maidamai0 / hello_msix

simple tutorial of how to build an msix installer from c++ code

Hello world for MSIX

This is a hello world project demonstrating how to pack a CPP program to a windows MSIX package.

The project is highly inspired by offical document on creating package from source.

✅ What this project do

• build a small console program using CPP
• pack it to MSIX installer
• install it on the local machine

❌ What this project not do

• distribute the app to Microsoft Store

🔧 Tools used

• MSVC compiler and Windows SDK.
• CMake
• VScode

💡 no visual studio needed

Enable Develop mode on your windows 10

Settings -> Update& security -> For developer

💡 you can check if you have enabled develop mode in PowerShell:

❯ Get-WindowsDeveloperLicense

ExpirationTime        IsValid
--------------        -------
12/31/9999 8:00:00 AM    True

Minimum steps to package you code

1. Build a CPP executable.
2. Create an appxmanifest.xml file
3. Fill the required the information in appxmanifest.xml file follow the official document
4. Create and import a certificate
5. Pack the runtime files with makeappx.exe from windows SDK
6. Sign the app with a certificate

Create and import a certificate

create a certificate to sign an app

New-SelfSignedCertificate -Type Custom -Subject "CN=Tonghao, O=Tonghao, L=Shanghai, S=Shanghai, C=China" -KeyUsage DigitalSignature -FriendlyName "TonghaoCert" -CertStoreLocation "Cert:\CurrentUser\My" -TextExtension @("2.5.29.37={text}1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.3", "2.5.29.19={text}")

💡 make sure CN=Tonghao, O=Tonghao, L=Shanghai, S=Shanghai, C=China matches the one in appxmanifest

💡 replace TonghaoCert with what you like

💡 see the official document for details.

export to a *.pfx file

$password = ConvertTo-SecureString -String 123 -Force -AsPlainText
Export-PfxCertificate -cert "Cert:\CurrentUser\My\31FD5691A428FD73B26ECEB1E571929BCEF9FFD0" -FilePath d:\oss\hello_msix\tonghao.pfx -Password $password

💡 modify the 123 and d:\oss\hello_msix\tonghao.pfx if needed

import to TrustedPeople folder

Sign the app

SignTool sign /fd SHA256 hello.msix

💡 see the official document for details

How to run this code

• build the executables with CMake

  mkdir build && cd build && cmake ..

You should now see the installer hello.msix in the root directory and install the app by double click the hello.msxi

Install/Uninstall before packing(test only, not required by packing)

• Install:

  Add-AppxPackage -Register AppxManifest.xml

• Get installed package:

  ❯ Get-AppxPackage -Name Tonghao.Yuan.hello
  
  Name              : Tonghao.Yuan.hello
  Publisher         : CN=Tonghao, O=Tonghao, L=Shanghai, S=Shanghai, C=China
  Architecture      : X64
  ResourceId        :
  Version           : 1.0.0.0
  PackageFullName   : Tonghao.Yuan.hello_1.0.0.0_x64__nqywa46cgs0va
  InstallLocation   : C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Tonghao.Yuan.hello_1.0.0.0_x64__nqywa46cgs0va
  IsFramework       : False
  PackageFamilyName : Tonghao.Yuan.hello_nqywa46cgs0va
  PublisherId       : nqywa46cgs0va
  IsResourcePackage : False
  IsBundle          : False
  IsDevelopmentMode : False
  NonRemovable      : False
  IsPartiallyStaged : False
  SignatureKind     : Developer
  Status            : Ok

• Uninstall:

  Remove-AppxPackage -Package "Tonghao.Yuan.hello_nqywa46cgs0va"

  💡 You can also uninstall the app from the start menu