MSIX - Debugging symbols for sideloaded app

Brass Contributor

When publishing an app using MSIX, it seems to exclude the *.pdb symbol file from the build output and stores it as a separate *.appxsym file. If I do a regular project build from Visual Studio in Release mode, the pdb file is generated.

 

There is something about this in the docs:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/package/packaging-uwp-apps#create-your-app-package-upl...

 

But this appxsym file seems to be relevant only for Windows Store apps. My application is sideloaded.

It is a Windows Forms app and it sends logs to Application Insights. It works but when an exception is being logged, there are no line numbers in the stack trace, which from what I know can be achieved by including the *.pdb file next to the executable.

 

Is there any configuration option to tell the MSIX that this is a sideloaded app and it should include the pdb file?

3 Replies

@szilardd Thank you for your question. We will respond to this message in the new year.

Hi @szilardd, if you take a look at the following document: Packaging MSIX apps - MSIX | Microsoft Docs

1. Go to the section Generate an app package upload file for Store submission

2. Go to Create your app package upload file manually, you can include the .pdb file which will help with crash analytics. 

@Dian Hartono thanks for your reply, but isn't that description for submitting an app to the Microsoft Store? I don't want to submit my app to the store. I'm looking for a way to include the `pdb` file in the package when installing as a sideloaded app.