Stuck with dependencies in an AppX from Desktop App Converter - windows

Question

I have finally succeeded converting my desktop app to AppX with Desktop App Converter, and to sign it with the insight from Franklin Chen.
Step by step, I am getting closer to completion. But I am now bumping into a new hurdle (hopefully the last). I tried to follow the advice at
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/vcblog/2016/07/07/using-visual-c-runtime-in-centennial-project/
I did install on my machine vc_uwpdesktop.110.exe, vc_uwpdesktop.120.exe and vc_uwpdesktop.140.exe.
But still not joy. When I try to install the AppX, I get this error message :
Ask the developer for a new app package. This
package may conflict with a package already
installed, or it depends on things not installed
here (package dependencies), or is made for a
different architecture (0x80073CF3)
20161015 - More information :
I tried to use add-appxpackage as instructed.
PS C:\Windows\system32> add-appxpackage –register C:\output\CheckWriterIII\PackageFiles\AppxManifest.xml
Here is the result on the command line :
add-appxpackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073CF3, Package failed updates, dependency or conflict validation.
Windows cannot install package CheckWriterIII_3.2.0.0_x86__eqr0y32pbpypt because this package depends on a framework that could not
be found. Provide the framework "Microsoft.VCLibs.120.00.UWPDesktop" published by "CN=Microsoft Corporation, O=Microsoft
Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US", with neutral or x86 processor architecture and minimum version 12.0.40652.5, along
with this package to install. The frameworks with name "Microsoft.VCLibs.120.00.UWPDesktop" currently installed are: {}
NOTE: For additional information, look for [ActivityId] 147c2bae-26c2-0005-268c-7c14c226d201 in the Event Log or use the command
line Get-AppxLog -ActivityID 147c2bae-26c2-0005-268c-7c14c226d201
At line:1 char:1
+ add-appxpackage –register C:\output\CheckWriterIII\PackageFiles\AppxM ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : WriteError: (C:\output\Check...ppxManifest.xml:String) [Add-AppxPackage], IOException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.AddAppxPackageCommand
As instructed, I have fetched the log :
PS C:\Windows\system32> Get-AppxLog -ActivityID
147c2bae-26c2-0005-268c-7c14c226d201
Time ID Message
---- -- ------- 10/15/2016 5:41:58 PM 301 The calling process is powershell.exe 10/15/2016 5:41:58
PM 603 Started deployment Register operation on a package
with main parameter: AppxManifest.xml and
Options: DevelopmentModeOption. See http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=235160 for help
diagnosing app deployment issues. 10/15/2016 5:41:58 PM 10002 Creating Resiliency
File
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\AppRepository\76c1ec66-a626-417f-be
73-95fd9ce4b88f_S-1-5-21-2501171662-860024267-76414939-1001_1.rslc for
Register Operation on
Package CheckWriterIII_3.2.0.0_x86__eqr0y32pbpypt. 10/15/2016 5:41:58 PM
607 Deployment Register operation on package
CheckWriterIII_3.2.0.0_x86__eqr0y32pbpypt has been
de-queued and is running for user DESKTOP-V1EBBS5\mitch. 10/15/2016 5:41:58 PM 613
Adding uri to the list of Uris:
C:\output\CheckWriterIII\PackageFiles\AppxManifest.xml. 10/15/2016
5:41:58 PM 628 Windows cannot install package
CheckWriterIII_3.2.0.0_x86__eqr0y32pbpypt because this
package depends on a framework that could not be found. Provide the framework
"Microsoft.VCLibs.120.00.UWPDesktop" published by "CN=Microsoft
Corporation, O=Microsoft
Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US", with neutral or x86 processor architecture and
minimum version 12.0.40652.5, along with this package to install. The frameworks with name
"Microsoft.VCLibs.120.00.UWPDesktop" currently installed are: {}
10/15/2016 5:41:58 PM 605 The last successful state
reached was Indexed. Failure occurred before reaching the next
state Resolved. hr: 0x80073CF3 10/15/2016 5:41:58 PM 401 Deployment Register operation
with target volume C: on Package
CheckWriterIII_3.2.0.0_x86__eqr0y32pbpypt from: (AppxManifest.xml)
failed with error
0x80073CF3. See http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=235160 for help diagnosing app
deployment issues. 10/15/2016 5:41:58 PM 404 AppX Deployment operation failed for
package CheckWriterIII_3.2.0.0_x86__eqr0y32pbpypt with
error 0x80073CF3. The specific error text for this failure is: Windows cannot install
package CheckWriterIII_3.2.0.0_x86__eqr0y32pbpypt because this package depends
on a
framework that could not be found. Provide the framework
"Microsoft.VCLibs.120.00.UWPDesktop" published by "CN=Microsoft
Corporation, O=Microsoft
Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US", with neutral or x86 processor architecture and
minimum version 12.0.40652.5, along with this package to install. The frameworks with name
"Microsoft.VCLibs.120.00.UWPDesktop" currently installed are: {}
Now I don't understand why it does not find Microsoft.VCLibs.120.00.UWPDesktop. I have downloaded and installed vc_uwpdesktop.120.exe 12.0.40653.00 and double verify it as not only in programs and features, but on the disk where it is supposed to be.

Answer 1

Thanks for the update. That confirms what the problem is. It was actually described in your original post, but it's quite subtle:
I did install on my machine vc_uwpdesktop.110.exe, vc_uwpdesktop.120.exe and vc_uwpdesktop.140.exe.
Unfortunately this did not do what you think. It installed the .appx files that can be used to redistribute the framework dependencies. It did not actually install the framework dependencies themselves.
To install them, you have to find the .appx files they installed (or at least the 120 x86 version) and ensure they are also installed. You can do so directly with the App Installer, with Add-AppxPackage separately (and ahead of time), or, I believe, as part of your package's installation by referencing the framework dependency in a -DependencyPath argument.
The path to the .appx file in question looks something like this; tweak the version numbers and platform for your case as required. Just make sure you don't accidentally use a variant without "Desktop" in its name.
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows Kits\10\ExtensionSDKs\Microsoft.VCLibs.Desktop.110\14.0\Appx\Retail\x86
Once you install or reference the correct package here, your main package should install (or register) successfully.