CODEWITHSUNDEEP
windows-store-appsinstallation
CodeGrue
CodeGrue

Reputation: 5933

Create a Sideloading Windows 8 Modern App Installer

We have a Windows 8 Modern / Metro app that we wish to deploy outside the store. I have read a bunch of materials on getting a side loading license to allow this. However, we need to go beyond just copying the app over and running some PowerShell commands, we also need to install a particular hardware driver and make some registry keys.

Can anyone recommend an installer creator that can perform all of these tasks?

Out of curiosity, is it possible to distribute through the Windows Store and have it do more than just copy the app down, i.e. execute an installations script?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 271

Answers (1)

Kraig Brockschmidt - MSFT
Kraig Brockschmidt - MSFT

Reputation: 7024

By design, the installation process for a Store app, whether downloaded from the Store or side-loaded, is not customizable. For Store downloads, this is done to guarantee that the app install won't create anything that cannot be reversed during an uninstall, e.g. create registry entries, copy files, and otherwise do things that can permanently alter the system.

For side-loading, although you cannot alter the specific package deployment process itself, you can use the Powershell deployment as just one step in an overall install process. You should be able to build such an installer with any number of existing Desktop application installer tools, which give you control over all steps in your install process including registry, drivers, running scripts, etc. So you'd just have the app package and PS scripts as part of the installer .msi or .exe, and executing the PS script is done from the installer.

(By the way, the Store/PS app install processes use the same API in Windows.Management.Deployment.PackageManager to do the work. This API can be used only from a full-trust process like the Store (a piece of system code) or Powershell running in an admin console, but is there so desktop apps can implement alternate install procedures directly.)

Upvotes: 1

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