WinPack - Windows Store Packager for Unreal Engine 4.27

WinPack is a comprehensive UE4 plugin that automates the packaging, signing, and submission process for publishing games to the Microsoft Windows Store.

Features

• Microsoft Store Authentication: Sign in with your Microsoft Developer account directly from the editor
• App Association: Select or create apps from your Microsoft Partner Center account
• Automated Packaging: Package your UE4 game for Windows Store with one click
• Code Signing: Automatically sign packages with your digital certificate
• Progress Tracking: Real-time progress bar and live log panel
• Auto-Detection: Automatically detects SignTool, Windows SDK, and certificates
• Configurable Settings: All settings accessible via Project Settings > WinPack Settings

Requirements

• Unreal Engine 4.27
• Windows 10 SDK
• Microsoft Developer Account
• Code Signing Certificate (for signing packages)
• Visual Studio 2019 or later

Installation

1. Copy the WinPack folder to your project's Plugins directory
2. Restart Unreal Engine
3. Enable the plugin in Edit > Plugins > Search for "WinPack"
4. Restart the editor when prompted

Configuration

1. Project Settings

Navigate to Edit > Project Settings > Plugins > WinPack Settings to configure:

Microsoft Store Settings

• API Token: Your Microsoft Store API token
• Application ID: Your app's Store ID
• Tenant ID: Azure AD tenant ID
• Client ID: Azure AD application client ID
• Client Secret: Azure AD application secret

Signing Configuration

• SignTool Path: Path to signtool.exe (auto-detected)
• Certificate Path: Path to your .pfx certificate file
• Certificate Password: Password for your certificate
• Timestamp Server URL: Timestamp server (default: http://timestamp.digicert.com)

Packaging Configuration

• Package Output Path: Where to save packaged files
• Additional Package Output Path: Secondary location for submission files
• Package Name: Name of your package
• Publisher Display Name: Your publisher name
• Publisher Name: Publisher identifier (CN=...)
• Package Version: Version number (e.g., 1.0.0.0)

Build Configuration

• Build Configuration: Shipping/Development/Debug
• Target Platform: Win64
• Archive Directory: Where to archive builds

Auto-Detection Settings

• Auto-Detect SignTool: Enable automatic SignTool detection
• Auto-Detect Windows SDK: Enable automatic Windows SDK detection

UI Settings

• Show Live Log: Display live log panel
• Show Progress Bar: Display progress bar

Usage

Opening WinPack

Access WinPack through:

• Menu: Window > WinPack
• Toolbar: Click the WinPack button in the toolbar

Workflow

Step 1: Microsoft Store Authentication

1. Click Sign In with Microsoft
2. Sign in with your Microsoft Developer account in the browser
3. Authorize the application

Step 2: Associate App with Store

1. Click Refresh to load your apps from Partner Center
2. Select an existing app from the dropdown, or choose Create New App
3. Click Associate to link your project with the selected app

Step 3: Package & Sign

Choose one of the following options:

• Package Game: Build and package the game for Windows Store
• Sign Package: Sign an existing package with your certificate
• Package & Sign (All-in-One): Complete workflow in one step

You can also click Open Output Folder to view packaged files.

Step 4: Upload to Store

1. Click Upload to Microsoft Store
2. The signed package will be uploaded to your Partner Center account
3. Complete submission through Partner Center dashboard

Live Log Panel

The Live Log panel shows real-time information about:

• Auto-detection results
• Authentication status
• Packaging progress
• Signing status
• Upload progress
• Error messages and warnings

Progress Bar

The progress bar displays:

• Current operation status
• Percentage complete
• Status text description

Microsoft Partner Center Setup

Creating a Microsoft Developer Account

1. Visit https://partner.microsoft.com/dashboard
2. Sign up for a Microsoft Developer account
3. Complete registration and pay the registration fee
4. Verify your account information

Creating an App

1. Sign in to Partner Center
2. Click Apps and games > New product
3. Enter your app name and reserve it
4. Complete app information in the dashboard

Getting API Credentials

1. Go to Account settings > User management
2. Click Azure AD applications
3. Create a new Azure AD application
4. Note the Client ID and Tenant ID
5. Create a client secret and save it securely
6. Enter these credentials in WinPack settings

Code Signing Certificate

Obtaining a Certificate

1. Purchase a code signing certificate from a trusted CA:
2. DigiCert
3. Sectigo
4. GlobalSign
5. Certum

1. Export the certificate in .pfx format with private key
2. Save the certificate securely
3. Configure the certificate path in WinPack settings

Self-Signed Certificates (Development Only)

For development/testing, you can create a self-signed certificate:

New-SelfSignedCertificate -Type Custom -Subject "CN=YourPublisherName" -KeyUsage DigitalSignature -FriendlyName "YourAppName" -CertStoreLocation "Cert:\CurrentUser\My" -TextExtension @("2.5.29.37={text}1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.3", "2.5.29.19={text}")

Note: Self-signed certificates cannot be used for Store submission.

Troubleshooting

SignTool Not Found

• Install Windows 10 SDK from https://developer.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/windows-10-sdk/
• Manually set SignTool path in Project Settings

Certificate Errors

• Verify certificate path is correct
• Check certificate password
• Ensure certificate is valid and not expired
• Verify certificate includes code signing usage

Packaging Fails

• Check Output Log for detailed error messages
• Verify project builds successfully
• Ensure sufficient disk space
• Check that all content is properly referenced

Authentication Issues

• Verify API credentials in Project Settings
• Check internet connection
• Ensure Azure AD application permissions are configured
• Clear browser cache and try again

Upload Fails

• Verify package is properly signed
• Check Microsoft Partner Center dashboard for submission status
• Ensure app reservation is still valid
• Verify API token has necessary permissions

File Structure

WinPack/
├── WinPack.uplugin
├── README.md
├── Resources/
│   └── ButtonIcon_40x.png
└── Source/
    └── WinPack/
        ├── WinPack.Build.cs
        ├── Public/
        │   ├── WinPack.h
        │   ├── WinPackSettings.h
        │   ├── WinPackUI.h
        │   ├── WinPackCommands.h
        │   └── WinPackStyle.h
        └── Private/
            ├── WinPack.cpp
            ├── WinPackSettings.cpp
            ├── WinPackUI.cpp
            ├── WinPackCommands.cpp
            └── WinPackStyle.cpp

API Reference

UWinPackSettings

Settings class accessible via Project Settings.

Key Properties:

• FString APIToken - Microsoft Store API token
• FString SignToolPath - Path to signtool.exe
• FString CertificatePath - Path to certificate file
• FString PackageOutputPath - Output directory for packages

Key Functions:

• bool AutoDetectSignTool() - Automatically detect SignTool location
• FString GetDefaultSignToolPath() - Get default SignTool path
• FString GetDefaultTimestampServerURL() - Get default timestamp server

FWinPackModule

Main module class.

Key Functions:

• void PackageGame() - Package the game for Windows Store
• void SignGamePackage() - Sign the packaged game
• void AuthenticateMicrosoft() - Open Microsoft authentication
• void AssociateAppWithStore() - Associate project with Store app
• void UploadToStore() - Upload signed package to Store

SWinPackUI

Main UI widget class.

Key Functions:

• void AddLogMessage(const FString& Message) - Add message to log
• void UpdateProgressBar(float Progress, const FString& StatusText) - Update progress
• void RefreshUI() - Refresh UI elements

Known Limitations

• Microsoft Store API integration requires additional implementation for production use
• App list fetching currently shows placeholder data
• Upload functionality requires Microsoft Store Submission API integration
• Async process monitoring could be enhanced for better user feedback

Future Enhancements

• Full Microsoft Store Submission API integration
• Automated screenshot and metadata upload
• Multi-language package support
• Automated testing integration
• Build versioning automation
• Store analytics integration

Support

For issues, questions, or feature requests:

• Check the Troubleshooting section above
• Review UE4 Output Log for detailed error messages
• Consult Microsoft Partner Center documentation
• Check Windows Store certification requirements

License

Copyright AlphaCore. All Rights Reserved.

Version History

Version 1.0

• Initial release
• Basic packaging and signing functionality
• Microsoft Store authentication
• Project Settings integration
• Live log and progress tracking
• Auto-detection features
• Modern plugin structure compatible with UE4.27

Additional Resources

• Microsoft Partner Center
• Windows Store Policies
• Windows Store Submission API
• Code Signing for Windows
• UE4 Packaging Documentation