Non-packaged Win32 applications have a serious challenge in accessing many sought-after Windows APIs and features. The likes of BackgroundTasks, Notifications, LiveTiles, Share and more, are either not available or not easily callable. This is because the programming model for UWP APIs which integrates with the system depends on the following
- Identity – The need for package or application identity to identify the caller, and an identifier to scope data and resources.
- Registration – The need for configuration of machine state during application deployment, which is required by the API and indexed by the package or application identity.
UWP apps require identity and registration and are only available through the appmanifest xml file. In addition, it must connect to the app registration in the Microsoft Store. However, Microsoft is now opening these requirements to make them available through the new <allowExternalContent> element, or the Win32 type of Runtime Behavior type. This means that developers can now use the UWP API in Win32 applications by setting up some new configurations.
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More official information from Microsoft on how to use these new configuration features are currently available. If you are a Win32 developer and need guidance, please make sure to click HERE. This means that different Windows applications will now be able to incorporate some of the latest features. These features were previously only available for Microsoft Store applications. They include notifications, background tasks, and sharing. According to Microsoft, it will continue to invest in the UWP API. This is also a step toward eliminating the initial restrictions on these features.
