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Multi Application Suite?
This probably fits into both the deployment and the packaging channels, but we'll start here. I'm trying to work out the best way to approach deployment of a 'suite' of 4 applications. Some cust...
- In case anyone is interested, this is the approach I ended up going with: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/msix/combining-optional-packages-and-modification-packages/m-p/3432402/highlight/true#M3044
You are correct regarding start menu entries not allowed in the modification package, as far as the Microsoft MPT is concerned. However, I never tried forcing one in to see what happens. Certainly, you can put placeholder apps in that primary package that point to a dummy exe that pops up a message to buy the secondary component, and then replace that dummy exe with the real one in the modification package (must use VFS pathing and same path and name).
I do have a couple of free eBooks that I wrote on MSIX (one for IT Pros, one for Developers) in conjunction with Devs from some of the leading third-party vendors that you might want to read here: https://www.tmurgent.com/appV/en/resources/books.
I do have a couple of free eBooks that I wrote on MSIX (one for IT Pros, one for Developers) in conjunction with Devs from some of the leading third-party vendors that you might want to read here: https://www.tmurgent.com/appV/en/resources/books.
I like the idea but I think we'd get pushback on having the entry points for apps that aren't really installed on customer systems. It's not so much a case of the different apps having different licenses, but more that we want our customers to have the flexibility to deploy different sets to different users while also being able to bundle everything up into a one-hit install. With the optional package approach they can configure different appinstaller files for different users/groups, and deploy the subset of apps (and any of their own modification packages for 'hardcoded' config) in one hit.
Cheers for the link - I've already perused the Advanced Installer one but I hadn't seen the new 2021 developer book so will take a look at that. Hopefully it plugs some gaps in the official docs.
Cheers for the link - I've already perused the Advanced Installer one but I hadn't seen the new 2021 developer book so will take a look at that. Hopefully it plugs some gaps in the official docs.
- In the MSI world we'd have one installer with checkboxes to allow the admin to pick the things they want to install (which could be driven by params in a silent install) - I'm effectively trying to create something that gives them a similar deployment experience, but obviously taking into account the fact that the installer itself can't be customised, hence the idea to use appinstaller files to achieve the one-hit install by deploying the main package with the customers choice of optional packages (we'd basically give them a small guide on how to configure this themselves).
It feels like this is the best approach from my understanding so far, but perhaps the book will illuminate a different path.- What stops you from building an MSI wrapper over all the MSIX packages (to deliver them as single installer for all the apps) and keeping the MSIX packages as a separate for folks that need just some of them?
In this case, the MSI would simply act as a script, without affecting the payload of the packages or leaving any garbage on the system. - I'm actually glad you aren't pushing not-quite-necessary shortcuts down on end-users;)
