Click Start New Package on the dashboard. The wizard guides you through seven steps. You can navigate freely between steps using the sidebar or the Previous/Next footer buttons. Every change is auto-saved to the active package roughly every 2 seconds, or immediately when you click Save in the header strip.
Step 1: Files manager #
Upload the installer files that your deployment script will reference.
How to upload:
- Drag and drop files or folders onto the upload area, or
- Click the upload area to open the file browser
Features:
- Folder structure is preserved (useful for complex installers)
- Maximum upload size: 5 GB per request
- Automatic metadata detection: When you upload an MSI or EXE, the wizard reads its embedded ProductName, ProductVersion, and architecture and offers to pre-fill Session Configuration
File Tree:
- View all uploaded files in a tree structure
- Delete individual files or folders
- Clear all files for the active package
Uploaded files are stored per-package in %AppData%\XOAP\PackageWizard\workspace\Files\{packageId}\ and are bundled into Files/ inside the exported zip.
Step 2: Session configuration #
Configure the application metadata that PSADT uses for logging, UI display, and detection. Every field here is written into the $adtSession = @{ ... } block of the generated script.
Application information #
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| App Vendor | Software publisher | Microsoft |
| App Name | Application name | Visual Studio Code |
| App Version | Version string | 1.85.0 |
| App Architecture | Target architecture | x64 |
| App Language | Language code | EN |
| App Revision | Package revision number | 01 |
Script metadata #
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| App Script Version | Your script’s internal version | 4.0.0 |
| App Script Date | Date of script creation (ISO) | 2026-04-22 |
| App Script Author | Who wrote the script (defaults to preference) | Admin |
Deployment settings #
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Require Admin | Tri-state: Not Defined / True / False. “Not Defined” preserves the toolkit’s own value | True |
| Success Exit Codes | List of integers that mean success | 0 |
| Reboot Exit Codes | List of integers that require a reboot | 1641, 3010 |
| App Processes to Close | List of process names to close before install | code, code-insiders |
Display settings #
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Install Name | Override the display name used by PSADT during install |
| Install Title | Override the title bar text shown to users |
Step 3: Parameters #
Add custom PowerShell parameters to your deployment script. These are appended to the param() block alongside the default PSADT parameters.
Default parameters (always present, read-only):
DeploymentType—Install/Uninstall/RepairDeployMode—Auto/Interactive/NonInteractive/SilentSuppressRebootPassThru(switch)TerminalServerMode(switch)DisableLogging(switch)
For each custom parameter you can set:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Parameter name (e.g., ConfigFile) |
| Type | System.String, System.Boolean, System.Int32, System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter, etc. |
| Mandatory | Whether the parameter is required |
| ValidateSet | Comma-separated list of allowed values (renders as [ValidateSet('A','B','C')]) |
| Default Value | Value used when the parameter is not specified |
| Description | Help text rendered as a # comment above the parameter |
Example use case: Add -Environment with ValidateSet = Dev,Staging,Production to control which configuration file a caller deploys.
Step 4: Install phase #
Write the PowerShell code that runs when DeploymentType = Install. The phase is split into three Monaco code editors:
| Section | When It Runs | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Installation | Before the main install | Close running apps, back up settings, check prerequisites |
| Installation | Main install logic | Run MSI/EXE installer, copy files, set registry keys |
| Post-Installation | After the main install | Create shortcuts, configure settings, clean up temp files |
Editor features:
- Full PowerShell syntax highlighting (Monaco Editor)
- Cmdlet autocomplete — start typing any PSADT v4 cmdlet name and the editor suggests it, including a snippet with required parameters. Type
-after a known cmdlet to get parameter suggestions with their types, required flag, description, and valid values. - Function Builder button — opens a modal to pick a cmdlet, fill in its parameters via form fields (with a file picker populated from your uploaded files), and insert the generated code at the cursor. See Function Builder & Cmdlet Autocomplete.
- Maximize — each editor has a full-screen toggle
- Clear — wipe the section’s content
Example installation code:
## Install the MSI Start-ADTMsiProcess -FilePath 'MyApp.msi' -Action Install ## Copy configuration file Copy-ADTFile -Path "$($adtSession.DirFiles)\config.xml" -Destination "$envProgramFiles\MyApp\"
Step 5: Uninstall phase #
Same three-section structure (Pre, Main, Post) as the Install Phase. Runs when DeploymentType = Uninstall.
Example:
## Remove the MSI
Uninstall-ADTApplication -Name 'MyApp' -FilterScript { $_.Publisher -eq 'Contoso' }
## Clean up leftover files
Remove-Item -Path "$envProgramFiles\MyApp\config.xml" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Step 6: Repair phase #
Same three-section structure. Runs when DeploymentType = Repair. Many packages leave the repair phase empty — that’s fine; PSADT simply runs an empty function.
Step 7: Script preview & test run #
Displays the complete generated script in a read-only Monaco editor with PowerShell highlighting. This is exactly what Invoke-AppDeployToolkit.ps1 will contain in your exported package.
Actions on this page:
| Control | Description |
|---|---|
| Copy to Clipboard | Copy the full generated script |
| Deployment Type | Select Install / Uninstall / Repair for the Test Run |
| Deploy Mode | Select Interactive / NonInteractive / Silent for the Test Run |
| Test Run | Execute the generated script on this machine with the chosen parameters. Output streams into an embedded terminal below the editor. |
| Run as Admin | Toggle whether Test Run launches an elevated PowerShell (UAC prompt) |
| Terminal | Shows streamed stdout/stderr. Use the eraser icon to clear, the x to close. |
Test Run uses the same PSADT module and Files/ directory that would ship in the exported zip. It has a 120-second timeout.
Export is available from the Packages Workspace toolbar (not from this page) — see below.