Inside MSIX
Demystifying MSIX Architecture, Development, Deployment and Troubleshooting
Latest posts
Is This a Packaged Process?
Sometimes you need to know whether the current process has package identity. Certain Windows features require it, and behaviors can differ—both technically and culturally. For example, classic Windows applications often store settings in the registry, whereas packaged applications typically use ApplicationData.LocalSettings. So how can your code determine whether it is running with package identity — that is, whether it is a packaged process? Terminology Let's begin with clear and unambiguous definitions: We deliberately say process rather than application. The distinction matters: applications have pro...
There is no Install – it’s ‘Stage’ and ‘Register’
"Is ContosoParts.msix installed?" is a common - but misleading - question The term install is not a formal concept in MSIX. This may seem paradoxical for a deployment technology, but it makes perfect sense once you understand MSIX deployment’s core architecture. Deployment Requests A caller makes a deployment request to the deployment engine via the PackageManager API to perform some activity. This may involve adding a package to the system, removing one, or performing another management operation. Deployment requests include: The system queues the request in the deployment engine’s memory for process...
