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How File redirection works in MSIX?

Copper Contributor

Can some one please explain me on how the file redirection works in MSIX

1 Reply
best response confirmed by Dian Hartono (Microsoft)
Solution

Hi @GauravTamkoria,

 

I presume you mean the filesystem's behavioral rules, not the virtualization mechanism.  We have the filesystem's behavior rules enumerated here,

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/porting/desktop-to-uwp-behind-the-scenes#file-system

 

The behavior of files for the %AppData% location is changing a little in 1903 to remove the copy-on-write behavior - the above link will soon be updated with the specific differences.  I'll paste a snippet here on the 1903 changes,

 

Windows 10, version 1903 and later: New files and folders created under the following directories are redirected to a per-user, per-package private location:

  • Local
  • Local\Microsoft
  • Roaming
  • Roaming\Microsoft
  • Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

In response to a file open command, the OS will open the file from the per-user, per-package location first. If this location doesn't exist, the OS will attempt to open the file from the real AppData location. If the file is opened from the real AppData location, no virtualization for that file occurs. File deletes under AppData are allowed if user has permissions.

 

Good luck,

-jw

1 best response

Accepted Solutions
best response confirmed by Dian Hartono (Microsoft)
Solution

Hi @GauravTamkoria,

 

I presume you mean the filesystem's behavioral rules, not the virtualization mechanism.  We have the filesystem's behavior rules enumerated here,

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/porting/desktop-to-uwp-behind-the-scenes#file-system

 

The behavior of files for the %AppData% location is changing a little in 1903 to remove the copy-on-write behavior - the above link will soon be updated with the specific differences.  I'll paste a snippet here on the 1903 changes,

 

Windows 10, version 1903 and later: New files and folders created under the following directories are redirected to a per-user, per-package private location:

  • Local
  • Local\Microsoft
  • Roaming
  • Roaming\Microsoft
  • Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

In response to a file open command, the OS will open the file from the per-user, per-package location first. If this location doesn't exist, the OS will attempt to open the file from the real AppData location. If the file is opened from the real AppData location, no virtualization for that file occurs. File deletes under AppData are allowed if user has permissions.

 

Good luck,

-jw

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