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Invoke-CommandInDesktopPackage

  • Reference
Module:
Appx

A debugging tool that creates a new process in the context of a packaged app.

Syntax

Invoke-CommandInDesktopPackage
      [-PackageFamilyName] <String>
      [-AppId] <String>
      [-Command] <String>
      [[-Args] <String>]
      [-PreventBreakaway]
      [<CommonParameters>]

Description

Invoke-CommandInDesktopPackage creates a new process in the context of the supplied PackageFamilyName and AppId.

The created process will have the identity of the provided AppId and will have access to its virtualized file system and registry (if any). The new process will have a token that's similar to, but not identical to, a real AppId process.

The primary use-case of this command is to invoke debugging or troubleshooting tools in the context of the packaged app to access its virtualized resources. For example, you can run the Registry Editor to see virtualized registry keys, or Notepad to read virtualized files. See the important note that follows on using tools such as the Registry Editor that require elevation.

No guarantees are made about the behavior of the created process, other than it having the package identity and access to the package's virtualized resources. In particular, the new process will not be created in an AppContainer even if an AppId process would normally be created in an AppContainer. Features such as Privacy Controls or other App Settings may or may not apply to the new process. You shouldn't rely on any specific side-effects of using this command, as they're undefined and subject to change.

Examples

Example 1: Invoke Notepad to read virtualized files

The following command invokes Notepad in the context of the ContosoApp app from the Contoso.MyApp package. This allows you to access resources such as a log file or configuration file stored in the app's virtualized filesystem.

$params = @{
    AppId             = 'ContosoApp'
    PackageFamilyName = 'Contoso.MyApp_abcdefgh23456'
    Command           = 'notepad.exe'
}
Invoke-CommandInDesktopPackage @params

Parameters

-AppId

AppId is the Application ID from the target package's manifest.

For example, MyAppName is the Application ID in this manifest snippet:

<Application Id="MyAppName" ... />

Type:String
Position:2
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Args

Optional arguments to be passed to the new process. For example, /foo /bar.

Type:String
Position:4
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Command

An executable to invoke, like regedit.exe.

Note that if the executable requires elevation (like regedit), you must call Invoke-CommandInDesktopPackage from an already-elevated context. Calling Invoke-CommandInDesktopPackage from a non-elevated context doesn't work as expected. The new process is created without the package context, and the PowerShell command fails.

Type:String
Position:3
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

-PackageFamilyName

The Package Family Name of the target package. You can retrieve this by calling Get-AppxPackage.

Type:String
Position:1
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

-PreventBreakaway

Causes all child processes of the invoked process to also be created in the context of the AppId. By default, child processes are created without any context. This switch is useful for running cmd.exe so that you can launch multiple other tools in the package context.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:5
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

Inputs

String

Outputs

Object