Query app package manifest info (C++)
Learn how to get info from the app package manifest for a Windows app using the packaging API.
Create a package manifest reader
To create a package manifest reader, call IAppxFactory::CreatePackageReader to create a package reader. The first parameter is an input stream for the package (.appx file). The second parameter is an output parameter that receives a pointer to an IAppxPackageReader pointer. Next, call IAppxPackageReader::GetManifest to get the manifest reader. The parameter is an output parameter that receives a pointer to an IAppxManifestReader pointer.
int wmain(
_In_ int argc,
_In_reads_(argc) wchar_t** argv)
{
HRESULT hr = S_OK;
if (argc != 2)
{
wprintf(L"Usage: DescribeAppx.exe inputFile\n");
wprintf(L" inputFile: Path to the app package to read\n");
return 2;
}
// Specify the appropriate COM threading model
hr = CoInitializeEx(NULL, COINIT_MULTITHREADED);
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
IAppxPackageReader* packageReader = NULL;
IAppxManifestReader* manifestReader = NULL;
// Create a package reader using the file name given in command line
hr = GetPackageReader(argv[1], &packageReader);
// Get manifest reader for the package and read from the manifest
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
hr = packageReader->GetManifest(&manifestReader);
}
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
hr = ReadManifest(manifestReader);
}
}
}
//
// Creates an app package reader.
//
// Parameters:
// inputFileName
// Fully qualified name of the app package (.appx file) to be opened.
// reader
// On success, receives the created instance of IAppxPackageReader.
//
HRESULT GetPackageReader(
_In_ LPCWSTR inputFileName,
_Outptr_ IAppxPackageReader** reader)
{
HRESULT hr = S_OK;
IAppxFactory* appxFactory = NULL;
IStream* inputStream = NULL;
// Create a new factory
hr = CoCreateInstance(
__uuidof(AppxFactory),
NULL,
CLSCTX_INPROC_SERVER,
__uuidof(IAppxFactory),
(LPVOID*)(&appxFactory));
// Create a stream over the input app package
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
hr = SHCreateStreamOnFileEx(
inputFileName,
STGM_READ | STGM_SHARE_EXCLUSIVE,
0, // default file attributes
FALSE, // do not create new file
NULL, // no template
&inputStream);
}
// Create a new package reader using the factory. For
// simplicity, we don't verify the digital signature of the package.
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
hr = appxFactory->CreatePackageReader(
inputStream,
reader);
}
// Clean up allocated resources
if (inputStream != NULL)
{
inputStream->Release();
inputStream = NULL;
}
if (appxFactory != NULL)
{
appxFactory->Release();
appxFactory = NULL;
}
return hr;
}
Read package identity info
Package identify is specified using the Identity element in the manifest. Use IAppxManifestReader::GetPackageId to get an IAppxManifestPackageId to read package identity info, as shown here.
This code uses IAppxManifestPackageId::GetPackageFullName to get the package full name, IAppxManifestPackageId::GetName to get the package name, and IAppxManifestPackageId::GetVersion to get the package version.
//
// Reads a subset of the manifest Identity element.
//
//
HRESULT ReadManifestPackageId(
_In_ IAppxManifestReader* manifestReader)
{
HRESULT hr = S_OK;
IAppxManifestPackageId* packageId = NULL;
// Get elements and attributes from the manifest reader
hr = manifestReader->GetPackageId(&packageId);
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
LPWSTR packageFullName = NULL;
LPWSTR packageName = NULL;
UINT64 packageVersion = 0;
hr = packageId->GetPackageFullName(&packageFullName);
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
hr = packageId->GetName(&packageName);
}
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
hr = packageId->GetVersion(&packageVersion);
}
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
wprintf(L"Package full name: %s\n", packageFullName);
wprintf(L"Package name: %s\n", packageName);
wprintf(L"Package version: ");
// Convert version number from 64-bit integer to dot-quad form
for (int bitPosition = 0x30; bitPosition >= 0; bitPosition -= 0x10)
{
UINT64 versionWord = (packageVersion >> bitPosition) & 0xFFFF;
wprintf(L"%llu.", versionWord);
}
wprintf(L"\n");
}
// Free all string buffers returned from the manifest API
CoTaskMemFree(packageFullName);
CoTaskMemFree(packageName);
}
// Clean up allocated resources
if (packageId != NULL)
{
packageId->Release();
packageId = NULL;
}
return hr;
}
Read metadata that describes the package to users
Properties are specified using the Properties element in the manifest. Use IAppxManifestReader::GetProperties to get an IAppxManifestProperties to read this node, as shown here.
This code uses IAppxManifestProperties::GetStringValue to get the package display name and package description.
//
// Reads a subset of the manifest Properties element.
//
//
HRESULT ReadManifestProperties(
_In_ IAppxManifestReader* manifestReader)
{
HRESULT hr = S_OK;
IAppxManifestProperties* properties = NULL;
// Get elements and attributes from the manifest reader
hr = manifestReader->GetProperties(&properties);
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
LPWSTR displayName = NULL;
LPWSTR description = NULL;
hr = properties->GetStringValue(L"DisplayName", &displayName);
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
hr = properties->GetStringValue(L"Description", &description);
}
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
wprintf(L"Package display name: %s\n", displayName);
wprintf(L"Package description: %s\n", description);
}
// Free all string buffers returned from the manifest API
CoTaskMemFree(displayName);
CoTaskMemFree(description);
}
// Clean up allocated resources
if (properties != NULL)
{
properties->Release();
properties = NULL;
}
return hr;
}
Read metadata about the apps included in the package
Apps are specified using the Applications element in the manifest. Use IAppxManifestReader::GetApplications to get an IAppxManifestApplicationsEnumerator to read this node. Use IAppxManifestApplicationsEnumerator::GetCurrent and IAppxManifestApplicationsEnumerator::MoveNext to get an IAppxManifestApplication for each app in the package.
This code uses IAppxManifestApplication::GetStringValue to get the display name for each app.
//
// Reads a subset of the manifest Applications element.
//
//
HRESULT ReadManifestApplications(
_In_ IAppxManifestReader* manifestReader)
{
HRESULT hr = S_OK;
BOOL hasCurrent = FALSE;
UINT32 applicationsCount = 0;
IAppxManifestApplicationsEnumerator* applications = NULL;
// Get elements and attributes from the manifest reader
hr = manifestReader->GetApplications(&applications);
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
hr = applications->GetHasCurrent(&hasCurrent);
while (SUCCEEDED(hr) && hasCurrent)
{
IAppxManifestApplication* application = NULL;
LPWSTR applicationName = NULL;
hr = applications->GetCurrent(&application);
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
application->GetStringValue(L"DisplayName", &applicationName);
}
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
applicationsCount++;
wprintf(L"App #%u: %s\n", applicationsCount, applicationName);
}
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
hr = applications->MoveNext(&hasCurrent);
}
if (application != NULL)
{
application->Release();
application = NULL;
}
CoTaskMemFree(applicationName);
}
wprintf(L"Count of apps in the package: %u\n", applicationsCount);
}
// Clean up allocated resources
if (applications != NULL)
{
applications->Release();
applications = NULL;
}
return hr;
}
Clean up the package manifest reader
Before returning from the wmain function, call the Release method to clean up the package manifest reader and call the CoUninitialize function.
// Clean up allocated resources
if (manifestReader != NULL)
{
manifestReader->Release();
manifestReader = NULL;
}
if (packageReader != NULL)
{
packageReader->Release();
packageReader = NULL;
}
CoUninitialize();
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