App Alias Properties

Console Application

Declare the application as a console UWP app.

Execution Aliases

What is an app execution alias? This is a new feature that was introduced with Windows 10, allowing applications to define custom execution aliases that can be used to launch the application from cmd, ps or other applications. This is basically a mapping between a command-line alias and an application executable.

Think of execution aliases somewhere in the “environment variables” area where a specific environment variable could point to an executable and that variable can be accessed globally either from cmd or from other applications.

For example, suppose an application called "MyApp" defines an AppExecutionAlias "myalias". When a user types "myalias" in the command prompt or specifies it as a parameter to another application, Windows launches "MyApp". The AppExecutionAlias can also include parameters that are passed to the application when it is launched.

AppExecutionAlias can be used if you want to globally access the executable outside of the APPX/MSIX container.

The AppExecutionAlias must be added in the package manifest as such:

<Applications>
<Application EntryPoint="Windows.FullTrustApplication" Executable="AI_STUBS\AiStub.exe" Id="EnvironmentVariables">
<Extensions>
<uap5:Extension Category="windows.appExecutionAlias" EntryPoint="Windows.FullTrustApplication" Executable="HelloWorld.exe">
<uap5:AppExecutionAlias>
<uap5:ExecutionAlias Alias="HelloWorld.exe" />
</uap5:AppExecutionAlias>
</uap5:Extension>
</Extensions>
</Application>
</Applications>
      

Notice how the AppExecutionAlias is present under an Application element in the XML. Without defining an application in the MSIX package, an AppExecutionAlias cannot be created.

Manage App Execution Aliases with Advanced Installer

Advanced Installer makes it much easier to manage app execution aliases. To add a new Execution Alias, use the New button or to edit an existing one, use the Edit button. Edit App Alias Properties Dialog will be displayed.

To delete an Execution Alias use Delete button.

For more information regarding App Aliases check out this blog article.