Microsoft is continuing to build its bridges, as today it has announced the Desktop to UWP Packaging Project for Visual Studio "15".
The new project aims to make it easier to build and test apps that have been converted to UWP by using the Desktop App Converter, which was announced at Microsoft"s developer conference, Build 2016. According to Microsoft, the project features the following:
The packaging project has a configuration file that allows Visual Studio to deploy any updates you make to the binaries from editing your desktop app projects directly into the UWP app package.
You can launch and debug the UWP app package directly from within Visual Studio when you hit F5. You can set a break point in your existing code and step through it.
You"ll be able to start a new project with the Desktop to UWP Packaging Project, as a new project type has been added. With this, the package will contain a mapping file, which will copy the files from your existing project.
It"s always nice to see Microsoft strengthening its bridges in an effort to create a more robust Universal Windows Platform. Of course, apps converted from desktop applications will only work on x86-based PCs, at least until the proprietor of the code decides to fully convert it into a UWP app.
You can start playing with the Desktop to UWP Packaging Project right now. You"ll need to be running Windows 10 for PCs build 14342 and you"ll need to have Visual Studio "15" and the Desktop App Converter Preview installed. You can download the Project from the Visual Studio Gallery.
Source: MSDN Blog