MSIX Packaging Tool 2023.118 Font issue

[TIMOTHY MANGAN]

The new version of the Packaging tool is creating an invalid package for this situation.  This did not happen in 2022.1101. 

The application is the same "LotsOfFonts" app that I provided when packaging fonts was fixed last year to handle font names that were not being properly handled, so I suspect something got lost, however the impact is different indicating that only part of those changes may have been lost, or possibly another change just broke part of it.

The impact is that the package manifest can now include font file references where the file is not present in the package files (ingredient list).

The attached images show a portion of the manifest, and the corresponding files in the package.  The file "VFS\AfterShock.ttf" is listed in the manifest but is not a file in the package.  I have also shown an image from my tooling that detected a total of 192 missing files.

Surprisingly, MakeAppX used by the MMPT allows the msix package to be generated with this, but MakeMsix seems to include a validation that detects the inconsistency and fails.

Please let me know if you need my package or that installer again.  ~Tim

[#2]

@TIMOTHY MANGAN 

Thanks for pointing this out. Yes, we have made some changes related to fonts in the last release 1.2023.118.0.

We are looking into it and will get back soon.

Aniket 

[#3]

Hi @TIMOTHY MANGAN,

We have tested this internally for the fonts you've mentioned. The VFS contains all the fonts appearing in the manifest.

Post installation, these fonts are being picked up by other applications as well. (Notepad & LotsOfFonts below).

Please ensure that you are testing this in a clean environment.

[#4]

Thanks for the response. I'm not sure which version I originally shared, so I tried packaging a different version, and obtained the same issue, but with a different font in the package.

In the installation, there are two font files:
AlphaFridgeMagnets .ttf
AlphaFridgeMagnetsAllCap.ttf

In the package VFS\Fonts folder is only one (renamed)
AlphaFridgeMagnets20
And based on the size this seems to be the one with the space in the name.

In the AppXManifest, there are two font entries:
VFS\Fonts\AlphaFridgeMagnets20.ttf
VFS\Fonts\AlphaFridgeMagnetsAllCap.ttf

Looking at the log file area from the MMPT, the ingredients only contains the one file, and the log file shows processing the one file as well. So I would assume the problem occurs in the period between end of capture and creation of the ingredients file, which is the renaming of invalid characters were taking place.

Oddly, while the MakeMsix command cannot create a package with those missing files that are referenced (it fails on AppXManifest validation), the MakeAppX used in the MMPT does not seem to mind.

I have a tool that detects and fixes the package for the missing files, so I'm not all that concerned about this issue, but there does seem to be an issue with that code.
This isn't a huge deal to me as my tooling catches the missing entries

[#5]

Hi,
We have tested this. Both the fonts you have mentioned are present in the Appx Manifest and Package Files and are installed with the msix package as expected.

Ensure you are :

1. Using the latest build of Msix Packaging Tool available in Microsoft store.

2. Converting the application to .msix using MPT in a clean environment. 

[#6]

Hi Tim, this behaviour may be observed because the recent changes were not done in MakeAppX, and only done in MMPT.

[#7]

Well, it is still an issue that the MMPT seems to be making packages with references to font files that it is accidentally excluding from the ingredients of the package. But as I said, I can fix that so not such a big deal.