Create APPX

Kalipso - Test and Deploy - Deploy - Create APPX

The "appx" process will compile your App for the Windows Universal Platform for Windows 10. You can use this package to upload to Microsoft Store or sideload your App on a Windows 10 device.

This option creates a file only for using on a Windows 10 device with x86, x64 or ARM platform.

If you want to make the application available on the "Microsoft Store" you must be registered with the Microsoft Developer Center (learn more here).

When you click on the option in the Deploy menu, the following window appears:

Tab - General

‌This tab is the one shown in the image above.‌

The available options are:‌‌

Appx Details

  • App Short Name - Fill with the application short name

  • Version - Option to define the version of the project to be deployed. You can define three version levels. In addition, the option allows the activation of a checkbox which, when activated, automatically increases the version when the project is deployed.

  • Phone Product ID - This option is used if you are updating an application from Windows Phone 8 to maintain the same ID. If this is note the case use the button on the right to generate a default value.

  • Deploy Type - Choose an additional deployment type for the project

    • Sideloading - Allows the use of the project through sideloading.

    • Store - Prepares the project with the necessary parameters to be made available on the Windows Store.

  • Icon - Zone where you can view the icon associated with the project. You can keep the added or change. Just click on it to open Windows Explorer and choose the new file.

Target Folder

  • Target - Path where the folder will be generated.

The path shown in the image serves as an example of real use.

Tab - Identity

Create an application in our account (developer.microsoft.com) and retrieve the following data, which can be found under:

Application Management > Application Identity

There you have two options to choose from:

  • Use company signature - To officially register an application, you must enter the company's digital signature. Then, when choosing this option, the fields for entering the specific data become active.

  • Use Kalipso signature (debug only) - If you do not want to digitally sign the application yet and you want to test the project, you can choose this option that uses an internal Kalipso signature. Usually used for debugging.

After choosing the option referred above the available options are:‌‌

  • Package/Identity/Name - If you don't want to upload your app to Windows Store, you can specify this item in the format of CompanyName.PackageName

  • Package/Identity/Publisher - Enter the package/identity/Publisher name. Leave empty to use the Project Name. If you don't want to upload your app to Windows Store, you can specify this item in the format of CN=CompanyName.

  • Package/PropertiesPublisherDisplayName - Enter the package name. If you don't want to upload your app to Windows Store, you can specify this item as your Company Name.

  • Application Name - Write the application name. This item can be found under: Application Management > Manage Application Names. If you don't want to upload your app to Windows Store, you can specify this item as your App Name.

  • Signature File (pfx) - Click to add the certificate file in .pfx format. It will open the Windows Explorer to search for the file.

  • Private Key Password - Specify the Private Key Password provided when generating the signature.

In order to use the deployment for the windows store, you must have the Windows 10 SDK installed. Otherwise, it is not possible to create the file.

Microsoft Windows 10 SDK is a software development kit (SDK) from Microsoft that contain documentation, header files, libraries, samples and tools required to develop applications for Microsoft Windows 10. You can install it from the following link:

Generate signature

On the right of the identity tab is a button that allows you to generate a new signature (creating a .pfx file).

When you click a new window appears with the following options:

The available options are:‌‌

  • Folder - Path to the folder where the file is going to be available. You can change the location.

  • File Name - Name for the file.

  • Private Key Password - Specify the Private Key Password provided when generating the Signature.

Tab - Restricted Capabilities

If you have activated one of the two options in the "General" tab (Sideloading and/or Store) then in this tab you can enable restricted capabilities to your App.

Both for the Sideloading and Store options the parameters are the same, and those necessary for the desired option (or options) must be active. Thus, only one set is described:

  • Broad Filesystem Access - The broadFileSystemAccess capability declaration means your app can access the file system at the same level as the user who launched the app.

    This means the App will have access to files outside the App scoped storage.

    If Run Full Trust is also enabled, then the App will have this permission enabled without any further settings, if not, then a new option appears in the App Settings for the user to allow or not this access.

  • Run Full Trust - The runFullTrust restricted capability allows apps to run at the full trust permission level on the user's machine.

  • Extended Background Task Time - The extendedBackgroundTaskTime restricted capability prevents background tasks from being cancelled or terminated due to execution time limits. They are still subject to all other memory and energy usage limits.

  • Extended Execution Unconstrained - The extendedExecutionUnconstrained restricted capability allows apps to begin an unconstrained extended execution session. We don't recommend that you declare this capability in applications that you submit to the Microsoft Store. In most cases, the use of this capability won't be approved by Microsoft.

Please note that for the "Store" option the use of these capabilities won't be approved by Microsoft, as the company itself warns:

"Only in special and duly justified cases they are accepted."

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