WAU Settings GUI is a portable standalone interface designed to simplify the modification of Winget-AutoUpdate (WAU) settings. It enhances usability for home admin users while maintaining enterprise-grade functionality.
Key Features:
Configure WAU settings, including update intervals, notification levels, and paths for lists and mods.
Manage shortcuts, log files, and manual WAU execution.
Generate screenshots of settings with masking to protect sensitive data.
Integrate with Group Policy Objects (GPO) for centralized configuration.
Access developer tools like task scheduler and registry editor for advanced troubleshooting.
Backup and restore configurations, automate updates, and manage WAU installations.
Audience & Benefit:
Ideal for home admins, developers, and community supporters who need a streamlined way to configure and troubleshoot WAU settings. It saves time by consolidating settings management, improves efficiency with real-time status tracking, and ensures secure documentation through masked screenshots.
Install via winget: winget install KnifMelti.WAU-Settings-GUI --scope user.
README
WAU Settings GUI (for Winget-AutoUpdate)
Provides a user-friendly portable standalone interface to modify every aspect of Winget-AutoUpdate (WAU)
Dependencies
This project depends on the following repository:
Winget-AutoUpdate: has all the settings this project can handle/modify/save/restore/share and document
If WAU is not installed, it will prompt to download and install with standard settings.
Description
Significantly enhance WAU's usability for home admin users while maintaining enterprise-grade functionality.
Benefits from not having to manage the settings in several places when testing etc. (great for developers)...
...a perfect companion for those supporting the community (if the community actually uses it!) - being able to ask for a screenshot of the settings because it comes with all included (even a screenshot function masking potentially sensitive data)!
Detects if running from USB drive (then executes as Portable)
Select a base directory for the [INSTALLDIR] or run directly in portable mode
Automatic installation
Use WinGet CLI from Command Prompt to install the latest released WinGet version:
winget install KnifMelti.WAU-Settings-GUI #(--scope user, if failing)
This will install a Portable WinGet Package (with PortableCommandAlias: WAU-Settings-GUI) to:
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages\KnifMelti.WAU-Settings-GUI_Microsoft.Winget.Source_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Running
After installation, WAU Settings GUI starts (if installed by WinGet you must start it via an ordinary Command Prompt using the PortableCommandAlias: WAU-Settings-GUI)
If WAU is not installed, it will prompt to download and install with standard settings
If a local list is not found, it will prompt to create a new excluded_apps.txt
The created list will contain KnifMelti.WAU-Settings-GUI
In the GUI you now have ☐|☑ Start Menu shortcuts / ☐|☑ WAU Desktop shortcut / ☐|☑ App Installer shortcut options showing the current installed WAU configuration
Configure every setting to your preferences and Save Settings
The WAU Settings (Administrator) shortcut has now been created under Start Menu\Programs\Winget-AutoUpdate folder (along with the other WAU shortcuts) or on your own Desktop (pin to taskbar when running maybe?) depending on your choice
If WAU is updated and some shortcut icons goes missing, you'll have to toggle the ☐|☑ Start Menu shortcuts / ☐|☑ WAU Desktop shortcut / ☐|☑ App Installer shortcut options again (and save in between) to create new shortcuts so that they are updated to the new WAU version icon
Updating
Checks automatically every week as standard (click the button [usr] under Dev Tools (F12) to change the update schedule)
Dev Tools (F12): Click the button [ver]
If [INSTALLDIR]\ver\backup exists a restore option is also presented
If an update exists, WAU Settings GUI will ask if you want to download and install the new version
Before installing a backup of the current version will be created in [INSTALLDIR]\ver\backup folder
WAU will also rudimentary update WAU Settings GUI in user scope with every new released WinGet version
To avoid failed updates (locked/open files) you can:
Create a KnifMelti.WAU-Settings-GUI-preinstall.ps1 script in the WAUmods folder to shut down WAU Settings GUI before updating (or not run it when updating):
Sandbox requirements: Windows 10/11 Pro/Enterprise/Education (Win10: version 1903+)/Virtualization enabled in BIOS (Intel VT-x or AMD-V)/Minimum 4 GB RAM, 2 CPU cores
Now incorporated (heavily modified) in WAU Settings GUI for testing the installation of WAU (with generated transform) and be able to fully test WinGet installations/updates via WAU in the virtual environment
A standalone SandboxTest shortcut is also created in the user Start Menu (the first time [wsb] is used with WSB installed) for more advanced testing, including recognition of files in the selected folder
A Script Mapping Configuration in wsb\script-mappings.txt determines what is chosen
4 predefined scripts are included (create your own and save/load) chosen by recognition:
InstallWSB: if the chosen folder contains files created from [wsb]
WinGetManifest: if the chosen folder contains WinGet manifests
Installer: if the chosen folder contains install.*
Explorer: a general script opening the selected mapped folder in WSB
A file browser for specifically selecting the file to run is also included
