Deploy Scripts

When working on projects related to deployment script patterns, apply this domain knowledge.

Deployment Scripts — Domain Knowledge

Deploy.ps1 Pattern for MSIX Loose-File Registration

MSBuild Auto-Detection

# Find MSBuild via vswhere
$vswhere = "${env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Installer\\vswhere.exe"
$vsInstall = & $vswhere -latest -requires Microsoft.Component.MSBuild -property installationPath
$msbuild = Join-Path $vsInstall "MSBuild\\Current\\Bin\\amd64\\MSBuild.exe"

Architecture Detection

$arch = if ([System.Runtime.InteropServices.RuntimeInformation]::OSArchitecture -eq 'Arm64') {
    'ARM64'
} else {
    'x64'
}

Build for Loose-File Deployment

& $msbuild MyApp.csproj /p:Configuration=$Configuration /p:Platform=$arch /p:WindowsPackageType=None

• WindowsPackageType=None produces unpackaged output suitable for loose-file registration.

AppX Layout Assembly

1. Copy the compiled exe, dlls, and assets to a layout directory.
2. Generate AppxManifest.xml with token substitution:
   • Replace $targetnametoken$ with actual assembly name.
   • Replace $version$ with the assembly version.
   • Set correct ProcessorArchitecture (x64/arm64, not neutral).
3. Copy XBF (compiled XAML) resources.
4. Copy resources.pri (auto-generated by EnableMsixTooling).
5. Copy app assets (icons, splash screens).

Local Registration

Add-AppxPackage -Register "$layoutDir\\AppxManifest.xml"

• This registers the app for the current user from the loose files.
• App appears in Start menu immediately.
• Use -ForceUpdateFromAnyVersion if re-registering.

Unregistration

Get-AppxPackage -Name "MyApp.PackageName" | Remove-AppxPackage

Remote Deployment (WinAppDeployCmd)

# Deploy files to remote device
WinAppDeployCmd deployfiles -ip $DeviceIp -pin $Pin -file $layoutDir

# Register on remote device
WinAppDeployCmd registerfiles -ip $DeviceIp -pin $Pin -remotedeploydir $remotePath

• Use deployfiles first (copies TO device), then registerfiles (registers on device).
• PIN pairing required for first connection.

Device Discovery

WinAppDeployCmd devices -timeout 5

• Lists all discoverable devices on the local network.

Android Deployment (ADB)

Build and Deploy

$env:JAVA_HOME = "C:\\Program Files\\Eclipse Adoptium\\jdk-22.0.2.9-hotspot"
.\\gradlew.bat assembleDebug --no-daemon
adb install -r app\\build\\outputs\\apk\\debug\\app-debug.apk

Notes

• Android SDK read-only warnings ("Exception while marshalling ... package.xml") are harmless.
• QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission needed for Android 11+ (API 30) package visibility.
• Person.getName() requires API 28+ — use @RequiresApi or version check.
• WEBP_LOSSY compression requires API 30+; fallback to deprecated WEBP for older versions.

CI/CD Deployment Considerations

• Use concurrency: { group: ci-${{ github.ref }}, cancel-in-progress: true } to cancel redundant CI runs on the same branch.
• MSIX builds in CI require MSBuild (not dotnet build) + setup-msbuild action.
• Test projects can use dotnet test even when the app requires MSBuild.