Generate UWP .appxupload from command line VS15/W10

Question

We're having a build issue while building our UWP application and would love some ideas or if you have, solutions to our headaches!

Background:

We want to have a CI server generate a .appxupload file for store submission. This we have previously done using this command:

msbuild.exe App.sln /t:Rebuild /p:Configuration=Release /m 

HOWEVER, this is no longer generating an appxupload file. But it is successful in generating appxbundles.

Our setup:

• VisualStudio 2015 update 2
• appxupload is what we want
• AppxBundle is set as Always
• AppxPackageIsForStore is set to True
• The app is a minimum application. All I've done is: New Solution -> Blank -> Generate Store package from VS

What works:

• Generating appxbundle files using command line
• Generating appxupload files using Visual Studio (right click project -> Store)

But... Have you tried...?

Maybe, we've done a lot of searching around and tried things mentioned in a lot of them. Some of the stuff we've read and tried includes:

• appxupload package not being generated. Only test package is being generated
• How to build Windows 8.1 app for Store (appxupload) in PowerShell?
• https://www.suchan.cz/2015/09/building-windows-store-appxupload-packages-using-powershell/
• How to generate .appxupload file?
• How to build Windows 10 appxupload(ready to submit to store) package by command line
• Creating app package from command line using msbuild

These are the different commands we've tried to generate an appxupload file. All of them work and generate three appx files and one appxbundle. But none generate the wanted appxupload :(

msbuild App.sln /p:Configuration=Release;AppxBundle=Always;OutDir=C:/TEMP;BuildAppxUploadPackageForUap=true

msbuild App.sln /p:Configuration=Release;AppxBundle=Always /p:BuildAppxUploadPackageForUap=true 

msbuild App.sln /p:Configuration=Release;AppxBundle=Always /p:BuildAppxUploadPackageForUap=True /p:AppxPackageIsForStore=True

MSBuild App.sln /p:Configuration=Release;AppxBundle=Always;AppxBundlePlatforms="x86|x64|ARM"

msbuild App.sln /t:Build /p:Configuration=Release /v:q /nologo

msbuild App.sln /t:Build /p:Configuration=Release /p:AppxPackageIsForStore=true /v:q /nologo

msbuild App.sln /t:Build /p:Configuration=Release /p:BuildAppxUploadPackageForUap=true /v:q /nologo

msbuild App.sln /t:Build /p:Configuration=Release /p:AppxPackageIsForStore=true /p:BuildAppxUploadPackageForUap=true /v:q /nologo

I really hope someone will find this an interesting issue and come with anything that will lead us towards an solution!

THANK YOU in advance :)

Answer 1

Could you try “UapAppxPackageBuildMode=StoreUpload” option.

I could create .appxupload file with this option.

MSBuild App.sln /p:Configuration=Release;UapAppxPackageBuildMode=StoreUpload

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/wsdevsol/2016/01/08/windows-store-app-projects-stopped-generating-the-appxupload-file-after-installing-vs-2015-update-1/