feat(packaging): an MSIX target for Microsoft Store submission

Store certification of the NSIS "MSI/EXE" submission failed on three
checks (silent-install verification, Add/Remove Programs entry, bundleware
check) -- traced and reproduced live to one cause: SmartScreen blocks an
unsigned, internet-downloaded installer at the shell layer before
Microsoft's own unattended validation bot ever gets to run it. MSIX
sidesteps this class of failure entirely: submitted through the Store's
native pipeline, there is no browser-download-then-launch step for
SmartScreen to intercept, and Microsoft signs the package itself at
publish time -- free, and specific to this submission type (Trusted
Signing remains a paid service for the MSI/EXE path). Full plan and
findings: C:\Users\admin\devel\msix-installer.md (out of repo).

electron-builder.msix.yml carries the same bundle as Full (node runtime,
ffmpeg, both service scripts) -- an AppX/MSIX install never elevates, by
design, but that changes only *when* the two elevated operations can run,
not whether the daemon ships. No main.js changes were needed: the on-demand
elevation path for service-mode (winElevateServiceMode(), driven from the
Node page) already existed for a different reason and depends only on
service-mode.ps1 being present as an extraResource, true for any packaged
Windows target. identityName/publisher/publisherDisplayName are the real
values from Partner Center's app-identity reservation, not placeholders.

build-win-msix.ps1 points electron-builder at the system Windows 10 SDK
(auto-detected) instead of letting it download its own bundled copy --
that download's 7z extraction creates symlinks this target never uses and
fails without SeCreateSymbolicLinkPrivilege, reproduced on this machine.
build/appx/ carries the four tile images the AppX target requires
regardless of showNameOnTiles, generated once from the existing app icon
(see that directory's README) since the system-SDK redirect has no vendor
samples to fall back to. build/appx-extensions.xml declares
windows.startupTask by hand rather than via electron-builder's
addAutoLaunchExtension, which always targets the Electron shell -- this
points at the bundled node binary instead, matching what "starts at sign
in" already means for Full.

Verified live via a signed sideload install (self-signed test cert,
cleaned up after): the package installs and the app runs correctly. One
finding worth carrying forward -- the declared network capabilities
(internetClientServer, privateNetworkClientServer) do not create any
firewall exemption for this app, most likely because automatic
capability-based exemption is an AppContainer-sandbox property and this
app deliberately runs full-trust, outside any sandbox. Not a regression:
no install-time elevation was possible either way, so the cost is the same
one-time OS firewall prompt firewall.ps1's own header already documents as
its fallback today.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

2 files changed, 247 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/packaging/win/build-win-msix.ps1 b/packaging/win/build-win-msix.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9f7f667
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/win/build-win-msix.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+<#
+.SYNOPSIS
+    Build the Windows "MSIX" package: same feature set as Full (bundled node
+    + ffmpeg), packaged for Microsoft Store submission instead of NSIS.
+
+.DESCRIPTION
+    See C:\Users\admin\devel\msix-installer.md for the plan this implements.
+    Unlike Light, this target does NOT drop anything from Full's feature
+    set -- it exists because Store certification of the NSIS "MSI/EXE"
+    submission failed for a reason MSIX sidesteps entirely (an unsigned,
+    internet-downloaded installer never gets a chance to run under
+    Microsoft's own unattended validation bot; see msix-installer.md §2),
+    not because the bundled node/service-mode/autostart machinery needed
+    removing. The one real change is *when* the two elevated operations
+    (firewall rule, service-mode install) can happen: an AppX/MSIX install
+    never elevates, so neither can run at install time the way
+    build/installer.nsh's customInstall macro does. Both already have an
+    elevation path that does not depend on the installer at all --
+    firewall.ps1's own per-first-use Windows prompt, and main.js's
+    winElevateServiceMode() ("the other door", already used by the Node
+    page today) -- so nothing in src/main.js needed to change for this
+    target to work.
+
+    Steps 1-5 are identical to build-win.ps1 (build-win-common.ps1 for 1-4,
+    build-node-runtime.ps1 for 5 -- this target ships the same frozen daemon
+    Full does). Step 6 hands electron-builder a standalone config
+    (electron-builder.msix.yml) via --config, same reasoning as Light: the
+    two targets' extraResources and signing configuration must never merge.
+
+    Output: packages/meshbay-client/dist-msix/MeshBay-<version>.appx
+
+.PARAMETER SkipFfmpeg
+    Passed through to build-node-runtime.ps1 -- skip bundling ffmpeg. Smaller,
+    streaming-less build for local iteration only.
+
+.PARAMETER NoElectronBump
+    Keep the pinned Electron instead of upgrading to the latest release.
+
+.PARAMETER SkipNodeRuntime
+    Reuse an existing packages/meshbay-client/node-runtime/ (faster iteration
+    on the electron-builder side).
+#>
+[CmdletBinding()]
+param(
+    [switch]$SkipFfmpeg,
+    [switch]$NoElectronBump,
+    [switch]$SkipNodeRuntime
+)
+
+$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
+Set-StrictMode -Version Latest
+
+$WinDir  = $PSScriptRoot
+$Repo    = (Resolve-Path (Join-Path $WinDir "..\..")).Path
+$Client  = Join-Path $Repo "packages\meshbay-client"
+$Config  = Join-Path $WinDir "electron-builder.msix.yml"
+
+. (Join-Path $WinDir "build-win-common.ps1")
+
+if (-not (Test-Path $Config)) { throw "missing $Config" }
+
+# electron-builder's AppX target downloads its own bundled Windows Kits tools
+# (winCodeSign-*.7z) unless ELECTRON_BUILDER_WINDOWS_KITS_PATH already points
+# at a real one. That archive's 7z extraction creates symlinks for binaries
+# this target never uses (its macOS/Linux signing tools), and fails outright
+# without SeCreateSymbolicLinkPrivilege -- which this machine's build shell
+# does not hold. The Windows 10 SDK already installed here has everything
+# actually needed (makeappx.exe, signtool.exe); point electron-builder at
+# it instead of fighting that extraction. Only set if the caller hasn't
+# already pointed it somewhere themselves.
+if (-not $env:ELECTRON_BUILDER_WINDOWS_KITS_PATH) {
+    $kitsRoot = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin"
+    $kit = Get-ChildItem $kitsRoot -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
+        Where-Object { $_.PSIsContainer -and $_.Name -match '^\d+\.\d+\.\d+\.\d+$' `
+            -and (Test-Path (Join-Path $_.FullName "x64\makeappx.exe")) } |
+        Sort-Object Name -Descending | Select-Object -First 1
+    if (-not $kit) {
+        throw ("No Windows 10 SDK with makeappx.exe found under $kitsRoot -- " +
+               "install the Windows 10 SDK (the App Certification Kit / MSIX " +
+               "Packaging Tools component covers it), or set " +
+               "ELECTRON_BUILDER_WINDOWS_KITS_PATH yourself.")
+    }
+    $env:ELECTRON_BUILDER_WINDOWS_KITS_PATH = Join-Path $kit.FullName "x64"
+}
+Step "Windows Kits: $env:ELECTRON_BUILDER_WINDOWS_KITS_PATH"
+
+# --- 1. Node -------------------------------------------------------------
+Assert-NodeVersion
+
+Push-Location $Client
+try {
+    # --- 2. deps ------------------------------------------------------
+    Invoke-NpmCi
+
+    # --- 3. Electron: build against the latest release --------------
+    Invoke-ElectronBump -NoElectronBump:$NoElectronBump -WinDir $WinDir
+
+    # --- 4. UI -----------------------------------------------------
+    Invoke-SyncUi
+
+    # --- 5. node runtime ---------------------------------------
+    $rtExe = Join-Path $Client "node-runtime\meshbay-node.exe"
+    if ($SkipNodeRuntime -and (Test-Path $rtExe)) {
+        Step "reusing existing node-runtime/"
+    } else {
+        Step "building the bundled node (PyInstaller)"
+        $rtArgs = @{}
+        if ($SkipFfmpeg) { $rtArgs["SkipFfmpeg"] = $true }
+        & (Join-Path $WinDir "build-node-runtime.ps1") @rtArgs
+        if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "build-node-runtime.ps1 failed" }
+    }
+
+    # --- 6. package ---------------------------------------
+    Step "electron-builder --win appx --config electron-builder.msix.yml"
+    & npx electron-builder --win appx --config $Config
+    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "electron-builder failed" }
+}
+finally {
+    Pop-Location
+}
+
+$pkg = Get-ChildItem (Join-Path $Client "dist-msix") -Filter "*.appx" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
+    Sort-Object LastWriteTime | Select-Object -Last 1
+Write-Host ""
+if ($pkg) {
+    Write-Host "OK  package: $($pkg.FullName)" -ForegroundColor Green
+    Write-Host ("    ({0:N0} MB)" -f ($pkg.Length / 1MB))
+    Write-Host "    unsigned by design -- Microsoft signs it at publish time" -ForegroundColor DarkGray
+    Write-Host "    (msix-installer.md 3)." -ForegroundColor DarkGray
+}
+else {
+    Write-Host "!!  no *.appx found in $Client\dist-msix" -ForegroundColor Red
+    exit 1
+}
diff --git a/packaging/win/electron-builder.msix.yml b/packaging/win/electron-builder.msix.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4026d46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/win/electron-builder.msix.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+# Standalone electron-builder config for the "MSIX" Windows target: same
+# feature set as Full (bundled node + ffmpeg), packaged for Microsoft Store
+# submission instead of NSIS. See C:\Users\admin\devel\msix-installer.md for
+# the plan this implements -- read that first, especially §4 (why the
+# installer can carry none of installer.nsh's elevation logic: an AppX/MSIX
+# install never elevates, by design) and §8 (what is still unverified here).
+#
+# Deliberately NOT layered onto package.json's `build` field, same reasoning
+# as electron-builder.light.yml: --config reads ONLY this file, so nothing
+# here can accidentally inherit or merge with Full's `nsis`/signing config.
+#
+# electron-builder's target key for this is `appx`, not `msix` -- this
+# version (app-builder-lib's AppxTarget.js, checked against the installed
+# ^26.15.3) has no separate `msix` target. It still produces a package
+# Partner Center's MSIX upload flow accepts; the mismatch is a naming
+# artifact of the tool, not a statement about which container format comes
+# out. Re-check this against whatever version is installed if it is ever
+# bumped -- do not assume the target name from memory.
+#
+# No CSC (code-signing cert) is configured for this target, and that is
+# correct, not an oversight: per app-builder-lib's own
+# windowsSignToolManager.js (computePublisherName), an AppX target built
+# with no certificate configured is logged as "Windows Store only build" and
+# left unsigned, with `publisher` written into the manifest as-is. Microsoft
+# signs the package itself at publish time (msix-installer.md §3) -- signing
+# it here first would be pointless work, not extra safety.
+
+appId: org.meshbay.client
+productName: MeshBay
+
+directories:
+  # Full's own build lives in dist/, Light's in dist-light/ -- a third,
+  # separate output dir so no two targets ever race on or clobber each
+  # other's files.
+  output: dist-msix
+
+files:
+  - src/**
+  - ui/**
+
+win:
+  target: appx
+  icon: build/icon.ico
+  artifactName: "MeshBay-${version}.${ext}"
+  extraResources:
+    # Same bundle as Full (package.json's own build.win.extraResources) --
+    # this target drops NSIS, not the node/ffmpeg runtime or the two service
+    # scripts. service-mode.ps1 in particular still works unmodified: it is
+    # invoked from main.js's winElevateServiceMode() on demand, from the
+    # running (unelevated) app, not from an installer step -- that path
+    # already existed before this target did (see "the other door" comment
+    # in src/main.js) and needs nothing new here beyond the file being
+    # present to find.
+    - from: node-runtime
+      to: node-runtime
+      filter:
+        - "**/*"
+    - from: ../../packaging/win/firewall.ps1
+      to: firewall.ps1
+    - from: ../../packaging/win/service.ps1
+      to: service.ps1
+    - from: ../../packaging/win/service-mode.ps1
+      to: service-mode.ps1
+
+appx:
+  # --- Real values, from Partner Center's "App identity" page (App
+  # management -> App identity), not chosen freely -- a mismatch here fails
+  # Store validation outright rather than warning. publisherDisplayName is
+  # "MeshBay" as Partner Center assigned it, NOT package.json's own author
+  # company name ("MeshBay Team") -- AppXOptions.d.ts's default (company
+  # name from app metadata) would silently pick the wrong one if this were
+  # left unset, so it must stay explicit even though it looks redundant
+  # next to `displayName`.
+  identityName: MeshBay.MeshBay
+  publisher: "CN=CE32BB0D-6B7C-4D3A-AA42-E259B778CAC9"
+  publisherDisplayName: MeshBay
+  applicationId: MeshBay
+  displayName: MeshBay
+  languages:
+    - en-US
+    - fr-FR
+    - es-ES
+    - pt-BR
+    - zh-CN
+    - ja-JP
+    - de-DE
+    - it-IT
+    - nl-NL
+    - pl-PL
+  # Both are the "common" (general, non-restricted) capability group per
+  # app-builder-lib's AppxCapabilities.js -- no special Store justification
+  # needed, unlike the `rescap`-namespaced restricted ones. Matches
+  # firewall.ps1's own rules, which are `-Profile Any` (private AND public
+  # network). Whether Windows Firewall actually auto-exempts a full-trust
+  # packaged app on the strength of these declarations -- eliminating the
+  # elevation firewall.ps1 exists for entirely -- is msix-installer.md §8's
+  # #1 open item: verify live before relying on it, the declaration alone
+  # only proves the manifest is well-formed.
+  capabilities:
+    - internetClientServer
+    - privateNetworkClientServer
+  # windows.startupTask, the MSIX-native equivalent of the NSIS "at sign in"
+  # mode's Startup-folder .vbs (main.js's WIN_STARTUP_VBS) -- but pointed at
+  # the node daemon, not the Electron shell, which is what `addAutoLaunchExtension:
+  # true` would do instead (it always targets the package's own main
+  # executable, per AppxTarget.js's `executable` macro -- there is no config
+  # switch to point it at a different bundled exe). build/appx-extensions.xml
+  # declares that extension by hand for exactly this reason. Whether
+  # Windows actually launches a *non-primary* bundled exe through this
+  # mechanism is the other open item in msix-installer.md §8 -- untested
+  # until sideloaded.
+  customExtensionsPath: build/appx-extensions.xml
+  showNameOnTiles: false