[Bug] MSAL Broker unable to load 'msalruntime.dll' when packaged as MSIX

[exchange321]

Logs and network traces

Microsoft.Identity.Client.MsalClientException: Unable to load DLL 'msalruntime': The specified module could not be found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E) See https://aka.ms/msal-net-wam#troubleshooting ---> System.DllNotFoundException: Unable to load DLL 'msalruntime': The specified module could not be found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.NativeInterop.API.x64.MSALRUNTIME_Startup()
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.NativeInterop.API.x64.Startup()
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.NativeInterop.Module.AddRef(String handleName)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.NativeInterop.Core..ctor()
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Broker.RuntimeBroker.<>c.<.cctor>b__21_0()
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Broker.RuntimeBroker.<>c.<.cctor>b__21_0()
   at System.Lazy`1.CreateValue()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Lazy`1.get_Value()
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Broker.RuntimeBroker.IsBrokerInstalledAndInvokable(AuthorityType authorityType)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.ClientApplicationBase.<GetAccountsFromBrokerAsync>d__26.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.ClientApplicationBase.<GetAccountsInternalAsync>d__25.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.ClientApplicationBase.<GetAccountsAsync>d__18.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.ClientApplicationBase.<GetAccountsAsync>d__17.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.ConfiguredTaskAwaitable`1.ConfiguredTaskAwaiter.GetResult()
   at Clipchamp.Domain.Services.MicrosoftAuthService.<ClearCache>d__15.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at Clipchamp.Domain.Services.MicrosoftAuthService.<SignIn>d__9.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.ConfiguredTaskAwaitable`1.ConfiguredTaskAwaiter.GetResult()
   at Clipchamp.Domain.Handlers.SignInWithMicrosoftHandler.<Handle>d__4.MoveNext()
Inner Exception: System.DllNotFoundException: Unable to load DLL 'msalruntime': The specified module could not be found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.NativeInterop.API.x64.MSALRUNTIME_Startup()
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.NativeInterop.API.x64.Startup()
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.NativeInterop.Module.AddRef(String handleName)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.NativeInterop.Core..ctor()
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Broker.RuntimeBroker.<>c.<.cctor>b__21_0()

Which version of MSAL.NET are you using?
Microsoft.Identity.Client 4.47.2
Microsoft.Identity.Client.Broker 4.47.2-preview
Microsoft.Identity.Client.NativeInterop 0.13.0

Platform
C# WPF (.NET Framework 4.8) packaged as MSIX through Windows Application Packaging Project

What authentication flow has the issue?
WAM

Is this a new or existing app?
Discovered the issue when migrating from Microsoft.Identity.Client.Desktop to Microsoft.Identity.Client.Broker as per this documentation

Repro

• Clone the repo. (https://github.com/gladjohn/WPF-NativeDll-LoadIssue)
• Build the solution to restore all nuget packages.
• Start the project "WPF" project.
• You will be displayed with a window with a button and a text box
• Click on the Acquire Token Interactively button

Result : You should now see the Windows Web Account Manager UI showing up and prompting you to sign in to the app. You can use the MS Credentials or use the following user details to sign-in. But sign in is actually not required. The WAM (Web Account Manager) UI is from the Native dll (msalruntime.dll) packaged along with Microsoft.Identity.Client.Broker

• Now set the WPF.Package as the start up project
• Start the project "WPF.Package" project.

Error :

Microsoft.Identity.Client.MsalClientException: 'Unable to load DLL 'msalruntime': The specified module could not be found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E) See https://aka.ms/msal-net-wam#troubleshooting'

Inner Exception
DllNotFoundException: Unable to load DLL 'msalruntime_x86': The specified module could not be found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E)

Extended error info and workarounds can be found in the repo link

Expected behavior
Using WAM as a broker should not fail

Actual behavior
MSAL throws Microsoft.Identity.Client.MsalClientException: Unable to load DLL 'msalruntime': The specified module could not be found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E)

[azchohfi]

It seems like this happens because the runtime folder is only on the publish folder. I believe there is a way to provide a PublishProfile to wapproj, but I'm not sure.
Btw, this also happens with .NET Core apps.

[azchohfi]

I came up with a workaround. In your wapproj file, add this:

  <ItemGroup>
    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Identity.Client.NativeInterop" Version="0.13.0" GeneratePathProperty="true"/>
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <ContentWithTargetPath Include="$(PkgMicrosoft_Identity_Client_NativeInterop)\runtimes\win-x86\native\*" TargetPath="runtimes\win-x86\native\%(Filename)%(Extension)" CopyToOutputDirectory="PreserveNewest" />
    <ContentWithTargetPath Include="$(PkgMicrosoft_Identity_Client_NativeInterop)\runtimes\win-x64\native\*" TargetPath="runtimes\win-x64\native\%(Filename)%(Extension)" CopyToOutputDirectory="PreserveNewest" />
    <ContentWithTargetPath Include="$(PkgMicrosoft_Identity_Client_NativeInterop)\runtimes\win-arm64\native\*" TargetPath="runtimes\win-arm64\native\%(Filename)%(Extension)" CopyToOutputDirectory="PreserveNewest" />
  </ItemGroup>

[aries-zhang]

It looks like although VisualStudio generates the following warning message, the dlls are still successfully copied to the target path.

Severity	Code	Description	Project	File	Line	Suppression State
Warning		The element 'ItemGroup' in namespace 'http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003' has invalid child element 'ContentWithTargetPath' in namespace 'http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003'. List of possible elements expected: 'Item, Reference, SDKReference, COMReference, COMFileReference, PackageReference, FrameworkReference, DotNetCliToolReference, Xdcmake, Bscmake, ClCompile, ClInclude, Midl, ResourceCompile, PreLinkEvent, CustomBuildStep, Manifest, ProjectConfiguration, ProjectCapability, NativeReference, ProjectReference, Compile, EmbeddedResource, Content, Page, Resource, ApplicationDefinition, None, BaseApplicationManifest, Folder, Import, Service, WebReferences, WebReferenceUrl, FileAssociation, BootstrapperFile, PublishFile, TargetPlatform, Analyzer, AndroidResource, ProguardConfiguration, CodeAnalysisDependentAssemblyPaths, CodeAnalysisDictionary, CodeAnalysisImport, AppxManifestSchema, StoreManifestSchema, AppxHashUri, PRIResource, AppxSystemBinary, AppxReservedFileName, AppxManifestFileNameQuery, AppxManifestImageFileNameQuery, AppxManifest, StoreAssociationFile, AppxManifestMetadata, PlatformVersionDescription, AppxPackagePayload, ComFilesOutputGroupOutputs, CopyWinmdArtifactsOutputGroupOutputs, CopyLocalFilesOutput....	WPF.Package

In a SampleApp I created for reproducing this error, the only issue is the same error still happens when directly hit "run" in VisualStudio. I'm guessing maybe these dlls are not yet ready in the target path when VisualStudio starts the debug session. It won't complain Unable to load DLL 'msalruntime' if the app is started by going into the published location and double clicking it though.