msix 2.3.0

Create and sign Msix installer for flutter windows-build files.

Msix

A command-line tool that create Msix installer for your flutter windows-build files.

📋 Install

In your pubspec.yaml, add msix as a new dependency.

dev_dependencies:
  flutter_test:
    sdk: flutter
  msix: ^2.3.0

📦 Create Msix

Run:

PS c:\src\flutter_project\> flutter build windows
PS c:\src\flutter_project\> flutter pub run msix:create

The flutter build windows is required to build the executable that flutter pub run msix:create bundles up in the MSIX install file.

🔍 Configuration (Optional)

This tool come with default configuration (test values), you can configure it to suit your needs.

Add msix_config: configuration at the end of your pubspec.yaml file:

msix_config:
  display_name: MyApp
  publisher_display_name: MyName
  identity_name: MyCompany.MySuite.MyApp
  msix_version: 1.0.0.0
  certificate_path: C:\<PathToCertificate>\<MyCertificate.pfx>
  certificate_password: 1234 (require if using .pfx certificate)
  publisher: CN=My Company, O=My Company, L=Berlin, S=Berlin, C=DE
  logo_path: C:\<PathToIcon>\<Logo.png>
  start_menu_icon_path: C:\<PathToIcon>\<Icon.png>
  tile_icon_path: C:\<PathToIcon>\<Icon.png>
  vs_generated_images_folder_path: C:\<PathToFolder>\icons
  icons_background_color: transparent (or some color like: '#ffffff')
  architecture: x64
  capabilities: 'internetClient,location,microphone,webcam'

Available Configuration Fields:

Configuration Name	Description (from microsoft docs)	Example Value And Type	Required
display_name	A friendly name that can be displayed to users.	MyApp (string)	No
publisher_display_name	A friendly name for the publisher that can be displayed to users.	MyName (string)	require if uploading to windows store
identity_name	Describes the contents of the package.	com.flutter.MyApp (string)	require if uploading to windows store
msix_version	The version number of the package.	1.0.0.0 (must be four numbers with dots)	require if uploading to windows store
certificate_path	C:/<PathToCertificate>/<MyCertificate.pfx>		No
certificate_password	the certificate password	1234 (string)	require if using .pfx certificate
publisher	Describes the publisher information. The Publisher attribute must match the publisher subject information of the certificate used to sign a package.	CN=My Company, O=My Company, L=Berlin, S=Berlin, C=DE (string)	require if uploading to windows store
logo_path	An icon used as the app logo, sample: C:/<PathToIcon>/<Logo.png>		No
start_menu_icon_path	An icon used as the app logo in the start-menu, sample: C:/<PathToIcon>/<Icon.png>		No
tile_icon_path	An icon used as the app tile logo in the start-menu, sample: C:/<PathToIcon>/<Icon.png>		No
assets_directory_path	Assets folder (like .dll files) to include in the Msix installer	C:\<PathToFolder>\myAssets (string)	No
vs_generated_images_folder_path	Visual Studio can generate for you optimized icons (logo/tile and more) see Thomas's explanation. This is an alternative for logo_path, start_menu_icon_path, tile_icon_path	C:\<PathToFolder>\icons (string)	No
icons_background_color	Specifies the background color of the app icons, can be transparent or some color like: '#ffffff'	transparent (string)	No
languages	Declares a language for resources contained in the package. sample: en-us, ja-jp	en-us (string)	No
architecture	Describes the architecture of the code contained in the package, one of: x86, x64, arm,, neutral	x64 (string)	No
signtool_options	Signtool using this syntax: [command] [options] [file_name], you can provide here the [options] part, see full documentation here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/tools/signtool-exe this option is overwriting the fields: certificate_path, certificate_password	/v /fd SHA256 /f C:/Users/me/Desktop/my.cer (string)	No
file_extension	File extensions that the app will used to open	.txt, .myFile, .test1 (string)	No
protocol_activation	Protocol activation that will open and use the app	http (string)	No
capabilities	List of the capabilities that the application requires. availables capabilities can be found here: App capability declarations	internetClient,location,microphone,bluetooth,webcam (string)	No
store	If the msix file is intended for publish in Windows Store	false (boolean)	require if uploading to windows store

Signing Options

before using the msix file, we sign it with certificate, this plugin use signtool to sign the file with default test certificate. you can use your own certificate by configure the fields:

• certificate_path
• certificate_password
• publisher
• signtool_options

See also how to create your own certificate (pfx):

• MSIX packaging - Create a self-signed .pfx certificate for local testing
• SahajRana's Medium post

📁 Assets And .dll Files (FFI Library)

To include your .dll and all other assets in your msix installer, you can use the cobfiguration field: assets_directory_path, for exmaple:

assets_directory_path:  'C:\Users\me\flutter_project_name\myAssets'

1. create new folder in your root folder (where pubspec.yaml is located)
2. put there all your assets (.dll etc.) files
3. in your application code, use the FFI package like so:

var hellolib = ffi.DynamicLibrary.open('myAssets/hello.dll');

or:

var hellolib2 = ffi.DynamicLibrary.open('myAssets/subFolder/hello2.dll');

Important: Dont use Absolute path like:

var absolutePath = path.join(Directory.current.path, 'myAssets/hello.dll');
var hellolib = ffi.DynamicLibrary.open(absolutePath);

🏷 Windows Store

If you publish your msix to Windows Store you dont need to sign it, Windows Store does it for you. To generate msix file for Windows Store use the --store flag or add store: true in msix configuration sction in your pubspec.yaml.

Note:

the configuration values publisher_display_name, identity_name, msix_version, publisher must be valid, you can find those values in your Windows Store Dashboard > Product > Product identity.

For more information, please see this tutorial: How to publish your MSIX package to the Microsoft Store

⚙ Command-Line Arguments

You can configuration values with command-line arguments instead of pubspec.yaml or combine them, see full list of arguments and example on this page

❓ Signing Error

For signing problems (signtool) try to get help on this page

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package tags: msi windows win10 windows10 windows store windows installer windows packaging appx AppxManifest SignTool MakeAppx