flutter-docker-image/docs/windows.md

Windows

Swich between Linux and Windows containers

& $Env:ProgramFiles\Docker\Docker\DockerCli.exe -SwitchDaemon

Toolchain versions

Windows toolchain versions (Git for Windows, Visual Studio BuildTools components, Windows 11 SDK build) are pinned in config/version.json under the windows block and validated by config/schema.cue. The update_version.yml workflow refreshes these alongside Flutter and Android in the monthly upgrade PR, and the Pester suite asserts the installed image matches the manifest on every CI run.

TODO

1. Install tools

   # # needed? No
#    --add Microsoft.Component.MSBuild' `
   # # needed? No
   # --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.TestTools.BuildTools `
   # # needed? No
   # --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.ASAN `
   # # needed? no
   # # --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.Tools.x86.x64 `
RUN Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vs_buildtools.exe -OutFile vs_BuildTools.exe; `
    Start-Process vs_BuildTools.exe -ArgumentList '--quiet --wait --norestart --nocache `
   # # needed? yes
   # --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.CMake.Project `
   # # needed? Yes
   # --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Windows11SDK.22621 `
   # # needed?
   # --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.VCTools' `
    -Wait; `
    Remove-Item vs_BuildTools.exe;

1. Read dependencies from flutter_tools.
2. Check how it can be run in Github actions.
3. Check how it can be run in Gitlab CI/CD.
4. Test that path to powershell.exe exists.
5. Test that Build Tools were installed in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\BuildTools\msbuild\current\bin
6. Check Windows installation requirements for Flutter
7. Add docs explaining to use $VerbosePreference = 'Continue'; in the SHELL to debug unexpected pwsh problems.

Open issue in windows Docker images repo

1. Some images can be pulled while others give error:

Error response from daemon: Get "https://mcr.microsoft.com/v2/": read tcp [2a0c:5a84:e100:e501::a97c]:58039->[2603:1061:f:101::10]:443: wsarecv: An existing connection was forcibly closed by the remote host.  

Debug with curl -A github165 -v https://mcr.microsoft.com/v2/powershell/manifests/lts-nanoserver-ltsc2022

Contribute flutter upstream

1. Remove WHERE in bin\internal\shared.bat and use instead:

pwsh.exe -Command "exit" >nul 2>&1 && (  
        SET powershell_executable=pwsh.exe  
    ) || powershell.exe -Command "exit" >nul 2>&1 && (  
        SET powershell_executable=PowerShell.exe  
    ) || (  
        ECHO Error: PowerShell executable not found.                        1>&2  
        ECHO        Either pwsh.exe or PowerShell.exe must be in your PATH. 1>&2  
        EXIT 1  
    )  

2. Find if the executable should be pwsh or powershell and put it in a service to remove the hardcoded "powershell" in multiple places, like in:
   • dev\devicelab\lib\framework\running_processes.dart
   • packages\flutter_tools\lib\src\windows\windows_version_validator.dart

Steps to reproduce in Docker

1. Enable Windows Developer Settings to solve error:

# >Building with plugins requires symlink support.  
# >  
# >Please enable Developer Mode in your system settings. Run  
# > start ms-settings:developers  
# >to open settings.  
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModelUnlock" /t REG_DWORD /f /v "AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense" /d "1"  

2. For CI/CD
   1. Docker version must be pinned in Github workflow to avoid breaking changes: with escaping \" syntax inside RUN directive, etc.
   2. Packaging tool in Windows: msix . It uses the executables:
      • makeappx.exe
      • makepri.exe
      • signtool.exe
      • certificate
        * Make a note that --install-certificate should be "false" or configured because the certificate can't be installed as ContainerUser.

      # OK  
      Import-PfxCertificate -FilePath "C:\Users\ContainerUser\AppData\Local\Pub\Cache\hosted\pub.dev\msix-3.16.8\lib\assets\test_certificate.pfx" -Password (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force "1234") -CertStoreLocation Cert:\LocalMachine\Root  
      # Doesn't work  
      Import-PfxCertificate -FilePath "C:\Users\ContainerUser\AppData\Local\Pub\Cache\hosted\pub.dev\msix-3.16.8\lib\assets\test_certificate.pfx" -Password (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force "1234")  
      

   3. Install msstore CLI https://github.com/microsoft/msstore-cli It seems behind StoreBroker but it looks that it's going to be the primary and recommended way to publish to Microsoft Store
      • According to the msstore guide, It will be needed to install Microsoft.NetCore.Component.Runtime.8.0 with vs_BuildTools
   4. From github.com/tauu/flutter-windows-builder/Dockerfile => install github.com/microsoft/StoreBroker This is currently the primary tool to publish to Microsoft Store
      • Not installed right now
   5. Install the Windows App Certification Kit or the Windows SDK that already includes it
      • Installed currently by one of the workloads in vs_BuildTools

References

• How environment variables work on Windows containers?
• Windows deployment in Flutter
• vs_BuildTools workloads
• Useful Dockerfile https://git.openprivacy.ca/openprivacy/flutter-desktop/src/branch/main/windows/Dockerfile