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I cannot figure this out. I just want to publish/deploy a hello world simple WinUI 3 app. Before I publish my real app (I tried to publish my full app, but I thought maybe there was something wrong with it, so I created a very small test app, just so I could test the publish/deployment process). I apologize for the rambling question. I am throwing out a life-line. My raft is sinking. I was so excited to build something with WinUI 3, I love all the new controls and things you can do. But I can't share the app with anyone, so they can test it. :-(. I cannot publish to the Microsoft Store. The company does not allow download from the Microsoft Store. I have been working on publishing a winui 3 app for a month.

I have tried all the different ways to publish 'click once', 'produce single file', 'Enable ReadToRun compilation', etc. The app I have developed needs to run on managed pc's, the users don't have visual studio installed, the users can't turn on developer mode, I can't side load. I created a certificate, I had a user install the certificate to the trusted root location. Still, the app will not deploy. I am exhausted from trying. I have copious notes on my attempts to publish/deploy. I have been able to successfully 'publish' the app via visual studio, but no one can install it on their pc.

I have tried to read all of the documentation (there is SO MUCH, WHY IS THERE SO MUCH? Why is this so hard? (rhetorical, I know): There is more this is only a partial list:

  • Prepare to package a desktop application
  • Sideload line of business (LOB) apps in Windows client devices
  • Distribute your packaged desktop app
  • Tutorial—Build and deploy a non-MSIX-packaged app that uses the Windows App SDK
  • Deployment overview
  • Windows App SDK deployment overview
  • Install tools for the Windows App SDK
  • Create your first WinUI 3 project

Should I abandon MSIX-packaging? (I like the promise of MSIX packaging 'gives your users an easy way to install, uninstall, and update your app using a modern UI.') My goal today was to try 'Sparse-packaging', and/or 'No Packing', but now I have to read 50 pages of documentation on how to do that. What the heck???? Sinking, sinking, sinking.......

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Here is one error that a user gets when attempted to run the msix installer:

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x86\resources.pri -IndexName aced8493-b5ac-46df-bc36-02b1fe1bb327 -Verbose -Overwrite
2>An error occurred generating a bootstrapper: Unable to finish updating resource for G:\xxx\Projects\xxx\Application Desktop T3\setup.exe with error 80070005 ========== Build: 1 succeeded, 0 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ========== ========== Publish: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 skipped ==========

LennyL
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  • Did you confirm that sideloading/developer mode is enabled? What version of Windows are you using? – mm8 Apr 06 '22 at 14:56
  • Hi mm8, my pc is unmanaged, therefore developer mode is enabled. We are using Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise Version 10.0.19042 Build 19042. But I will need to publish/install/deploy my app to users with managed computers. – LennyL Apr 07 '22 at 06:21
  • Then the sideloading/developer mode must be enabled on the managed computers as well. – mm8 Apr 07 '22 at 10:53

1 Answers1

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MAUI builds a WinUI version for Windows as one of its many targeted platforms, have you tried their publishing guidelines (as of writing this, MAUI is on its 3rd RC), I hope this link help. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/maui/windows/deployment/overview

Usama Safi
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    Thank you! That worked great! I used WinUI 3 Blank App, Packaged with Windows Application Packaging Project (WinUI 3 in Desktop). Then packaged as MSIX, then used the instructions in the link to accept the certificate on the users machines. WinUI 3 installed and working on users machines! :) – ajr Jun 24 '22 at 13:30