How to get started today

[John Vintzel]

Some folks have asked me if there is anything we can do to start the move to MSIX today?

The tooling is expected to be in a Windows Insider preview in the June timeframe.  Meanwhile folks can start by using the Desktop bridge.  100% of apps that convert to the desktop bridge will update to MSIX.

Check out http://aka.ms/DesktopBridge for more information.

If your app does not easily convert via the desktop bridge, don't worry.  We will have more support coming for MSIX to make the transition easy!

John Vintzel | @jvintzel

Principal Program Manager Lead, MSIX 

[#2]

Great Blog with clear steps. I felt it is pretty same as how you create .appx using DAC.

I think I need to just alter few steps in my blog to create MSIX.

http://app2pack.blogspot.com/2016/04/project-centennial-first-hands-on.html

[#3]

So how to implement our customizations without a CA? Say running scripts to perform some changes etc..

[#4]

What are you custom actions doing today?  Is it just registry read/write?

[#5]

"Customizations" could mean a couple things. If you mean doing custom install/uninstall time configuration there is no mechanism for doing that. Your application will have to run "customization" code. Or you can use the Windows Installer (MSI).

If you mean "customize" an existing MSIX package after it is shipped, then there is an MSIX Customization Package feature (I forget the real name if that isn't it) coming in the future. They're supposedly a bit like MSI transforms (.MST files) but not as far reaching. Still waiting on the details for that.

[#6]

Hey Rob,

Quick question, can we use run Custom Actions in MSIX before actual binaries gets installed?

For Instance, if I want to kill an EXE process on a machine before installing/upgrading files or registries via MSI then I can added it to Custom Action Table and sequence it in InstallExecuteSequence at the top.

[#7]

No, you cannot run CustomActions during the MSIX installation process. You are limited to the functionality provided by the MSIX installation engine.

[#8]

Thanks Rob.

Then it appears we cannot perform dynamic installations using MSIX based on machine behavior, user location or IP Address.

Do you know if Microsoft has any future roadmap planned to add CustomAction as part of MSIX?

[#9]

Correct. Any customizations have to be done by your application when it runs.

Also, as I understand it, it is an important design goal that MSIX not have CustomActions.

If you want/need CustomActions during installation (vs application start), use the Windows Installer.

[#10]

Not sure how application vendors/products will perform any customization via installers when it runs without taking into consideration machine dynamics.

Especially in the LIVE environment when product customers have different and unique desktop/server environments.

Having said that, I'd Love to see applications working without any prior customization required before deployment. Unfortunately, this is something needs to be addressed from the application development side.

And lastly, as we know there are tons of application development tools and technologies available. It would be really nice to see if developers are able to use tools which can deliver the end product to the computers without requiring customization.