VS 2017 Store 'Create App Packages' Disabled

Question

I've built a hybrid app (Cordova) in Visual Studio 2017, which builds and runs on my local Windows 10 machine without any issues.

So now I'm ready to generate the .appxupload files etc. the trouble is I cannot create the app packages because the option is disabled in Visual Studio.

Here is a screenshot:

Things I've already tried:

• Selecting the solution in Visual Studio before clicking on Project -> Store.
• I have a developer licence and the PC has the developer options (or whatever it's called) enabled.
• Rebuilt and cleaned the app several times.
• Updated Visual Studio 2017 to the latest version (even tried uninstalling/reinstalling).

Something a bit odd, when I click on Upload App Packages... nothing happens.

Clicking Open Developer Account... or Acquire Developer Licence... opens a Chrome for me to login and I can see my Microsoft Developer Dashboard.

Reserve App Name... likewise opens the Microsoft Developer Dashboard in Chrome for me to reserve an app name. Which I've done.

I've created other apps from this pc and that option has been available before. Now when I open them and click on the Project -> Store I see the same greyed out options.

Can anyone help? I'm hoping it's something simple I've missed.

Thanks

Answer 1

Maybe you are still not a microsoft developer, click Project > Publish > Open developer account...Option, it will pop a browser's tag, completed this authentication, and then restart your visual studio project, Project > Publish > Create App Packages... option is activation!

Answer 2

I was facing the same issue in cordova projects, with Visual Studio Professional 2017 version 15.9.9 and i fixed it following these instructions: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/productinfo/installing-an-earlier-release-of-vs2017

I uninstalled all versions of the Visual Studio 2017 and then installed an earlier release of VS.

According to https://developercommunity.visualstudio.com/content/problem/387791/no-store-menu-item-with-1592.html i took version 15.8.9 and it's working again to create app packages.

I'll update this post, as soon as I recognice, that this problem is fixed in newer VS versions.

Answer 3

This submenu is only clickable if you have selected, in the "Solutions Explorer" panel, your project (under your "Solution").