APPX & ProgramData Folder...

[Steve Maughan 26]

I'm trying to prepare my application for the Windows Store. I'm new to APPX applications so have some basic questions — I hope someone is able and willing to help. 

 

I created the APPX file using Advanced Installer. This seemed easy.

 

The application installs a lot of data into the common app data folder (usually in "c:\Program Data\Cozmix\AlignMix"). When I sideload the application there are no errors. However, there is also no data in "c:\Program Data\Cozmix\AlignMix". I assume it has its own virtualized version of this folder — is this correct?  I then store an activation key in the same folder— which I can't see.

 

My question is as follows: is the common app data folder the right location to store APPX application data? If not, where should it be stored?

 

Thanks,

 

Steve  

 

[Der schöne Günther 316]

Highly recommended read:

Understanding how packaged desktop apps run on Windows

 

Quote

Your application will perceive these files to be in the listed system locations, when in fact they are in the redirected locations inside C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\package_name\VFS

 

[Steve Maughan 26]

Thanks!

 

So how do I access the files? I would have assumed Windows would provide the virtual path when I call:

SHGetFolderPath(0, CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA, 0, SHGFP_TYPE_CURRENT, @path[0])

Is this not the case?

 

Steve

[Steve Maughan 26]

30 minutes ago, Steve Maughan said:

Thanks!

 

So how do I access the files? I would have assumed Windows would provide the virtual path when I call:

SHGetFolderPath(0, CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA, 0, SHGFP_TYPE_CURRENT, @path[0])

Is this not the case?

 

Steve

I've now updated the API to get the common data path to:

result := IncludeTrailingBackslash(TPath.GetPublicPath)

I thought that would fix it but unfortunately not — the application is still not seeing the virtualized folder.

[Der schöne Günther 316]

I haven't quite understood if your issue is that

1. The files from your installer are expected to be in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\package_name\VFS\Common App Data, but they are not
2. The files are there, but your application does not find them