ Workload and the Windows SDK 10 (10.0.17763)

If you want the Universal Windows Platform tools:

Select the Universal Windows Platform tools workload.

Once your systems are updated and recompiled and your app is tested, submit your app to Dev Center.

Your take on the Update

Tell us what crazy things you’ve been working on with the new Update by tweeting @WindowsDev or @ClintRutkas.
Click to expand...

Source: Start developing on Windows 10 October 2018 Update today - Windows Developer Blog

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