In this article, you will learn how to configure and build an Advanced Installer Visual Studio Project(AIPROJ) from an Azure DevOps pipeline.

As software packagers, we know the struggle that comes with new technologies. And there's no need to sugarcoat it -- is downright stressful.

In a previous article we had a look on how Environment Variables work with MSIX. We now know that in MSIX, Environment Variables are redefined as AppExecutionAlias.

Ever since we worked together with Microsoft to launch the MSIX we commited to bring you the most powerful MSIX packaging solution available on the market. We are aware that application compatibility issues together with the MSIX limitations complicate your modernization and this release bring majors improvements to smoothen your MSIX adoption.

Up until 2020, Windows Services were not supported in MSIX -- which represented a blocker for organizations looking to transition their applications (that used Windows Services) to MSIX technology.

TL;DR: Let's put it bluntly, you should never set a CustomAction to “Immediate” when you intend to change the system state.

In this article we are going to talk about the application repackaging process and more specifically: what is a Repackager, what can you do with it, how can it help you in your daily job - either as an IT Pro or as a Developer - and what makes Advanced Installer Repackager irreplaceable when supporting your updating and adding customizations to your installer package.

Working with Azure DevOps pipelines can be a tedious task, especially if you have to perform updates on complex pipelines or make the necessary configurations to each of them in a short amount of time.

Mitigate the security doubts and provide trust and warranty to users by adding an extra step to your application packaging process with Digital Signing.

In 2018, Microsoft delivered a breakthrough packaging technology to enable a flawless application packaging process, including enhanced features to help IT Pros and Developers carry out updates and customizations in a more reliable way.

Ever wonder how an MSI registration ProductID is created?When installing an MSI, it registers on the system with a "strange" ProductID (different from regular ProductIDs) which is sometimes tricky to find. This is particularly challenging when you're trying to locate the package installer by its ProductID.

Scripts have been traditionally used by ISVs to add Custom Actions to their applications and make changes to the environment. They have been present in MSI and App-V packaging formats for ages, while for MSIX, they were introduced and supported about a year after Microsoft announced the MSIX release.

Nowadays CI/CD(Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery) pipeline became a best practice for developers and DevOps helping them to manage the software process in a much easier and automated way.

There are numerous cloud services available for software developers, and some of them can be almost forgotten until we need them. And when we need them, they turn out to be invaluable.

A firewall is a network security system that can be found on any modern operating system. It's purpose is to act as a barrier against network-based intrusions, to monitor and control incoming and outgoing traffic following an organization's predetermined security rules.

We’ve included a lot of new features in Advanced Installer this year. You now have a complete set of solutions for MSIX packaging, native integrations for Azure digital signing, repackager templates, and many more.

Release management and version control go hand in hand when delivering quality software, whether you are a solo developer or part of a development team.

Digital signing is an important stage of an application packaging cycle and can be achieved by code signing your own software’s certificates. By digitally signing your software, you prove your application’s authenticity and integrity upon installation and guarantee that the software you developed hasn’t been compromised or corrupted.

Microsoft recently came out with an MSIX-related packaging format called the MSIX Bundle, which includes safer and more reliable deployments as well as auto-updates and improved widespread support - which makes our life easier as application packagers.

Advanced Installer 17.5 brings you the most powerful GUI for creating and editing MSIX Optional Packages. Optimize your package downloads and deliver additional features on-demand, using the native MSIX platform.