App Catalog

Browsing: all editions. Creating packages: Pro.

The App Catalog lists applications from two sources:

• about 600 apps from the Evergreen project
• about 14,000 apps from the Windows Package Manager (winget) community repository

You can create a ready-to-review PSADT package for any of them.

The App Catalog needs an internet connection. The list is cached for 24 hours. If no source can be reached, the last cached list is shown with a stale data badge.

Browsing #

• Search by name, publisher or package ID. Sort by the columns and page through the results.
• Use the source filter (All / Evergreen / winget) to show one source. A badge on each row shows its source.
• The link icon opens the vendor’s web page (Evergreen apps).
• Click a row to open the configuration panel.

For winget apps, the list first shows the publisher part of the package ID (for example Microsoft). The full publisher name is read when the package is created.

Configuring the release #

The panel only offers the choices that exist for that app, with sensible defaults:

• Version: newest preselected
• Architecture: x64 preferred, then ARM64, then x86
• Channel: Stable preferred
• Installer type: MSI preferred over EXE
• Language: English preferred

A summary shows the installer file, its size, the download host and whether a checksum is available.

Create package (Pro) #

When you click Create package, the wizard does the following:

1. Downloads the installer into the new package (with progress; you can cancel).
2. Checks the download. It verifies the SHA-256 checksum when one is published (always for winget) and checks that the file really is an installer.
3. Determines the silent switches:
   • MSI installers always use /qn /norestart.
   • For EXE installers it uses the first match from: the curated list, the winget manifest, a scan of the installer, the winget installer type, and finally the file name.
   • If nothing matches, the package is flagged needs review, and the generated install phase stops with an error instead of starting an interactive setup.
   • winget apps that install per user only get a hint, because PSADT installs machine-wide.
4. Creates the PSADT package with:
   • application details
   • a silent install phase
   • a registry-based uninstall phase
   • a repair phase
   The package then opens on Session Config for review.

Review and adjust the generated package like any other package before you export it. Catalog packages count towards the Free edition limit.

Update badges #

Packages created from the catalog remember the app and release they came from.

• When the check runs. When you open the Packages Workspace, they are checked against the catalog. This happens at most every 6 hours and is skipped silently when offline.
• The badge. If a newer version exists, the card shows an amber UPDATE badge with the new version.
• The update button (Pro) creates a new package at the new version. The existing package is kept.
  • Tags and the PSADT template are carried over.
  • Manual edits to the phases are not carried over. Re-apply them before you export.
• Same variant only. Updates are only shown for the same architecture, channel and installer type that you originally picked.

Packages created before version 2.1.0, and converted copies, do not show update badges. Create them again from the catalog to get update badges.