install UWP app by App Installer from web error, dependency package missing

Question

I have an UWP app and try to install it from web via App Installer. According to the docs I can put .appx/.appxbundle/*.appinstaller and I have appxbundle one which is generated by VS 2017.

When I put appxbundle (also all generated folder/files like Add-AppDev{ackage.resources and Dependencies) on my host server and try to download/install it, the App Installer is called and shows my app manifest info correctly.

However the installation fails on my client machine and complains "App Installer failed to install package dependencies. Ask the developer for Microsoft.NET.CoreRuntime.1.1 package". It did install alright on my dev machine for I'm guessing I have all the sdks installed already.

I tried putting dependency info in my appinstaller file like below but still no good.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<AppInstaller 
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/appinstaller/2017" 
    Version="1.0.0.0" 
    Uri="http://myhost.com/myapp.appinstaller" > 
    <MainBundle 
        Name="MyApp"
        Publisher="CN=XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX"
        Version="0.0.1"
        Uri="http://myhost.com/myApp.appxbundle" />
<Dependencies>
    <Package Name="Microsoft.NET.CoreRuntime.1.1" Publisher="CN=Microsoft Corporation, O=Microsoft Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US" Version="1.1.25305.1" ProcessorArchitecture="x86" Uri="http://myhost.com/Dependencies/x86/Microsoft.NET.CoreRuntime.1.1.appx" />
    <Package Name="Microsoft.NET.CoreRuntime.1.1" Publisher="CN=Microsoft Corporation, O=Microsoft Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US" Version="1.1.25305.1" ProcessorArchitecture="x64" Uri="http://myhost.com/Dependencies/x64/Microsoft.NET.CoreRuntime.1.1.appx" />
</Dependencies>
</AppInstaller>

Can someone tell me what go wrong?

Thanks!

Encarnalize

1. Is the client machine running the same Windows 10 Update as the dev machine? 2. Is the main bundle a Debug version while the dependencies are Release? – Algicide

I've updated the client machine with latest windows 10 but still no good. And the main bundle is release version cause I generate it from visual studio store -> generate package option and it can be installed successful if I send the files and double click the appxbundle file on client machine. – Encarnalize

Answer 1

I find a work around that is I put Microsoft.NET.CoreRuntime.1.1 package for optional download first, and then install my app. For some reason the installation couldn't load dependencies automatically. I'll keep check microsoft doc for if there's more detail information on how to set appxinstaller files.

Encarnalize

Can you please elaborate? – Metallophone

I tried the work-around of building an appinstaller that linked to the depdendencies on an Azure Blob store, and it did work. However, I couldn't get any of the browsers to stop displaying the XML of the appxinstaller file when my beta testers clicked the link. nucleusmobilestorage.blob.core.windows.net/… – Greening

Answer 2

If you build your app under Release configuration (not debug) it will download all of dependencies from the windows store so you haven't bother about that.

Buy the way, now you can auto-generate .appinstaller file with all of dependencies using Store -> Create package -> Enable automatic updates More information here: docs

Phew

Great! I haven't checked the latest version of uwp and vs2017, I'll confirm if this solves the issue I have. Thanks! – Encarnalize

Answer 3

I overcame the same challenge by doing the following:

1. Right-click *.ps1 file that should be in the same folder as your bundle package

2. Click 'Run with Powershell'

3. PowerShell will begin installing. Follow the prompts.

The application then installed successfully with no error regarding the missing Microsoft.NET.CoreRuntime package.

Bewick

I don't see anyone outside of a power-user so much as attempting this let alone knowing about. There's got to be a better way... still good to know about this option though! – Arnie