Microsoft.Testing.Extensions.PackagedApp.MSBuild

Microsoft.Testing.Extensions.PackagedApp.MSBuild

Run packaged Windows test applications from MSBuild through an out-of-process Microsoft.Testing.Platform controller. This package supplies shared targets and complete, framework-dependent win-x64 controller layouts for .NET 8 and .NET 9. The controller is an executable, not code loaded into MSBuild, so desktop .NET Framework MSBuild and dotnet msbuild use the same process contract.

Installation

Add an explicit package reference alongside either MSTest or MSTest.TestAdapter and opt in to the MTP runner:

<PropertyGroup>
  <EnableMSTestRunner>true</EnableMSTestRunner>
  <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
  <EnableMicrosoftTestingExtensionsTrxReport>true</EnableMicrosoftTestingExtensionsTrxReport>
</PropertyGroup>
<ItemGroup>
  <PackageReference Include="MSTest" Version="4.5.0" />
  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Testing.Extensions.PackagedApp.MSBuild" Version="2.5.0" />
</ItemGroup>

Keep all Microsoft.Testing.Platform packages aligned with this package's version. The package pins its MSBuild and modern PackagedApp runtime dependencies to that exact version. MSTest.Sdk adds this integration automatically for packaged apps; ordinary adapter consumers do not download a Windows controller unless they reference this package.

Execution and compatibility

Build the application using its usual Windows tooling, then run msbuild MyTests.csproj -t:InvokeTestingPlatform. Pass MTP options through TestingPlatformCommandLineArguments, for example --report-trx. The controller owns command-line preparation, cancellation, retries, report recovery and exit codes. It reuses InvokeTestingPlatformTask; no new MSBuild task is required. The runtime launcher preserves AUMID activation, execution-ID/connect-back handoff, authenticated activation arguments, and exact package-SID pipe grants. This package does not change those protocols or the no-handshake launch paths.

The targets select the controller only for an opted-in MTP application with a packaged WinUI, modern UWP or classic UAP application model on Windows. Ordinary console apps, unpackaged WinUI, VSTest, libraries and non-Windows builds retain their original execution paths. A nonempty TestingPlatformExecutablePath override is preserved and receives no controller-specific environment values. TestingPlatformPackagedAppTargetPath can select a staged packaged executable. Missing or incomplete controller layouts fail explicitly. Runtime and protocol errors remain failures; the targets never silently fall back to another host.

Native dotnet test

With .NET SDK 10's Microsoft.Testing.Platform runner, project-based dotnet test uses the same sidecar for packaged full-trust .NET applications, including --no-build. ComputeRunArguments stages the controller under the project's intermediate output directory, beside a versioned startup file containing the selected executable and extension list. The application's argument tail remains unchanged, including an empty tail, so the SDK retains ownership of launch-profile selection and explicit-argument precedence. The sidecar also accepts the original inline v1 startup prefix. Relative TestingPlatformPackagedAppTargetPath values are resolved against the project directory. A customized RunCommand is left unchanged. UseAppHost=false requires an explicit staged .exe target.

Only the activated test host connects to the native SDK pipe. Its real runtime, architecture, tests and shared execution ID are reported for test runs, while the sidecar's exit code reflects host failures and controller finalization. This avoids SDK 10's requirement that all connected processes use the same runtime and architecture. Retries retain that pipe and execution ID. Controller-generated reports such as TRX are written to the requested results directory but are not advertised as artifacts to the native SDK.

Native --help and --list-tests activate the selected host directly to describe its actual options and tests, never the sidecar's dummy framework. They require the same Developer Mode and package registration as execution, but use the host's own execution ID rather than the controller-to-host handoff used by test runs. SDK 10 ignores launch failures during --help: if only SDK options appear, use --list-tests to surface the launch error. Help lists the selected host's options, including MSTest's --filter. SDK 10 can also forward a zero exit code from a host that exits before connecting, producing an empty discovery. Host startup must actually initialize MTP rather than exit or redirect activation before entering the test platform. Native AppContainer execution is rejected: the SDK pipe does not authorize the package SID. Use InvokeTestingPlatform for AppContainer/modern UWP/classic UAP execution and controller-managed artifacts. With EnableMSTestRunner=true, the sidecar also accepts MSTest's --filter for execution and forwards the complete expression to the activated host. The host owns filter parsing and evaluation; the sidecar does not load the test assembly. Informational activation handles Ctrl+C by terminating its owned host, but an external hard kill of the sidecar cannot guarantee teardown of an AUMID-activated help/discovery host.

ComputeRunArguments is also used by dotnet run, so project-based dotnet run now starts the sidecar for these same packaged .NET applications rather than starting the host without package identity. Unpackaged projects and explicit executable overrides retain their original run command. Project launch-profile commandLineArgs are used when no explicit application arguments are supplied; --no-launch-profile and explicit arguments keep the SDK's normal precedence. The staged controller is incremental and removed by dotnet clean, including when it was created by a no-build launch query.

dotnet run -- --help and dotnet run -- --list-tests also activate the actual full-trust host. Since AUMID activation does not inherit the caller's standard output, the sidecar relays host options and discovered tests over the existing MTP named-pipe protocol. Missing or incomplete help/discovery responses are failures, not successful empty output. This informational pipe has the same AppContainer restriction as native SDK discovery; use InvokeTestingPlatform for those hosts.

Filtering MSTest tests

For the native .NET SDK 10 MTP runner, pass a single expression directly:

dotnet test --project MyTests.csproj --no-build --filter "TestCategory=Fast Lane&(FullyQualifiedName~Identity|Name=Outcome)" --report-trx

For InvokeTestingPlatform, a simple filter can be supplied as an MSBuild property:

dotnet msbuild MyTests.csproj -t:InvokeTestingPlatform '-p:TestingPlatformCommandLineArguments=--filter FullyQualifiedName~Identity --report-trx'

Store arguments with spaces in a project property so MSBuild's command-line property parsing does not remove the quotes around the expression:

<TestingPlatformCommandLineArguments>--filter &quot;TestCategory=Fast Lane&amp;(Name=Identity|Name=Outcome)&quot; --report-trx</TestingPlatformCommandLineArguments>

Both paths preserve argument boundaries, boolean operators, literal quotes and ordering. Outer command-line quotes group an expression into one argument and are removed before MSTest parses it. Any quote characters remaining in the resulting expression are literal characters, not filter-language delimiters. Exactly one filter argument is allowed: a missing argument or repeated --filter fails before host activation. Unknown unrelated options remain errors. Invalid filter syntax is diagnosed by the selected host, a filter matching no tests fails under the default zero-tests policy, and selected failing tests still fail the run and its reports. Other framework-specific options are not enabled by this filter registration. In the legacy VSTest-mode dotnet test driver, its own --filter is not forwarded to this sidecar; use InvokeTestingPlatform or native MTP mode. SDK 10 summarizes host errors without displaying the detailed filter parse message; use InvokeTestingPlatform with --diagnostic to inspect that message.

The legacy executable name mstest-appmodel-controller.exe and the MSTEST_APPMODEL_CONTROLLER_EXTENSIONS and TESTINGPLATFORM_PACKAGEDAPP_TARGET environment identifiers are intentionally preserved for compatibility.

The x64 controller needs a .NET 8 or later runtime (roll-forward is enabled) and Windows 10 19041 or later. The application itself may use another architecture. Unsigned layouts need Developer Mode or sideloading. UWP compilation continues to require the Visual Studio UWP workload.

Application entry points

For self-hosted WinUI/modern UWP, an ApplicationDefinition suppresses a competing generated Main while retaining MicrosoftTestingPlatformApplication.RunAsync. Restore UWP launch arguments with PackagedAppExtensions.GetTestApplicationArguments(args.Arguments).

Classic uap10.0 uses the MSTest adapter's UAP-compatible runtime and the bootstrap source shipped here. Call MicrosoftTestingPlatformApplication.RunAsync(args.Arguments) from OnLaunched; no modern PackagedApp runtime assembly is added to the UAP application. See Windows application testing.

Microsoft.Testing.Platform is open source. Provide feedback in microsoft/testfx.