Is it possible to create a Windows 8 Store App from Visual Studio 2013?

Question

So, I have a Windows 8.1 machine with Visual Studio 2013 installed. Whenever I go to create a new Windows Store project I do not see any options to create a new Windows 8 Store app, rather than Windows 8.1 Store App. However, I have no problem opening existing Windows 8 Store App Projects.

Is it possible to create a Windows 8 Store App project from Visual Studio 2013 when running on Windows 8.1?

Answer 1

It's easy - create a new 8.1 project and remove the following lines from the .csproj file:

<TargetPlatformVersion>8.1</TargetPlatformVersion>
<MinimumVisualStudioVersion>12</MinimumVisualStudioVersion>

Reopen the file and voila - it's a Windows 8 project!

Additionally, you might want to change the following as well:
In MainPage.xaml:

-    <Grid Background="{ThemeResource ApplicationPageBackgroundThemeBrush}">
+    <Grid Background="{StaticResource ApplicationPageBackgroundThemeBrush}">

In Package.appxmanifest:

- <m2:VisualElements
+ <VisualElements
- Square150x150Logo="Assets\Logo.png"
- Square30x30Logo="Assets\SmallLogo.png"
+ Logo="Assets\Logo.png"
+ SmallLogo="Assets\SmallLogo.png"
- <m2:SplashScreen Image="Assets\SplashScreen.png" />
+ <SplashScreen Image="Assets\SplashScreen.png" />
- </m2:VisualElements>
+ </VisualElements>        

If this doesn't work - it might mean that the project files have further changed in current versions of VS and you might need to install VS 2012 (Express should do) and create a project in that. You can then work on it in the new version of VS.

Answer 2

Is it possible to create a Windows 8 Store App project from Visual Studio 2013 when running on Windows 8.1?

No. You need to use Visual Studio 2012 to create the Windows 8 project, then open it in VS 2013. This can be done in Windows 8.1, but requires installing VS 2012 side by side with VS 2013.