Publish WinForms MSIX via winget

[jochenwezel]

Summary

Make the WinForms MSIX release installable via winget install by submitting and maintaining a package in the Windows Package Manager community repository.

Depends on

• Shared Windows distribution metadata and packaging baseline: Define shared Windows distribution metadata and packaging baseline for Store and winget #43

Motivation

The project already produces a WinForms MSIX during release builds. This makes winget a realistic additional Windows distribution channel with relatively little extra packaging work compared to starting from scratch.

Scope

Packaging input

• Use the canonical Windows release artifact defined in Define shared Windows distribution metadata and packaging baseline for Store and winget #43
• Prefer the existing WinForms MSIX if it satisfies winget validation requirements

winget package work

• Define the final PackageIdentifier
• Create the manifest for the package version
• Reference a stable HTTPS installer URL
• Provide the required metadata consistently with Define shared Windows distribution metadata and packaging baseline for Store and winget #43
• Provide InstallerSha256
• Validate the manifest before submission

Submission flow

• Submit the manifest to microsoft/winget-pkgs
• Handle validation feedback from the repository
• Decide whether initial submission is manual and later versions become automated

Optional automation

After a successful manual submission pattern is established:

• evaluate whether release workflow automation should generate/submit updated manifests
• keep the automation scoped so failures in winget submission do not break the main release unnecessarily

Notes

• This ticket is intentionally separate from Microsoft Store work because the channel, validation flow, and repository submission are different.
• The overlapping metadata should come from Define shared Windows distribution metadata and packaging baseline for Store and winget #43 instead of being redefined here.

Acceptance

• winget install can discover and install the WinForms app
• The chosen package metadata is aligned with Define shared Windows distribution metadata and packaging baseline for Store and winget #43
• A repeatable process exists for submitting future versions
• If automation is added, it is documented and reliable