Is it OK to download and launch 3rd party executable from UWP?

Question

Is it OK to download and launch 3rd party executable from UWP app (MS store registered app)?

From uwp app from MS App store, is it OK to download another exe file (not from MS store) and run it?
Some low level programming feature is not doable and supported by uwp and try to separate the operation in separate executable.
App will ask user if they allow to download the executable and proceeds only when user agree.

I'm not sure this breaks any policy of uwp app. I read the policy doc and couldn't find any thing related.
I hope this should be OK, but not sure. Before I move toward the direction. I like to know if it's OK, or it's even common practice.

Thank you,

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

is it OK to download another exe file (not from MS store) and run it?

There are two questions here. First, you could download what you want in your UWP app. This is allowed. There is no limitations to this.

Second, you want to launch an exe file from your UWP app. There are two different scenarios for this question.

1. you have packaged already the exe file inside your package. This could be done with FullTrustProcessLauncher Class.
2. This is the scenario that you are facing now, you want to launch a exe file that is not packaged inside the project and it might be placed in some other places. In this scenario, you can't directly launch the exe file from the UWP. You could do this in a desktop app for example, a console app. Then package the console app together with the UWP app using desktop bridge. The UWP app launches the console app(This is exactly the first scenario) and the console app could launch the exe file.

Thank you.

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