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We're preparing an app to be deployed for the Windows Store, using the desktop bridge.

Using the "Project -> Deploy" option from within the IDE will use an AppxManifest.template.xml to generate the AppxManifest.xml, replacing some variables with the current settings from the project.

[UWP] Generating manifest: .\Bin\AppxManifest.xml

Is there any way to trigger this build step without using the IDE, so one may use it for automated builds?

Stefan Wick MSFT
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DanielT
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1 Answers1

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The Desktop Bridge itself has not provide such a tool for you to do such things. But if you check Desktop to UWP Bridge: Manual Conversion documentation, you will see a minimun manifest template file.

Then if use the Desktop App Converter (DAC) to convert your app, you will need to type some parameters. For example, “Publisher”, “Version” etc. After you input these parameters, the DAC tools will help you fill these values into manifest file. If you download the DesktopAppConverter.zip from here. You will find that actually there are many PowerShell script files, the DAC integrate these files. When you input the parameters, it will automatically help you call the specific PowerShell script to do some operations. You could see DesktopAppConverter\manifest\ folder, there should be some script files which is used to generate manifest file.

So, for your requirement, you would have to manually do these things, you could make a tool (by using any programming language) to compare your AppxManifest.template.xml with the standard manifest file and fill the specific values. You also could make a PowerShell script, if you’re familiar with PowerShell, you can do it.

Xie Steven
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  • Thank you for your response. We're already using the makeappx.exe, but it expects the AppxManifest.xml to be already present. We would like to use the AppxManifest.template.xml, filling the information from the DProj, so we don't have to maintain them twice. – DanielT Mar 07 '17 at 15:01
  • @DanielT I've updated my answer, please check it. Thanks. – Xie Steven Mar 09 '17 at 02:31
  • Thank you for the effort. I've set you answer as accepted, as for "you would have to manually do these things". It just seems not to be possible to use this functionality provided within the IDE from outside the IDE. We use a PS-script to parse the dproj file and inject the information into the manifest file now, even though it feels like 'reinventing the wheel'. – DanielT Mar 09 '17 at 11:07