Winget-cli: Manage Cache

[slaet]

Would it make sense to manage/configure the Cache on a Device with a Manifest. In this case I can set the Path to a different folder, I can manage the source path, if I have the possible option to add my own Repository also delete/clear cache at a selected time or also set a maximum size to not fulfil the Hard-drive, also let me mark application to be persistent in the cache for Active-Setup applications.

Thank you

[megamorf]

@slaet I have trouble understanding what point you're trying to make. There's a local cache[1] of each configured source in winget (winget source list) but that only contains metadata and references to available manifests which currently is a few 100 KB in size. Can you elaborate why you think your hard drive would fill up by using winget?

Are you asking to be able to override the path where setups will be installed to, e.g. a different hard drive like D:\programs?

[riverar]

@megamorf Do you work at Microsoft?

I believe @slaet is referring to the downloaded packages that sit on disk, presumably forever.

[slaet]

yes, thank you @riverar you pointed. I think the setup.exe from a Application will be downloaded first to the Device (to a cache folder) and start the Setup with parameters from the manifest from there? If yes, I like to manage this local cache...

[megamorf]

The installers are downloaded to %LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\TempState\WinGet\ and removed by winget upon installation:

```diff
2020-5-27 10:57:36.928 [CLI ] WinGet invoked with arguments: 'install' 'glimpse.glimpse'
2020-5-27 10:57:36.928 [CLI ] Found subcommand: install
2020-5-27 10:57:36.928 [CLI ] Leaf command to execute: root:install
2020-5-27 10:57:37.170 [CLI ] Executing command: install
2020-5-27 10:57:37.204 [REPO] Default source requested, using first source: winget
2020-5-27 10:57:37.208 [REPO] Named source requested, found: winget
2020-5-27 10:57:37.208 [REPO] Source past auto update time [5 mins]; it has been at least 76 mins
2020-5-27 10:57:37.408 [CORE] Examining extension: PFN = Microsoft.Winget.Source_8wekyb3d8bbwe, ID = IndexDB
2020-5-27 10:57:37.409 [CORE] Found matching extension.
2020-5-27 10:57:39.203 [REPO] Remote source data was not newer than existing, no update needed
2020-5-27 10:57:39.288 [CORE] Examining extension: PFN = Microsoft.Winget.Source_8wekyb3d8bbwe, ID = IndexDB
2020-5-27 10:57:39.288 [CORE] Found matching extension.
2020-5-27 10:57:39.425 [REPO] Opening SQLite Index for ImmutableRead at 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.Winget.Source_2020.527.608.245_neutral__8wekyb3d8bbwe\Publicindex.db'
2020-5-27 10:57:39.428 [SQL ] Opening SQLite connection: 'file:/C:/Program Files/WindowsApps/Microsoft.Winget.Source_2020.527.608.245_neutral__8wekyb3d8bbwe/Public/index.db?immutable=1' [1, 40]
2020-5-27 10:57:39.437 [REPO] Opened SQLite Index with version [1.0], last write [2020-5-27 07:08:53.000]
2020-5-27 10:57:39.571 [REPO] Performing search: Query:'glimpse.glimpse'[Substring]
2020-5-27 10:57:39.589 [CLI ] Found one app. App id: Glimpse.Glimpse App name: Glimpse
2020-5-27 10:57:39.600 [REPO] Downloading manifest
2020-5-27 10:57:39.600 [CORE] Downloading from url: https://winget.azureedge.net/cache/manifests/Glimpse/Glimpse/2ac4-0.1.2.yaml
2020-5-27 10:57:40.389 [CORE] Download completed.
2020-5-27 10:57:40.397 [CLI ] Manifest fields: Name [Glimpse], Version [0.1.2]
2020-5-27 10:57:40.399 [CLI ] Starting installer selection.
2020-5-27 10:57:40.399 [CLI ] Completed installer selection.
2020-5-27 10:57:40.700 [CLI ] Generated temp download path: "C:\Users\megamorf\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\TempState\WinGet\Glimpse.Glimpse.0.1.2"
2020-5-27 10:57:40.706 [CORE] Downloading to path: "C:\Users\megamorf\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\TempState\WinGet\Glimpse.Glimpse.0.1.2"
2020-5-27 10:57:40.725 [CORE] Started applying motw to "C:\Users\megamorf\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\TempState\WinGet\Glimpse.Glimpse.0.1.2"
2020-5-27 10:57:40.729 [CORE] Finished applying motw
2020-5-27 10:57:40.733 [CORE] Downloading from url: https://github.com/glimpse-editor/Glimpse/releases/download/v0.1.2/glimpse-0.1.2.msi
2020-5-27 10:59:08.100 [CORE] Download hash: 99c3df2884310cb74c39a15fb63e93fbf2112f581dc5325b37123467618d89e8
2020-5-27 10:59:08.101 [CORE] Download completed.
2020-5-27 10:59:08.111 [CLI ] Installer hash verified
2020-5-27 10:59:08.115 [CLI ] Installer args: /passive /log "C:\Users\megamorf\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\TempState\WinGet\Glimpse.Glimpse.0.1.2.log"
2020-5-27 10:59:08.122 [CLI ] Successfully renamed downloaded installer. Path: "C:\Users\megamorf\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\TempState\WinGet\Glimpse.Glimpse.0.1.2.msi"
2020-5-27 10:59:08.127 [CLI ] Starting installer. Path: "C:\Users\megamorf\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\TempState\WinGet\Glimpse.Glimpse.0.1.2.msi"

• 2020-5-27 10:59:36.467 [CLI ] Removing installer: "C:\Users\megamorf\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\TempState\WinGet\Glimpse.Glimpse.0.1.2.msi"
  2020-5-27 10:59:36.547 [CLI ] Leaf command succeeded: root:install
  ```

Note that many setups are stored in %windir%\Installer so that they can be uninstalled later which has nothing to do with winget.

@riverar No, I'm just an enthusiast who wants this project to succeed.

[riverar]

@megamorf The files still remain in app installer's INetCache. Look in %localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetCache.

[megamorf]

@riverar That path is empty for me after installing the package with ID glimse.glimpse which is an msi based installer.

[riverar]

@megamorf The folders/files are hidden. Try again.

[riverar]

[megamorf]

@riverar You're right. I can confirm that. I typically have show all hidden and system files enabled but not on this computer, sorry about that.

PS C:\Users\megamorf> gci -Recurse -Force $env:LocalAppData\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetCache | select fullname

FullName
--------
C:\Users\megamorf\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetCache\6DZJX28P
C:\Users\megamorf\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetCache\NB11U0ZX
C:\Users\megamorf\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetCache\container.dat
C:\Users\megamorf\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetCache\6DZJX28P\2ac4-0.1.2[1].yaml
C:\Users\megamorf\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetCache\NB11U0ZX\glimpse-0.1.2[1].msi

[slaet]

exactly, this Folder %localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetCache I like to manage.
In my Case this folder is Empty after installing some Packages, but maybe I need the app for another user to run the User Conditions again, for that I like to have more options to manage the content, like hold an application in that cache as persistent for later use. For sure the uninstall is most based in the MSI-ID to run without the sources, and for some exe there is a uninstall.exe at the Installation Path, but what about exe's that only run setup.exe again for uninstall?
And the %localappdata% is also based on a User-Profile, that's why I like to manage it, on a different location, for example c:\windows\wingetcache that the folder is accessible to all Users on a Device.
Would that make sense?

[cgerke]

Further to this, cache management would be nice from the perspective of resuming installs. For example if you call winget install on an application, it gets to 100% download but for whatever reason (maybe a user mistake) the uac prompt its not passed then the installation is cancelled. If you run winget install again...it downloads it again. It would be preferrable to use whats already downloaded.

Correct me if I wrong about this.