msix-package-generator Skill

msix-package-generator

Generate MSIX packaging configuration for Windows applications with proper manifest, assets, signing configuration, and Store submission preparation. This skill handles the complete MSIX packaging workflow.

Capabilities

Generate Package.appxmanifest
Create required visual assets (icons, tiles)
Configure app capabilities and declarations
Set up code signing for MSIX
Configure auto-update settings
Prepare for Microsoft Store submission
Generate CI/CD packaging scripts
Configure sideload deployment

Input Schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "projectPath": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Path to the project"
    },
    "appInfo": {
      "type": "object",
      "properties": {
        "name": { "type": "string" },
        "displayName": { "type": "string" },
        "publisher": { "type": "string" },
        "publisherDisplayName": { "type": "string" },
        "version": { "type": "string" },
        "description": { "type": "string" }
      },
      "required": ["name", "displayName", "publisher", "version"]
    },
    "capabilities": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "enum": ["internetClient", "privateNetworkClientServer", "documentsLibrary", "musicLibrary", "picturesLibrary", "webcam", "microphone", "location", "removableStorage", "appointments", "contacts"]
      }
    },
    "executables": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
          "target": { "type": "string" },
          "id": { "type": "string" },
          "subsystem": { "enum": ["windows", "console"] }
        }
      }
    },
    "distribution": {
      "enum": ["store", "sideload", "both"],
      "default": "sideload"
    }
  },
  "required": ["projectPath", "appInfo"]
}

Output Schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "success": { "type": "boolean" },
    "files": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
          "path": { "type": "string" },
          "type": { "enum": ["manifest", "assets", "priconfig", "signing"] }
        }
      }
    },
    "buildCommands": {
      "type": "object",
      "properties": {
        "package": { "type": "string" },
        "sign": { "type": "string" }
      }
    }
  },
  "required": ["success"]
}

Package.appxmanifest

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Package xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/foundation/windows10"
         xmlns:uap="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/uap/windows10"
         xmlns:uap3="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/uap/windows10/3"
         xmlns:desktop="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/desktop/windows10"
         xmlns:rescap="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/foundation/windows10/restrictedcapabilities"
         IgnorableNamespaces="uap uap3 desktop rescap">

  <Identity Name="MyCompany.MyApp"
            Publisher="CN=My Company, O=My Company, L=City, S=State, C=US"
            Version="1.0.0.0"
            ProcessorArchitecture="x64"/>

  <Properties>
    <DisplayName>My Application</DisplayName>
    <PublisherDisplayName>My Company</PublisherDisplayName>
    <Logo>Assets\StoreLogo.png</Logo>
    <Description>A wonderful application</Description>
  </Properties>

  <Dependencies>
    <TargetDeviceFamily Name="Windows.Desktop"
                        MinVersion="10.0.17763.0"
                        MaxVersionTested="10.0.22621.0"/>
  </Dependencies>

  <Resources>
    <Resource Language="en-us"/>
  </Resources>

  <Applications>
    <Application Id="App"
                 Executable="MyApp.exe"
                 EntryPoint="Windows.FullTrustApplication">

      <uap:VisualElements
          DisplayName="My Application"
          Description="A wonderful application"
          BackgroundColor="transparent"
          Square150x150Logo="Assets\Square150x150Logo.png"
          Square44x44Logo="Assets\Square44x44Logo.png">

        <uap:DefaultTile
            Wide310x150Logo="Assets\Wide310x150Logo.png"
            Square310x310Logo="Assets\Square310x310Logo.png"
            Square71x71Logo="Assets\SmallTile.png"
            ShortName="MyApp">
          <uap:ShowNameOnTiles>
            <uap:ShowOn Tile="square150x150Logo"/>
            <uap:ShowOn Tile="wide310x150Logo"/>
            <uap:ShowOn Tile="square310x310Logo"/>
          </uap:ShowNameOnTiles>
        </uap:DefaultTile>

        <uap:SplashScreen Image="Assets\SplashScreen.png"/>

      </uap:VisualElements>

      <!-- File type associations -->
      <Extensions>
        <uap:Extension Category="windows.fileTypeAssociation">
          <uap:FileTypeAssociation Name="myapp">
            <uap:SupportedFileTypes>
              <uap:FileType>.myapp</uap:FileType>
            </uap:SupportedFileTypes>
          </uap:FileTypeAssociation>
        </uap:Extension>

        <!-- Protocol handler -->
        <uap:Extension Category="windows.protocol">
          <uap:Protocol Name="myapp">
            <uap:DisplayName>My App Protocol</uap:DisplayName>
          </uap:Protocol>
        </uap:Extension>

        <!-- Startup task -->
        <desktop:Extension Category="windows.startupTask">
          <desktop:StartupTask
              TaskId="MyAppStartupTask"
              Enabled="false"
              DisplayName="My App Background Service"/>
        </desktop:Extension>
      </Extensions>

    </Application>
  </Applications>

  <Capabilities>
    <Capability Name="internetClient"/>
    <rescap:Capability Name="runFullTrust"/>
  </Capabilities>

</Package>

Visual Assets

Assets/
├── AppIcon.ico              # Traditional icon
├── StoreLogo.png            # 50x50
├── Square44x44Logo.png      # 44x44 (with .targetsize-* variants)
├── Square44x44Logo.targetsize-16.png
├── Square44x44Logo.targetsize-24.png
├── Square44x44Logo.targetsize-32.png
├── Square44x44Logo.targetsize-48.png
├── Square44x44Logo.targetsize-256.png
├── Square150x150Logo.png    # 150x150
├── Square310x310Logo.png    # 310x310
├── Wide310x150Logo.png      # 310x150
├── SmallTile.png            # 71x71
├── SplashScreen.png         # 620x300
└── BadgeLogo.png            # 24x24

priconfig.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources targetOsVersion="10.0.0" majorVersion="1">
  <packaging>
    <autoResourcePackage qualifier="Language"/>
    <autoResourcePackage qualifier="Scale"/>
  </packaging>
  <index root="\" startIndexAt="\">
    <default>
      <qualifier name="Language" value="en-US"/>
      <qualifier name="Scale" value="100"/>
    </default>
    <indexer-config type="folder" foldernameAsQualifier="true" filenameAsQualifier="true"/>
    <indexer-config type="resw" convertDotsToSlashes="true" initialPath=""/>
    <indexer-config type="resfiles" qualifierDelimiter="."/>
    <indexer-config type="PRI"/>
  </index>
</resources>

Build Commands

# Build MSIX package
msbuild MyApp.wapproj /p:Configuration=Release /p:Platform=x64 /p:AppxBundle=Always

# Create package with makeappx
makeappx pack /d output\ /p MyApp.msix

# Sign package
signtool sign /fd SHA256 /a /f certificate.pfx /p password MyApp.msix

# Create self-signed certificate for testing
$cert = New-SelfSignedCertificate -Type Custom -Subject "CN=MyCompany" `
    -KeyUsage DigitalSignature -FriendlyName "MyApp Test Cert" `
    -CertStoreLocation "Cert:\CurrentUser\My"
Export-PfxCertificate -cert $cert -FilePath test.pfx -Password (ConvertTo-SecureString -String "password" -Force -AsPlainText)

.csproj Configuration

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">

  <PropertyGroup>
    <OutputType>WinExe</OutputType>
    <TargetFramework>net8.0-windows</TargetFramework>
    <UseWPF>true</UseWPF>

    <!-- MSIX Packaging -->
    <EnableMsixTooling>true</EnableMsixTooling>
    <RuntimeIdentifiers>win-x64;win-arm64</RuntimeIdentifiers>
    <PublishProfile>MSIX</PublishProfile>

    <!-- Package identity -->
    <ApplicationId>MyCompany.MyApp</ApplicationId>
    <ApplicationDisplayVersion>1.0.0</ApplicationDisplayVersion>
    <ApplicationVersion>1</ApplicationVersion>
  </PropertyGroup>

  <ItemGroup>
    <Content Include="Assets\**" CopyToOutputDirectory="PreserveNewest"/>
  </ItemGroup>

</Project>

GitHub Actions CI

name: Build MSIX

on: [push]

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: windows-latest

    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v4

    - name: Setup .NET
      uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v4
      with:
        dotnet-version: '8.0.x'

    - name: Decode certificate
      run: |
        $bytes = [Convert]::FromBase64String("${{ secrets.SIGNING_CERTIFICATE }}")
        [IO.File]::WriteAllBytes("cert.pfx", $bytes)

    - name: Build MSIX
      run: |
        dotnet publish -c Release -p:PublishProfile=MSIX
        signtool sign /fd SHA256 /f cert.pfx /p "${{ secrets.CERT_PASSWORD }}" MyApp.msix

    - name: Upload artifact
      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
      with:
        name: msix-package
        path: '**/*.msix'

Best Practices

Use proper publisher identity: Match your certificate
Include all required assets: All sizes for all display scales
Test on multiple Windows versions: MinVersion matters
Sign with trusted certificate: For production distribution
Configure capabilities minimally: Request only what you need
Test sideload deployment: Before Store submission

Related Skills

windows-authenticode-signer - Code signing
wpf-mvvm-scaffold - Application setup
desktop-build-pipeline process - CI/CD

Related Agents

windows-platform-expert - Windows expertise
release-manager - Release workflow

Agent Skills: msix-package-generator

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