Invalid Installation Location if directory doesn't exist...

[Andrew Mason]

As per the attached screenshot when specifying the installation location in the MSIX Packaging Tool you get an message stating that the "Directory provided is not valid" if the directory doesn't exist on the device that the packaging tool is running on.  This is even the case when I select to capture on a local VM, i.e. if I pre-create the directory on the target VM I still get the error but if I create the directory on the host device where the Packaging Tools is running from the error goes away.  I cannot proceed whilst the invalid directory message is displayed.Invalid directory message

Does the installation really need to pre-exist, e.g. for specific monitoring?  In the above scenario where I was using a local VM I have successfully captured an application without pre-creating the specified install location on the VM (albeit I had to create it on the MSIX packaging Tool device.)

If the location does need to exist then a "Create installation location directory if it doesn't exist" checkbox would be useful and would obviously have to be actioned in the appropriate environment, otherwise is this error message not redundant as the installer will ultimately create the directory?

[#2]

I feel your pain.  

I think that if the directory needs to be present for the tool to do it's monitoring, the tool should just create it for you automagically.

And as an aside... I haven't determined if installing into the folder you name should be the best or worst practice.  Both work in most cases, some in one and others in the other.  But until more of the missing VFS pathing becomes automatic in the runtime, I'm not sure which will make sense in the long term.

[#3]

I agree, if the folder needs to be present before the vendor installer starts when specifying an Install Location then the packaging tool should create it.

That said I can recall at least one app that I have packaged in the past where the installer has complained about the target location already existing and refusing to install even though the folder was empty.

Maybe the “Create folder” check box should be a preselected option on the prepare packaging device screen so you can deselect it by exception.

Regarding where or not to specify the install location I expect that it will largely be down to whether the app in question works with/without the location being specified much the same way some apps did/didn’t like the PVAD.

I’m also curious as to whether there will be a noticeable difference in performance for large apps or apps with 1000’s of files when the install location is/isn’t specified.

[#4]

This is great feedback. Would you be able to file feedback in the tool and we can track it as an item to address?

(Click the settings icon [gear], then Feedback > Send Feedback)

Thanks!

John.

[#5]

Hi @John Vintzel, feedback added on the Feedback Hub with the same Subject as well as @Tim Mangan's and my follow up comments

[#6]

Thanks Andrew, we appreciate the feedback.

John.