Support for nuget packages which contain winmd files

[Willaaaaaaa]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

This is kind of like a bug.

When you try xrepo install -vD nuget::Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications (This is a WinRT component). It will fail when checking for the installtion, because pkgs like this don't have .lib files, only have .winmd files (which I think caused fetch_info=nil). .winmd files need to use cppwinrt.exe to get the C++ projection files.

error message

PS C:\Users\Willaaaaaaa> xrepo install -vD nuget::Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications
D:\Software\xmake\xmake.exe f -c --require=n -vD
checking for platform ... windows
checking for architecture ... x64
checking for cl.exe ... D:\Software\Microsoft Visual Studio\18\Insiders\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.50.35615\bin\HostX64\x64\cl.exe
checking for Microsoft Visual Studio (x64) version ... 2026
checkinfo: cannot runv(nim.exe --version), No such file or directory
checking for nim ... no
checking for cl.exe ... D:\Software\Microsoft Visual Studio\18\Insiders\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.50.35615\bin\HostX64\x64\cl.exe
checking for the c++ compiler (cxx) ... cl.exe
checking for link.exe ... D:\Software\Microsoft Visual Studio\18\Insiders\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.50.35615\bin\HostX64\x64\link.exe
checking for the linker (ld) ... link.exe
configure
{
    kind = static
    builddir = build
    plat = windows
    proxy_pac = pac.lua
    clean = true
    ndk_stdcxx = true
    vs = 2026
    host = windows
    ccache = true
    mode = release
    proxy = http://127.0.0.1:7897
    theme = default
    arch = x64
    network = public
}
D:\Software\xmake\xmake.exe require -v -D -j 22 --extra={system=false} nuget::Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications
checking for git ... D:\Software\Git\cmd\git.exe
checkinfo: cannot runv(gzip.exe --version), No such file or directory
checking for gzip ... no
checking for 7z ... D:\Software\xmake\winenv\bin\7z
finding Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications from nuget ..
checking for nuget::Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications ... no
note: install or modify (m) these packages (pass -y to skip confirm)?
in nuget:
  -> nuget::Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications latest [runtimes:"MD"]
please input: y (y/n/m)

installing Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications from nuget ..
checking for dotnet ... C:\Program Files\dotnet\dotnet.exe
C:\Program Files\dotnet\dotnet.exe new console -n stub
已成功创建模板“控制台应用”。

正在处理创建后操作...
正在还原 C:\Users\Willaaaaaaa\AppData\Local\Temp\.xmake\251010\xrepo\working\build\.packages\n\nuget_microsoft.toolkit.uwp.notifications\latest\3c332be551f6485e8d17e1830ee49789\stub\stub.csproj:
已成功还原。


C:\Program Files\dotnet\dotnet.exe add package Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications

在 0.5 秒内生成 已成功
info : X.509 证书链验证将使用 .NET 选择的默认信任存储进行代码签名。
info : X.509 证书链验证将使用 .NET 选择的默认信任存储进行时间戳。
info : 正在将包“Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications”的 PackageReference 添加到项目“C:\Users\Willaaaaaaa\AppData\Local\Temp\.xmake\251010\xrepo\working\build\.packages\n\nuget_microsoft.toolkit.uwp.notifications\latest\3c332be551f6485e8d17e1830ee49789\stub\stub.csproj”。
info :   GET https://api.nuget.org/v3/registration5-gz-semver2/microsoft.toolkit.uwp.notifications/index.json
info :   OK https://api.nuget.org/v3/registration5-gz-semver2/microsoft.toolkit.uwp.notifications/index.json 347 毫秒
info : 正在还原 C:\Users\Willaaaaaaa\AppData\Local\Temp\.xmake\251010\xrepo\working\build\.packages\n\nuget_microsoft.toolkit.uwp.notifications\latest\3c332be551f6485e8d17e1830ee49789\stub\stub.csproj 的包...
info :   GET https://api.nuget.org/v3/vulnerabilities/index.json
info :   OK https://api.nuget.org/v3/vulnerabilities/index.json 772 毫秒
info :   GET https://api.nuget.org/v3-vulnerabilities/2025.10.08.05.30.15/vulnerability.base.json
info :   GET https://api.nuget.org/v3-vulnerabilities/2025.10.08.05.30.15/2025.10.10.11.30.22/vulnerability.update.json
info :   OK https://api.nuget.org/v3-vulnerabilities/2025.10.08.05.30.15/vulnerability.base.json 285 毫秒
info :   OK https://api.nuget.org/v3-vulnerabilities/2025.10.08.05.30.15/2025.10.10.11.30.22/vulnerability.update.json 744 毫秒
info : 包“Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications”与项目“C:\Users\Willaaaaaaa\AppData\Local\Temp\.xmake\251010\xrepo\working\build\.packages\n\nuget_microsoft.toolkit.uwp.notifications\latest\3c332be551f6485e8d17e1830ee49789\stub\stub.csproj”中指定的所有框架均兼容。
info : 包“Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications”(版本为 7.1.3)的 PackageReference 已添加到文件“C:\Users\Willaaaaaaa\AppData\Local\Temp\.xmake\251010\xrepo\working\build\.packages\n\nuget_microsoft.toolkit.uwp.notifications\latest\3c332be551f6485e8d17e1830ee49789\stub\stub.csproj”。
info : 将资产文件写入磁盘。路径: C:\Users\Willaaaaaaa\AppData\Local\Temp\.xmake\251010\xrepo\working\build\.packages\n\nuget_microsoft.toolkit.uwp.notifications\latest\3c332be551f6485e8d17e1830ee49789\stub\obj\project.assets.json
log  : 已还原 C:\Users\Willaaaaaaa\AppData\Local\Temp\.xmake\251010\xrepo\working\build\.packages\n\nuget_microsoft.toolkit.uwp.notifications\latest\3c332be551f6485e8d17e1830ee49789\stub\stub.csproj (用时 1.69 秒)。
finding Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications from nuget ..
checking for nuget::Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications ... no

error: ...\modules\private\action\require\impl\actions\install.lua:501: fetch nuget::Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications-latest failed!
stack traceback:
    [C]: in function 'error'
    [@programdir\core\base\os.lua:1087]: in function 'raiselevel'
    [@programdir\core\sandbox\modules\utils.lua:143]: in function 'assert'
    [...\modules\private\action\require\impl\actions\install.lua:501]:

  => install nuget::Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications latest .. failed
error: @programdir\core\main.lua:272: @programdir\modules\async\runjobs.lua:390: ...\modules\private\action\require\impl\actions\install.lua:581: install failed!
stack traceback:
    [C]: in function 'error'
    [@programdir\core\base\os.lua:1087]:
    [...\modules\private\action\require\impl\actions\install.lua:581]: in function 'catch'
    [@programdir\core\sandbox\modules\try.lua:123]: in function 'try'
    [...\modules\private\action\require\impl\actions\install.lua:439]:
    [...modules\private\action\require\impl\install_packages.lua:510]: in function 'job_func'
    [@programdir\modules\async\runjobs.lua:206]:

stack traceback:
        [C]: in function 'error'
        @programdir\core\base\os.lua:1087: in function 'base/os.raiselevel'
        (...tail calls...)
        @programdir\core\main.lua:272: in upvalue 'cotask'
        @programdir\core\base\scheduler.lua:514: in function <@programdir\core\base\scheduler.lua:507>
error: @programdir\core\main.lua:272: @programdir\core\sandbox\modules\os.lua:378: execv(D:\Software\xmake\xmake.exe require -v -D -j 22 --extra={system=false} nuget::Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications) failed(-1)
stack traceback:
    [C]: in function 'error'
    [@programdir\core\base\os.lua:1087]:
    [@programdir\core\sandbox\modules\os.lua:378]:
    [@programdir\modules\private\xrepo\action\install.lua:311]: in function '_install_packages'
    [@programdir\modules\private\xrepo\action\install.lua:318]:
    [@programdir\modules\private\xrepo\main.lua:196]:
    [@programdir\modules\utils\run_script.lua:101]: in function '_run_script'
    [@programdir\modules\utils\run_script.lua:158]: in function '_run'
    [@programdir\modules\utils\run_script.lua:207]:
    [@programdir\plugins\lua\main.lua:58]:
    [C]: in function 'xpcall'
    [@programdir\core\base\utils.lua:246]:
    [@programdir\core\base\task.lua:495]: in function 'run'
    [@programdir\core\main.lua:270]: in function 'cotask'
    [@programdir\core\base\scheduler.lua:514]:

stack traceback:
        [C]: in function 'error'
        @programdir\core\base\os.lua:1087: in function 'os.raiselevel'
        (...tail calls...)
        @programdir\core\main.lua:272: in upvalue 'cotask'
        @programdir\core\base\scheduler.lua:514: in function <@programdir\core\base\scheduler.lua:507>

Describe the solution you'd like

I think we should add some operation when dealing with such pkgs. I don't know how to judge whether a nuget package should use cppwinrt.exe or not. But I can provide a way to get the source files. ref (some usage here maybe old): https://modernwindows.wordpress.com/2017/11/15/cppwinrt-exe-in-the-windows-sdk/

cppwinrt usage

D:\Software\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community>cppwinrt

C++/WinRT v2.0.250303.1
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

  cppwinrt.exe [options...]

Options:

  -input <spec>       Windows metadata to include in projection
  -reference <spec>   Windows metadata to reference from projection
  -output <path>      Location of generated projection and component templates
  -component [<path>] Generate component templates, and optional implementation
  -name <name>        Specify explicit name for component files
  -verbose            Show detailed progress information
  -overwrite          Overwrite generated component files
  -prefix             Use dotted namespace convention for component files (defaults to folders)
  -pch <name>         Specify name of precompiled header file (defaults to pch.h; use '.' to disable)
  -include <prefix>   One or more prefixes to include in input
  -exclude <prefix>   One or more prefixes to exclude from input
  -base               Generate base.h unconditionally
  -optimize           Generate component projection with unified construction support
  -help               Show detailed help with examples
  -library <prefix>   Specify library prefix (defaults to winrt)
  -license [<path>]   Generate license comment from template file
  @<path>             Response file containing command line options

Where <spec> is one or more of:

  path                Path to winmd file or recursively scanned folder
  local               Local %WinDir%\System32\WinMetadata folder
  sdk[+]              Current version of Windows SDK [with extensions]
  10.0.12345.0[+]     Specific version of Windows SDK [with extensions]

And accrording to the usage, we can get the header files for Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications by doing this below :

PS C:\Users\Willaaaaaaa> & 'D:\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.26100.0\x64\cppwinrt.exe' -input "C:\Users\Willaaaaaaa\.nuget\packages\microsoft.toolkit.uwp.notifications\7.1.3\lib\native\Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications.winmd" -reference sdk -output "C:\Users\Willaaaaaaa\.nuget\packages\microsoft.toolkit.uwp.notifications\7.1.3\lib\generated" -verbose

.../.nuget/packages/microsoft.toolkit.uwp.notifications/7.1.3/lib/generated$ tree .
.
└── winrt
    ├── Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications.h
    ├── base.h
    ├── impl
    │   ├── Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications.0.h
    │   ├── Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications.1.h
    │   └── Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.Notifications.2.h
    └── winrt.ixx

This looks like a header-only library.

Describe alternatives you've considered

No response

Additional context

No response

[waruqi]

It's difficult to support it reliably with just source files and no build configuration files and .lib files.

[Willaaaaaaa]

Thanks for your explanation. I totally agree. MS is just too bad. Why don't they just simply provide .lib files.
I tried to use headers only. And just as expected, failed at runtime. Judging from the error code, it seems unable to find the .dll file.
Also, ai suggested me writing a xml file, but I never learned xml and that looks ugly not what I want.
Are there any posible workaround with xmake? If not I can only use VS then. TvT

[waruqi]

no way now.

[Willaaaaaaa]

I see. Thanks for the clarification. ❤