Workspace Environment Management

Configure MSIX app attach using external tasks

With Workspace Environment Management (WEM), you can set up MSIX app attach for use in Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops environments and on physical workstations. To provide a seamless MSIX app attach based application experience for users, you can roam MSIX app attach data with Profile Management.

The setup process includes the following steps:

  • Create external tasks
  • Configure Profile Management

Prerequisites

Before you start, you need to do the following:

  • Place an MSIX app attach container (VHDX file) in a file share that Citrix DaaS or Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops can access. To prepare a VHDX file that contains MSIX applications, use the MSIX packaging tool and the MSIXMGR tool.

  • Prepare PowerShell scripts for MSIX app attach. The scripts cover the following four distinct phases to be performed during logon and logoff for MSIX app attach: stage, register, deregister, and destage.

Create external tasks

The following information is supplemental to the guidance in External Tasks.

To create external tasks, follow the general guidance in that article, minding the details specific to MSIX app attach scenarios.

In Actions > External Tasks of the legacy console, add the following two tasks:

  • A task to mount the MSIX VHD file, stage MSIX app packages, and have the apps register with the desktop session when the end user logs on.

    Task to stage and register MSIX

  • A task to dismount the MSIX VHD file, destage MSIX app packages, and deregister the apps from the desktop session when the end user logs off.

    Task to destage and deregister MSIX

After that, assign the two tasks to the target users you want to enable MSIX app attach for. For information about assigning external tasks, see Assignment. The WEM agent running on the desktop machine will then run the tasks, making the MSIX apps accessible in the desktop session.

Assign external tasks

Configure Profile Management

MSIX app data is saved to the user profile in the user session. To retain MSIX app data in non-persistent desktops or to roam the data across desktops, you can use Profile Management. For information about how to configure profile roaming using Profile Management, see Citrix Profile Management Settings.

Configure MSIX app attach using external tasks