Information not available, no symbols loaded for AppxPackaging.dll

Question

Hi guys,
I want to validate AppxBlockMap.xml through AppxSignature.p7x.
I used IAppxFactory::CreateValidatedBlockMapReader method (appxpackaging.h) to validate the blockmap. When I debuged my code, the result seems good. But I noticed there are errors like "<Information not available, no symbols loaded for AppxPackaging.dll>".
I don't know if they affects the outputs, so anyone have experienced with those errors, please let me know what may causes.

C++

Answer 1

The error "Information not available, no symbols loaded for AppxPackaging.dll" generally indicates that the debugger can't locate or load the debugging symbols (.pdb files) for the AppxPackaging.dll library. This won't necessarily affect the functionality of your code, but it can limit your ability to step through the AppxPackaging.dll functions during debugging.

Why It Happens:

• Symbols Missing: The .pdb file for AppxPackaging.dll is either not installed or not accessible by the debugger.
• Non-Public Symbols: Some Microsoft DLLs, like AppxPackaging.dll, may not have publicly available symbols.
• Mismatch in Versions: If there’s a version mismatch between the DLL and the symbols, Visual Studio won't load them.

How to Fix It:

1. Install Windows SDK (Matching Version): Ensure you have the Windows SDK installed, and that the version matches your development environment.

• Go to Visual Studio Installer > Modify > Individual Components.
• Install Windows SDK for Windows 10 or 11.
• Alternatively, download and install the SDK directly from Microsoft's SDK page.

Load Symbols Manually:

• In Visual Studio, go to Debug > Windows > Modules.
  • Find AppxPackaging.dll in the list.
    • Right-click and choose Load Symbols.
      • If prompted, browse to the appropriate .pdb file.
      Set Up Microsoft Symbol Server:

      - Go to **Tools > Options > Debugging > Symbols**.
      
         - Check **Microsoft Symbol Servers**.
      
            - Optionally, set a local cache directory to speed up future debugging:
      
            ```
            C:\SymbolsCache
            ```
      
               - Hit **OK** and restart debugging.
      
               **Verify Symbol Load Status:**
      
                  - In the **Modules** window during debugging, check if symbols are loaded for `AppxPackaging.dll`.
      
                     - A successful load will show the path to the `.pdb` file.
      
                     **Ignore If It Works Fine:** If the application works as expected and the validation outputs are correct, this symbol issue is likely cosmetic. The missing symbols affect debugging visibility, not execution.
      

Additional Notes:

• AppxPackaging.dll is part of the Windows Appx packaging API, used for managing and validating MSIX packages.
• If validation through CreateValidatedBlockMapReader returns successfully, your code is likely fine. The missing symbols won’t affect the logic of your XML or signature validation.

Would you like to go deeper into troubleshooting or understanding AppxPackaging.dll functionality?

The error "Information not available, no symbols loaded for AppxPackaging.dll" generally indicates that the debugger can't locate or load the debugging symbols (.pdb files) for the AppxPackaging.dll library. This won't necessarily affect the functionality of your code, but it can limit your ability to step through the AppxPackaging.dll functions during debugging.

Why It Happens:

• Symbols Missing: The .pdb file for AppxPackaging.dll is either not installed or not accessible by the debugger.
• Non-Public Symbols: Some Microsoft DLLs, like AppxPackaging.dll, may not have publicly available symbols.
• Mismatch in Versions: If there’s a version mismatch between the DLL and the symbols, Visual Studio won't load them.

How to Fix It:

1. Install Windows SDK (Matching Version):
   Ensure you have the Windows SDK installed, and that the version matches your development environment.

• Go to Visual Studio Installer > Modify > Individual Components.
• Install Windows SDK for Windows 10 or 11.
• Alternatively, download and install the SDK directly from Microsoft's SDK page.

Load Symbols Manually:

• In Visual Studio, go to Debug > Windows > Modules.
  • Find AppxPackaging.dll in the list.
    • Right-click and choose Load Symbols.
      • If prompted, browse to the appropriate .pdb file.
      Set Up Microsoft Symbol Server:

      - Go to **Tools > Options > Debugging > Symbols**.
      
         - Check **Microsoft Symbol Servers**.
      
            - Optionally, set a local cache directory to speed up future debugging: 
      
            ```
            C:\SymbolsCache
            ```
      
               - Hit **OK** and restart debugging.
      
               **Verify Symbol Load Status:**
      
                  - In the **Modules** window during debugging, check if symbols are loaded for `AppxPackaging.dll`.
      
                     - A successful load will show the path to the `.pdb` file.
      
                     **Ignore If It Works Fine:** If the application works as expected and the validation outputs are correct, this symbol issue is likely cosmetic. The missing symbols affect debugging visibility, not execution.
      

Additional Notes:

• AppxPackaging.dll is part of the Windows Appx packaging API, used for managing and validating MSIX packages.
• If validation through CreateValidatedBlockMapReader returns successfully, your code is likely fine. The missing symbols won’t affect the logic of your XML or signature validation.