We have developed a desktop application, it should run in both PC's and table's, that's the reason we have chosen UWP. Now I have to Packaging UWP application as .exe or .msi to provide it to my clients. I did some research on the internet but didn't found any information. Any one help me like, To create setup project like traditional windows forms with out visual studio using wizard.
3
votes
As far as I can tell, UWP apps are packaged as .appx, .msix, .appxbundle, .msixbundle, .appxupload, or .msixupload and are distributed via the Microsoft Store. docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/packaging/…
– Ouroborus
Thanks for your reply Ouroborus...I want to shorten the steps of installing to my clients in one installer .. Which one is the best? And I don't want to distribute my application to Microsoft Store.
– kpam1234
I have seen the article, to create app package in Visual Studio by using wizard. But I don't want to use visual studio wizard, Is there any way to create like a setup project, by building the project it should generate packaging files.
– kpam1234
1 Answers
5
votes
You cannot create a standalone EXE or an MSI for a UWP app. The UWP app package itself is the installer. As long as it's signed with a trusted certificate, the user can double-click the package file to install the app.
Two options to automate the creation of the installation package for your UWP app:
1) use the commandline tools that come with the Windows SDK (MakeAppx, SignTool): https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/packaging/manual-packaging-root
2) set up a build pipeline in Azure DevOps https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/apps/windows/universal
