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Bundling Windows App SDK Runtime with Your App

? Yes, You Can Bundle It!

I've created a solution that bundles the runtime installer with your app and auto-installs it on first launch.

What I've Added

1. RuntimeBootstrapper.cs

Location: FireStickScreenSaverEnforcer.App\Services\RuntimeBootstrapper.cs

This service:

  • ? Checks if Windows App SDK Runtime is installed
  • ? Prompts user to install if missing
  • ? Auto-runs the bundled installer with admin elevation
  • ? Restarts the app after installation

2. Updated App.xaml.cs

Now checks for the runtime on startup and prompts for installation if needed.

How to Use

Step 1: Download the Runtime Installer

# Download the installer
$url = "https://aka.ms/windowsappsdk/1.8/latest/windowsappruntimeinstall-x64.exe"
$output = "windowsappruntimeinstall-x64.exe"
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $url -OutFile $output

Step 2: Add to Your Publish Folder

Copy windowsappruntimeinstall-x64.exe to:

FireStickScreenSaverEnforcer.App\bin\Release\net10.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\publish\

Step 3: Update .csproj to Include the Installer

Add this to your .csproj:

<!-- Bundle Windows App SDK Runtime Installer -->
<ItemGroup>
  <None Include="windowsappruntimeinstall-x64.exe" Condition="Exists('windowsappruntimeinstall-x64.exe')">
    <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
  </None>
</ItemGroup>

Step 4: Rebuild

dotnet publish -c Release -r win-x64 --self-contained true

How It Works for Users

First Launch (Without Runtime):

  1. User extracts ZIP and runs FireStickScreenSaverEnforcer.exe
  2. App detects missing runtime
  3. Shows dialog: "Windows App SDK Runtime Required"
  4. User clicks "Install"
  5. App auto-runs the bundled installer (requests admin permission)
  6. Installer completes (~1 minute)
  7. App shows "Installation Complete - Please restart"
  8. App restarts automatically
  9. App now works!

Subsequent Launches:

  • Runtime check passes instantly
  • App launches normally
  • No prompts or delays

Benefits

Approach User Experience File Size Complexity
Without Bundling ? Must download separately 99 MB ? Simple
With Bundling ? One-click install 108 MB ?? Medium
MSIX Package ? Fully automatic 150 MB ??? Complex

Alternative: Download on Demand

If you don't want to bundle the 9MB installer, you can download it on first launch:

public static async Task<bool> DownloadAndInstallRuntimeAsync()
{
    const string runtimeUrl = "https://aka.ms/windowsappsdk/1.8/latest/windowsappruntimeinstall-x64.exe";
    var tempPath = Path.Combine(Path.GetTempPath(), "windowsappruntimeinstall-x64.exe");
    
    // Download
    using var client = new HttpClient();
    var bytes = await client.GetByteArrayAsync(runtimeUrl);
    await File.WriteAllBytesAsync(tempPath, bytes);
    
    // Install
    var process = Process.Start(new ProcessStartInfo
    {
        FileName = tempPath,
        UseShellExecute = true,
        Verb = "runas"
    });
    
    await Task.Run(() => process?.WaitForExit());
    return process?.ExitCode == 0;
}

Recommendation

For v1.0.1: Bundle the installer and use the RuntimeBootstrapper I created.

Pros:

  • ? One-click setup for users
  • ? No separate downloads needed
  • ? Professional user experience
  • ? Only adds 9MB to your ZIP

Cons:

  • ?? Increases ZIP size to ~108 MB (was 99 MB)
  • ?? Requires admin elevation on first launch

Next Steps

  1. Test the RuntimeBootstrapper:

    # Build with the new code
dotnet build

# Run from Visual Studio to test the dialog

  2. Download the installer:

    Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://aka.ms/windowsappsdk/1.8/latest/windowsappruntimeinstall-x64.exe" -OutFile "FireStickScreenSaverEnforcer.App\windowsappruntimeinstall-x64.exe"

  3. Update .csproj to include it in builds

  4. Rebuild release:

    dotnet publish -c Release -r win-x64 --self-contained true

  5. Test on a clean Windows 11 PC (without runtime)

Testing Checklist

  • Build completes successfully
  • Runtime check works (false on clean machine)
  • Dialog appears on first launch
  • Installer runs with admin elevation
  • App restarts after installation
  • Runtime check passes after install
  • App launches normally
  • ZIP includes the installer EXE

User Documentation Update

Update your README/release notes:

## One-Click Setup

The app will automatically install required dependencies on first launch:

1. Extract the ZIP
2. Run FireStickScreenSaverEnforcer.exe
3. Click "Install" when prompted (requires administrator permission)
4. App will restart and work normally

No manual downloads or configuration needed!

Your app will now have a professional, seamless setup experience! ??