WAU Settings GUI (for Winget-AutoUpdate)

Provides a user-friendly portable standalone interface to modify every aspect of Winget-AutoUpdate (WAU)

Dependencies

This project depends on the following repository:

• Winget-AutoUpdate: has all the settings this project can handle/modify/save/restore/share and document

If WAU is not installed, it will prompt to download and install with standard settings.

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Description

Significantly enhance WAU's usability for home admin users while maintaining enterprise-grade functionality.
Benefits from not having to manage the settings in several places when testing etc. (great for developers)...

...a perfect companion for those supporting the community (if the community actually uses it!) - being able to ask for a screenshot of the settings because it comes with all included (even a screenshot function masking potentially sensitive data)!

Configure WAU settings after installation

• Update intervals and timing
• Notification levels
• Set list and mods paths
• Additional options like running at logon, user context, etc.
• Creating/deleting shortcuts
• Managing log files
• Starting WAU manually
• Screenshot with masking functionality for documentation (F11)
• GPO Management integration
• Status information display showing version details, last run times, and current configuration state (F5 to refresh)
• Dev Tools for advanced troubleshooting (F12/click on logo, double-click for WAU Settings GUI on GitHub):
  • [manifests/issues/errors] Useful WinGet links
  • [gpo] Open WAU policies path in registry (if GPO Managed)
  • [tsk] Task scheduler access (look in WAU subfolder)
  • [reg] Open WAU settings path in registry
  • [uid] GUID path exploration (regarding WAU MSI installation)
  • [sys] Open WinGet system wide installed application list (if previously saved by WAU)
  • [mod] Open the external WAU mods folder
  • [lst] Open the current local list
  • [usr] Change colors/update schedule for WAU Settings GUI
  • [msi] MSI transform creation (using current showing configuration)
  • [wsb] Windows Sandbox (WSB) installation/test of WAU installation
    • A standalone SandboxTest shortcut for running advanced tests is created in User Start Menu the first time [wsb] is used with WSB installed
  • [cfg] Configuration backup/import (i.e. for sharing settings)
  • [wau] Reinstall WAU (with current showing configuration)
    • Stores source in [INSTALLDIR]\msi\[VERSION] (enables WAU Repair in Programs and Features)
  • [ver] Manual check for WAU Settings GUI updates (checks automatically every week as standard)
    • If manual check and [INSTALLDIR]\ver\backup exists a restore option is also presented
  • [src] Direct access to WAU Settings GUI [INSTALLDIR]

Nota bene

• Must be executed as Administrator (EXE and shortcuts have the flag set)
• EXE is signed with KnifMelti Certificate

Manual installation

• Download, unblock and extract the latest release: WAU-Settings-GUI-vX.X.X.X.zip
• Run WAU-Settings-GUI.exe (Portable/Installer):
  • Detects if running from USB drive (then executes as Portable)
  • Select a base directory for the [INSTALLDIR] or run directly in portable mode

Automatic installation

• Use WinGet CLI from Command Prompt to install the latest released WinGet version:

  winget install KnifMelti.WAU-Settings-GUI #(--scope user, if failing)

This will install a Portable WinGet Package (with PortableCommandAlias: WAU-Settings-GUI) to: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages\KnifMelti.WAU-Settings-GUI_Microsoft.Winget.Source_8wekyb3d8bbwe

Running

• After installation, WAU Settings GUI starts (if installed by WinGet you must start it via an ordinary Command Prompt using the PortableCommandAlias: WAU-Settings-GUI)
• If WAU is not installed, it will prompt to download and install with standard settings
• If a local list is not found, it will prompt to create a new excluded_apps.txt
  • The created list will contain KnifMelti.WAU-Settings-GUI
• In the GUI you now have ☐|☑ Start Menu shortcuts / ☐|☑ WAU Desktop shortcut / ☐|☑ App Installer shortcut options showing the current installed WAU configuration
• Configure every setting to your preferences and Save Settings
• The WAU Settings (Administrator) shortcut has now been created under Start Menu\Programs\Winget-AutoUpdate folder (along with the other WAU shortcuts) or on your own Desktop (pin to taskbar when running maybe?) depending on your choice
• If WAU is updated and some shortcut icons goes missing, you'll have to toggle the ☐|☑ Start Menu shortcuts / ☐|☑ WAU Desktop shortcut / ☐|☑ App Installer shortcut options again (and save in between) to create new shortcuts so that they are updated to the new WAU version icon

Updating

• Checks automatically every week as standard (click the button [usr] under Dev Tools (F12) to change the update schedule)
• Dev Tools (F12): Click the button [ver]
  • If [INSTALLDIR]\ver\backup exists a restore option is also presented
• If an update exists, WAU Settings GUI will ask if you want to download and install the new version
• Before installing a backup of the current version will be created in [INSTALLDIR]\ver\backup folder
• WAU will also rudimentary update WAU Settings GUI in user scope with every new released WinGet version
  • To avoid failed updates (locked/open files) you can:
    • Create a KnifMelti.WAU-Settings-GUI-preinstall.ps1 script in the WAU mods folder to shut down WAU Settings GUI before updating (or not run it when updating):

      Get-Process powershell | Where-Object {$_.MainWindowTitle -like "WAU Settings*"} | Stop-Process -Force

    • Disable the WAU updating alltogether via your excluded_apps.txt:
      KnifMelti.WAU-Settings-GUI
• Alternatively, you can use WinGet CLI from Command Prompt to rudimentary update to every new released WinGet version of WAU Settings GUI:

  winget upgrade KnifMelti.WAU-Settings-GUI #(--scope user, if failing)

• The built-in updater is absolutely the preferred option, making a backup of your current installed version first and taking care of locked/open files
  • A repair is automatically performed if files are corrupted/missing when starting

SandboxTest

• Microsoft have developed a script for prepping and starting a Windows Sandbox (WSB) environment for installing/validating local WinGet manifests:
  • https://github.com/microsoft/winget-pkgs/blob/master/doc/README.md#in-windows-sandbox
  • Sandbox requirements: Windows 10/11 Pro/Enterprise/Education (Win10: version 1903+)/Virtualization enabled in BIOS (Intel VT-x or AMD-V)/Minimum 4 GB RAM, 2 CPU cores
• Now incorporated (heavily modified) in WAU Settings GUI for testing the installation of WAU (with generated transform) and be able to fully test WinGet installations/updates via WAU in the virtual environment
• A standalone SandboxTest shortcut is also created in the user Start Menu (the first time [wsb] is used with WSB installed) for more advanced testing, including recognition of files in the selected folder
• A Script Mapping Configuration in wsb\script-mappings.txt determines what is chosen
  • 4 predefined scripts are included (create your own and save/load) chosen by recognition:
    • InstallWSB: if the chosen folder contains files created from [wsb]
    • WinGetManifest: if the chosen folder contains WinGet manifests
    • Installer: if the chosen folder contains install.*
    • Explorer: a general script opening the selected mapped folder in WSB
• A file browser for specifically selecting the file to run is also included

Uninstallation

• Use Programs and Features in Control Panel to uninstall KnifMelti WAU Settings GUI
• Uninstall can be done from CMD too (/UNINSTALL or silent /UNINSTALL /S parameter) using UnInst.exe in the WAU Settings GUI [INSTALLDIR]:

  #e.g.:
  "C:\WAU Settings GUI\UnInst.exe" /UNINSTALL
  #i.e.:
  "%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages\KnifMelti.WAU-Settings-GUI_Microsoft.Winget.Source_8wekyb3d8bbwe\UnInst.exe" /UNINSTALL /S

• This will remove everything, including the Portable WinGet Package from the source (it will not show up in the WinGet installed list anymore)
• WAU will be automatically reinstalled afterward restoring the current showing configuration
  • Stores source in %ProgramData%\Package Cache\[GUID][LONGVERSION] (enables WAU Repair in Programs and Features)

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Screenshots

🔒 KnifMelti Certificate

Manual installation (Portable/Installer)

Managed by Registry (local)

Dev Tools (F12)

Managed by GPO (central/local)

SandboxTest

Uninstallation

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