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Local WinPE testing

The repository includes helper scripts and local embedding support for testing the WinPE applications from a local development environment.

Publish helpers​

The foundry/scripts directory includes:

  • Publish-FoundryConnect.ps1
  • Publish-FoundryDeploy.ps1

These scripts publish self-contained single-file builds for:

  • win-x64
  • win-arm64

Local override flow​

The repository also includes Enable-LocalWinPeDeploy.ps1, which is intended for local development workflows where the desktop app should embed or reference local WinPE application builds instead of normal release assets.

What the helper script actually sets​

When you run Enable-LocalWinPeDeploy.ps1, it enables both local runtime overrides and sets the project paths that Foundry uses later during media staging:

  • FOUNDRY_WINPE_LOCAL_CONNECT=1
  • FOUNDRY_WINPE_LOCAL_CONNECT_PROJECT=<repo>\\src\\Foundry.Connect\\Foundry.Connect.csproj
  • FOUNDRY_WINPE_LOCAL_DEPLOY=1
  • FOUNDRY_WINPE_LOCAL_DEPLOY_PROJECT=<repo>\\src\\Foundry.Deploy\\Foundry.Deploy.csproj

If you also provide archive paths, the script sets these optional overrides:

  • FOUNDRY_WINPE_LOCAL_CONNECT_ARCHIVE
  • FOUNDRY_WINPE_LOCAL_DEPLOY_ARCHIVE

That means local testing can be driven from project builds, from prebuilt archives, or from a mix of both.

Script inputs​

Enable-LocalWinPeDeploy.ps1 supports these parameters:

  • -ArchivePath to reuse the same archive path for deploy when a deploy-specific path is not provided
  • -ConnectArchivePath for a specific Foundry.Connect archive
  • -DeployArchivePath for a specific Foundry.Deploy archive
  • -RunFoundry to launch the desktop app after the environment variables are set
What this changes

This helper does not change the normal release workflow. It only changes how the current shell session prepares local WinPE payloads for development and validation.

Why this matters​

This local flow is useful when you are changing:

  • Foundry.Connect
  • Foundry.Deploy
  • The WinPE bootstrap behavior
  • The media staging logic in Foundry

Scope of the local flow​

The local override path exists for development and validation. It is not the normal end-user workflow and should not be confused with the standard release-based media creation path.

Suggested screenshot

Add a capture of the terminal after Enable-LocalWinPeDeploy.ps1 runs, with the local override environment variables visible.