Publish MSIX AppAttached app via RemoteApp (workaround)
When publishing an MSIX file by Microsoft Appattach on a Windows 10 EVD multi-session via the Azure Portal I faced that the three applications I added didn’t publish successfully to the Remote Desktop client. In fact, they weren’t visible at all. Normally this works without any problems.
How it should work is that when selecting an MSIX file, a published AppAttach-app is made and will by made available in the Remote Desktop Client. Now for this previously created MSIX packages there somehow were problems. That’s’ why I created a little workaround that solved my problems for these three applications, but may also help if similar problems appear.
When connecting via RDP to the WVD RemoteApp Windows 10 session host I checked several things. First of all, did the account I used had sufficient privileges and was it assigned to the logged on user.
Also checking the permissions with Azure were fine and according to Microsoft’s guidelines. Not any problems so far.
User assignments according to the log files on C:\AppAttach\logs showed no errors:
Browsing to C:\AppAttach\junctions also shows that the three AppAttach packages that the account was assigned to.
The three applications did not show up in the Start Menu but they appeared when browsing via Start>Run> shell:AppsFolder
I decided to start creating an MSIX AppAttached RemoteApp manually.
One of the applications (VLC Media Player) was right-clicked and choosen to create an shortcut.
After clicking ‘Yes’, the shortcut was created on the desktop.
I wrote down the Target name: VLCMediaPlayer_7rm18d6tmbyfm!VLC
Now, log on to the Azure portal https://portal.azure.com
Go to Windows Virtual DesktopàHostpoolsà<Your application group name>àApplications
Click on ‘Add’ to add a new application.
Choose “File Path” and fill in at Application path the shortcut path from the previously created shell app shortcut.
As seen in the VLC example the Target was written down: shell:AppsFolder\VLCMediaPlayer_7rm18d6tmbyfm!VLC
Filll the Application Name (VLC), Display Name (VLC Media Player), the Icon path and Icon index.
For using a valid icon from a valid path, either use a folder on an Azure storage account where the executable or icon files have been stored or use the local path to the executable. In the steps below I’ll show how to find and get in.
The MSIX files are stored under a hidden folder called C:\Program Files\WindowsApps:
When typing the full path to the msix file it can be reached. In this example C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\VLCMediaPlayer_1.0.0.0_x64__7rm18d6tmbyfm
Browsing the VFS (Virtual Files System) folder to .\VFS\ProgramFilesX64\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe gives gives the full path to the vlc.exe excutable.
Fill in the Icon Path C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\VLCMediaPlayer_1.0.0.0_x64__7rm18d6tmbyfm\VFS\ProgramFilesX64\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe, select at the Icon index 0 and click Save to save the application.
Start the Remote Desktop Client.
And the you’ll see the MSIX AppAttached application is available and can be used!
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