Microsoft took the wraps off a nifty app converter that can turn desktop apps to Universal Windows 10 apps at Build 2016.
It has now released the preview version of the tool. The Desktop App Converter from Microsoft is basically a tool which serves as a link between Universal Windows Apps and Win32 apps.
"Desktop App Converter allows developers to bring their desktop apps to UWP. It converts a desktop Windows installer such as MSI or exe to an AppX package that can be deployed to a Windows 10 desktop," notes the tool's description.
Dubbed Project Centennial, Microsoft shipped the preview version of Desktop App Converter this week. Thanks to the tool, developers will be able to alter traditional desktop apps to packaged Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps for Windows 10. They will also be able to extend the apps with quaint UWP or Windows 10 features.
Here's what you can do with the tool and the advantages of converting one's classic desktop app:
- Since the converted app has package identity, users will be able to call additional UWP APIs when compared to before — even from the full-trust partition.
- The installation experience of the app will be smoother for one's customers. One will also be able to use it for PCs using sideloading. In the long term, users of the tool will also be able to publish their app to the Windows Store.
- Using the tool, one will be able to add UWP features to their app's package such as live tile updates, app services, UWP background tasks etc. Basically, any functionality that is at the disposal of any UWP app will be available to the tool user's app as well.
- In the event, one opts to shift all the functionality of their app from the full-trust partition to the app container partition, then their app will have the ability to run on any device powered by Windows 10.
- One's app will be able to participate in the automatic update and built-in licensing facilities.
Download the preview version of the tool. Remember your desktop needs to be running Windows 10 Enterprise Edition Anniversary Update and have the build 14316 above. One also needs to run Windows 10 Enterprise for the tool to work per the caveats.
While Microsoft' site says the tool will not be compatible for Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro, the company confirmed to publication Thurrott that it will work with the latter and it was a typing error.
Photo: Robert Scoble | Flickr
