microsoft / microsoft/PowerToys
PowerToys Run crashes with NullReferenceException when launching an unlaunchable MSIX/UWP app
- Dominant language
- C
- Stars
- 139k
- Forks
- 8.6k
- PR merge metrics
- PR metrics pending
Description
### Microsoft PowerToys version
0.96.1.0
### Area(s) with issue
PowerToys Run / Program plugin
### Steps to reproduce
1. Have an MSIX/UWP app that Windows currently cannot launch. In my case it was the ChatGPT/Codex desktop app.
2. Open PowerToys Run with Alt+Space.
3. Search for the app and press Enter.
4. PowerToys Run crashes.
### Expected behavior
PowerToys Run should report that the app could not be launched and remain open.
### Actual behavior
PowerToys Run crashes with:
```text
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Microsoft.Plugin.Program.Programs.UWPApplication.<>c__DisplayClass64_0.b__0()
at Microsoft.Plugin.Program.Programs.UWPApplication.Launch(IPublicAPI api, String queryArguments)
```
### Environment
```text
Windows 10.0.26200.0, x64
PowerToys 0.96.1.0
```
### Additional information
I reproduced this three times. Repairing the affected app in Windows Settings temporarily made it launchable again.
Contributor guide
Research direction
Start at Microsoft.Plugin.Program.Programs.UWPApplication.Launch, identified in the stack trace, and reproduce the failure with an unlaunchable MSIX/UWP app through PowerToys Run. Done means the app-launch failure is reported without a NullReferenceException and PowerToys Run remains open.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- csharp
- Domain
- desktop
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 58/100