Notepad++ UWP package in Windows store - almost there

gjsman

“I have tried Windows convension Bridge several times, I have never managed to get UWP from it.”

@donho With the conversion bridge, you CAN use UWP APIs, XAML, and more features (You just have to code for it)

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/porting/desktop-to-uwp-extend

Here is some supplied (example) C++:

DllExport bool __stdcall LaunchMap(double lat, double lon)
{
  try
  {
    String ^str = ref new String(L"desktopbridgemapsample://");
    Uri ^uri = ref new Uri(
      str + L"location?lat=" + lat.ToString() + L"&?lon=" + lon.ToString());

    // now launch the UWP component
    Launcher::LaunchUriAsync(uri);
  }
  catch (Exception^ ex) { return false; }
  return true;
}

gjsman

@donho If you meant that you never got a successful result from the bridge, that is odd. In my case, the biggest issue I had was needing Windows 10 Pro (because Home doesn’t include Hyper-V).

So, goal here: Getting the basic UWP package working. When you get basic UWP builds working (without modifications), I would actually publish it to the Store like that. Improvements that require more build steps (like my modifications) can come later. :)

Remember, Desktop-converted apps require special permission from Microsoft to be published. They charge $19 for an Individual’s Store account (this is for everyone), and they don’t charge for publishing converted Desktop apps, but they do require you fill out a special form asking for permission. After all, desktop apps (even packaged as UWP) still have far more control over the system than regular, new UWP apps do.

https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/projects/campaigns/desktop-bridge

In fact, Microsoft would prefer you filled out this form sooner than later, by the sound of it. It is also implied that they will help with any problems or questions. Also, they have a tendency to actually seek out apps they deem important and ask their developers to bring them to the store - they would probably really want you to bring Notepad++ to the store and would probably be more than happy to help you.

gjsman

@donho Any luck?

Francesco Venuti

I @donho I’m Francesco from UWP Open Source Community, I see that you are working hard on conversion…but I don’t understand why you can’t complete the first step…would you restart from a blank canvass with us( @gjsman @claudia-frank )?
Futhermore, with the last windows update (Fall Creator Update) is possible distribute UWP also in your own website, check here:
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/appinstaller/2017/09/26/uwp-app-installs-from-web-via-app-installer/[link text](link url)

Claudia Frank

@Francesco-Venuti

Just wanted to let you know that I’m not really up to date about UWP
because I stopped using windows operating systems some time ago.
So I don’t think that I can bring in useful knowledge but if there is, I will certainly do.

Cheers
Claudia

gjsman

@donho @Francesco-Venuti

I have packaged it successfully… more trying to get @donho to successfully package it.

Any luck at all?

A Former User

https://redd.it/84rxxt

https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/store/p/npp/9plhc123mqwt

Just saw this today. Is this official? Should I be worried if it isn’t by the original team?

Thanks.

Claudia Frank

@[Name Redacted From Deleted Account],

it is from windows store so … I guess it is safe … somehow,
but don’t know which version they provide and how often they build new packages
but if this is irrelevant to you I would think you can go for it.

Just my two cents.

Cheers
Claudia

gjsman

@Claudia-Frank @[Name Redacted From Deleted Account] You might have seen my posts above about how I packaged it. I am not the person who put it on the store, however. I have no idea who NightRise is. Just letting you know - even though I posted a lot on how to do it, I am not the same person.

jakevis

Hi folks - that would be me who put it in the store… i really really really really needed it for a not-for-profit I am helping out (thank you Windows 10S).

Code modifications were required to get Microsoft to approve it… so I did have to fork the code. Modifications, and the packaged application (so folks can verify it) is all located here: https://github.com/NightRi-se/notepad-plus-plus

Any questions do let me know, also happy to transfer this app to the official “notepad++” team to maintain if they would like it. Until then… I am happy to keep it going on the store.

jakevis

@Claudia-Frank The store version is built of 7.5.5 (calling the store version 7.55.buildnumber.0). Most of the updates I have been posting have been to get settings to save/work correctly in UWP land, get file associations working, and next step is getting the x64 plugin manager in there and working.

@[Name Redacted From Deleted Account] no not official… it is a clone. If you can think of a better way to make that clear let me know.

@gjsman sorry if you got a bad wrap for this - also great work above… I didn’t see this announcement before going down this line however. For Windows 10S there is a bunch of policy’s that MS requires you comply by (with a possible fine of $15 per download if you app breaches them). One of those is no run, or ability to get to command. … it took about 4 weeks of going back and forth to get this working, approved, and published (initially it was published hidden/privately… but some friends wanted to use it, so I recently moved it to be public).

Scott Sumner

@jakevis

Dude, seriously, don’t you think this is a little bit presumptuous? If this “store” thing is to happen, shouldn’t @donho be the one to do it? I mean, at the end of the day, it is his software…he’s the “benevolent dictator” after all…

Sure, it’s open source, and you can pretty much do with it what you’d like, but, I don’t know, creating an unauthorized distribution channel seems to push the boundaries…

and next step is getting the x64 plugin manager in there and working

So it was @donho’s decision to remove the PluginManager from the distribution…and you can just arbitrarily decide to add it back in? Again, seems quite, well…presumptuous…

So now people will report bugs against some version of Notepad++, but probably no one will be really sure which one. (Will the real Notepad++ please stand up?)

Now if you’re doing all this with @donho’s approval and blessing, then I retract all of the above…

jakevis

@Scott-Sumner your right, one thing lead to another - and I had a np++ clone in the store and users were finding it, so I just opened it up to the public. No blessings given.

I am trying to make it as clear as possible that this is a clone - and I will totally pull it when there is an “official” version avalible (or someone can convert this to an official one if they prefer). I cant say I care much either way… other than I need one in the store for the moment.

Re the plugin manager. I wasn’t aware of this… but interesting thing about an official store is folks provide reviews… and a plugin manager is the number 1 thing folks are complaining about (now the persistent settings issues, and file association issues are corrected), or asking for. Folks seem to be creating issues there in the reviews, or as instructed, against my fork in GitHub. Here is the plugin manager issue: https://github.com/NightRi-se/notepad-plus-plus/issues/10

Another interesting tidbit… MS failed this app for store certification on one round due to the certifier being unable to load a plugin… [they did try to load a 32bit plugin, and this fork is 64bit only].

Ill let @donho weigh in as to his thought on all this. yes, boundaries pushed and as per the reddit thread, folks are split if this is a good thing or not. But due to the store requirements, this is a true fork, with code changes to support (that will have to be maintained for the app to stay in the store).

donho

Here’s my answer about Notepad++ on Windows Store:
https://twitter.com/Notepad_plus/status/975886395461046272

Scott Sumner

For the record, I think it is for the best this way. As long as there are two different things out there calling themselves “Notepad++”…no matter how well-intentioned it is…we’ve got a support nightmare.

AngryGamer

@donho I think you mean https://twitter.com/Notepad_plus/status/975886395461046272 ?

jakevis

@donho and for a moment I thought folks were going to be reasonable and awesome ;)

So as per https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/blob/master/LICENSE I will maintain this as a fork. Folks dont need to use it if they dont want to. The name is being changed to Notepad++ Fork on the 7.5.6 update that is pending now.

Also just had a search on the TESS database… I cant see a trademark? I also think the word “Notepad” is to generic to trademark. Logo possibly… but then again its included in the codebase and such that is under GPL.

Totally happy to work with you all, if you would like to transfer this fork to the notepad++ team and organization. Until then I will do my best to mitigate @Scott-Sumner 's support concern issue. If someone does create an issue to do with the packaging of the notepad++ fork in the store, feel free to assign it to myself (and point out its unofficial).

Martin Riggs

@jakevis You’re awesome, keep up the good work!
I see the good software like Paint .NET appear in the Store (which I bought BTW), and thus as a user I don’t actually care about those “stability” or supporting issues, I just want this software to be in the Store. If @donho can’t do this – you can do this instead.
Cheers!

AngryGamer

@jakevis The logo on the MS store front is likely what’s disputed. That particular image seems to have been taken from the website and not from the repository.

jakevis

@AngryGamer mm OK thanks. I do think I took that from a Google image search… On the 10th try to get the size right (so lots of copy right breaches out there I guess ;))

As soon as this update is through certification I’ll do another to update that as well. New image I am playing with is on github.