Application insights make the app freeze on startup

Question

I'm building a UWP application for Windows 10 using Template10. I would like to use MS Application Insights. In my project, I have references to: Microsoft.ApplicationInsights (2.0.0), Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.PersistenceChannel (1.2.3), Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.WindowsApps (1.1.1). In the App constructor, I have to following code:

public App()
{
    WindowsAppInitializer.InitializeAsync();

    InitializeComponent();
    SplashFactory = (e) => new Views.Splash(e);

    #region App settings

    _settings = SettingsService.Instance;
    RequestedTheme = _settings.AppTheme;
    CacheMaxDuration = _settings.CacheMaxDuration;
    ShowShellBackButton = _settings.UseShellBackButton;

    #endregion
}

I have also added a correct InstrumentationKey from Azure to the ApplicationInsights.config like so:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<ApplicationInsights xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/ApplicationInsights/2013/Settings">
    <InstrumentationKey>my-key</InstrumentationKey>
</ApplicationInsights>

However, when I launch my app, it simply hangs at the app logo. When I comment the WindowsAppInitializer.InitializeAsync(); line out, the app works normal.

I have tried removing and readding the mentioned references from the project, removing and reinstalling Application Insights Tools for Visual Studio, but without a success.

When I create a new Blank App (Universal Windows), Visual Studio sets up the Application Insights automatically and it works as expected. But I cannot get it to work with my existing project.

Please help.

Answer 1

The story around using Application Insights in UWP apps is being deprecated in favor of HockeyApp, and there is a known issue with AI 2.0.0 on UWP.

See https://github.com/Microsoft/ApplicationInsights-dotnet/issues/210