The package doesn't contain any Application elements in the app manifest file

Question

I used the MSIX Packaging tool to generate an MSIX file from an existing .exe file.

This .exe only installs a cursor pack therefore only copying files over to the C:\Windows\Cursors directory.

There is no GUI with this app.

When uploading the .msix to the Microsoft partner center I get following error:

Package acceptance validation error: The package abc.msix doesn't contain any Application elements in the app manifest file.  

How can I solve this? I can manually modify the manifest file but what to change/add?

Here's my current manifest file with a screenshot of the issue in the MS partner center.

<?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:uap2="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/uap/windows10/2" xmlns:uap3="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/uap/windows10/3" xmlns:uap4="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/uap/windows10/4" xmlns:uap6="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/uap/windows10/6" xmlns:uap7="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/uap/windows10/7" xmlns:uap8="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/uap/windows10/8" xmlns:uap10="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/uap/windows10/10" xmlns:mobile="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/mobile/windows10" xmlns:iot="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/iot/windows10" xmlns:desktop="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/desktop/windows10" xmlns:desktop2="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/desktop/windows10/2" xmlns:desktop6="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/desktop/windows10/6" xmlns:rescap="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/foundation/windows10/restrictedcapabilities" xmlns:rescap3="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/foundation/windows10/restrictedcapabilities/3" xmlns:rescap6="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/foundation/windows10/restrictedcapabilities/6" xmlns:com="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/com/windows10" xmlns:com2="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/com/windows10/2" xmlns:com3="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/com/windows10/3" IgnorableNamespaces="uap uap2 uap3 uap4 uap6 uap7 uap8 uap10 mobile iot desktop desktop2 desktop6 rescap rescap3 rescap6 com com2 com3">  
  <!--Package created by MSIX Packaging Tool version: 1.2019.1220.0-->  
  <Identity Name="myAppName" Publisher="CN=pubName" Version="1.0.0.0" ProcessorArchitecture="x64" />  
  <Properties>  
    <DisplayName>My App Name</DisplayName>  
    <PublisherDisplayName>Pub Name</PublisherDisplayName>  
    <Description></Description>  
    <Logo>Assets\StoreLogo.png</Logo>  
  </Properties>  
  <Resources>  
    <Resource Language="en-us" />  
  </Resources>  
  <Dependencies>  
    <TargetDeviceFamily Name="Windows.Desktop" MinVersion="10.0.17763.0" MaxVersionTested="10.0.18335.0" />  
  </Dependencies>  
  <Capabilities>  
    <rescap:Capability Name="runFullTrust" />  
  </Capabilities>  
</Package>  

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

If you plan to create a package that is uploaded to the Microsoft Store, the recommended way is to use the Windows Application Package template to create the project and import your application executable file.

In this project, if you open package.appxmanifest (code mode), you can find what you are missing:

<Applications>  
  <Application Id="App"  
    Executable="$targetnametoken$.exe"  
    EntryPoint="$targetentrypoint$">  
    <uap:VisualElements  
      DisplayName="WapProjTemplate3"  
      Description="WapProjTemplate3"  
      BackgroundColor="transparent"  
      Square150x150Logo="Images\Square150x150Logo.png"  
      Square44x44Logo="Images\Square44x44Logo.png">  
      <uap:DefaultTile Wide310x150Logo="Images\Wide310x150Logo.png" />  
      <uap:SplashScreen Image="Images\SplashScreen.png" />  
    </uap:VisualElements>  
  </Application>  
</Applications>  

For how to use the project to create your upload package, you can refer to this document:

• Set up your desktop application for MSIX packaging in Visual Studio

Thanks.

Answer 2

Well this put me for a big wild goose chase.
The app was installed on the machine that I made an msix on. Because of that the entry point was empty.

After I uninstalled the application I installed for testing and ran the msix tool again, I was able to get a successful entry point and then a successful upload to the app store.

I hope this helps other people to know what the problem was.

So don't have the app installed already on your machine while making an msix build. It will cause a fail in the entry point and then a fail in the upload to the store.

Answer 3

0

I get this error when uploading the msix to the store: Package acceptance validation error: The package Documents002.msix doesn't contain any Application elements in the app manifest file.

and another error, that dont uderstand: Package acceptance validation error: The PublisherDisplayName element in the app manifest of Documents002.msix is Javier Gastón, which doesn't match your publisher display name: Javier Gastón.

I'm using a .py that I've passed to exe, after that I made it installable with Advance Installer Express, and after that I used microsft MSIX Packaging Tool, (so I've not used vs for the proy).

How can I solve this problem?

I expect to solve this and manage to upload without errors the app to the Windows Store