Native C++/WinRT Win32 Sample with auto resize single Island

Overview

This is a complex native C++/WinRT sample to validate several features of XAML Islands v1. If difers from CppWinRT_Win32_App in that it show case a sinle Island that can resize itself and also resize its parent window.

How to use the Keyboard input
Generatie WinRT resources for Win32 apps
How to consume custom third party types
Auto deployment of the Microsoft VC Libs
WinRT free class registration

This is how looks like this sample:

Projects in the solution:

Main Win32 Windows Application
UWP Application project
Sample 3rd party control

How to implement the Keyboard input

This is an implementation of Win32 message loop for an application that contains a set of instances of DesktopWindowXamlSource

bool DesktopWindow::NavigateFocus(MSG* msg)
{
    if (const auto nextFocusedIsland = GetNextFocusedIsland(msg))
    {
        WINRT_VERIFY(!nextFocusedIsland.HasFocus());
        const auto previousFocusedWindow = ::GetFocus();
        RECT rect = {};
        WINRT_VERIFY(::GetWindowRect(previousFocusedWindow, &rect));
        const auto nativeIsland = nextFocusedIsland.as<IDesktopWindowXamlSourceNative>();
        HWND islandWnd = nullptr;
        winrt::check_hresult(nativeIsland->get_WindowHandle(&islandWnd));
        POINT pt = { rect.left, rect.top };
        SIZE size = { rect.right - rect.left, rect.bottom - rect.top };
        ::ScreenToClient(islandWnd, &pt);
        const auto hintRect = winrt::Windows::Foundation::Rect({ static_cast<float>(pt.x), static_cast<float>(pt.y), static_cast<float>(size.cx), static_cast<float>(size.cy) });
        const auto reason = GetReasonFromKey(msg->wParam);
        const auto request = winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::Hosting::XamlSourceFocusNavigationRequest(reason, hintRect);
        lastFocusRequestId = request.CorrelationId();
        const auto result = nextFocusedIsland.NavigateFocus(request);
        return result.WasFocusMoved();
    }
    else
    {
        const bool islandIsFocused = GetFocusedIsland() != nullptr;
        byte keyboardState[256] = {};
        WINRT_VERIFY(::GetKeyboardState(keyboardState));
        const bool isMenuModifier = keyboardState[VK_MENU] & 0x80;
        if (islandIsFocused && !isMenuModifier)
        {
            return false;
        }
        const bool isDialogMessage = !!IsDialogMessage(m_hMainWnd, msg);
        return isDialogMessage;
    }
}

int DesktopWindow::MessageLoop(HACCEL hAccelTable)
{
    MSG msg = {};
    HRESULT hr = S_OK;
    while (GetMessage(&msg, nullptr, 0, 0))
    {
        const bool xamlSourceProcessedMessage = FilterMessage(&msg);
        if (!xamlSourceProcessedMessage && !TranslateAccelerator(msg.hwnd, hAccelTable, &msg))
        {
            if (!NavigateFocus(&msg))
            {
                TranslateMessage(&msg);
                DispatchMessage(&msg);
            }
        }
    }

    return (int)msg.wParam;
}

Dealing with TAB navigation between multiple islands and multiple Win32 elements

void DesktopWindow::OnTakeFocusRequested(winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::Hosting::DesktopWindowXamlSource const& sender, winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::Hosting::DesktopWindowXamlSourceTakeFocusRequestedEventArgs const& args)
{
    if (args.Request().CorrelationId() != lastFocusRequestId)
    {
        const auto reason = args.Request().Reason();
        const BOOL previous =
            (reason == winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::Hosting::XamlSourceFocusNavigationReason::First ||
                reason == winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::Hosting::XamlSourceFocusNavigationReason::Down ||
                reason == winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::Hosting::XamlSourceFocusNavigationReason::Right) ? false : true;

        const auto nativeXamlSource = sender.as<IDesktopWindowXamlSourceNative>();
        HWND senderHwnd = nullptr;
        winrt::check_hresult(nativeXamlSource->get_WindowHandle(&senderHwnd));

        MSG msg = {};
        msg.hwnd = senderHwnd;
        msg.message = WM_KEYDOWN;
        msg.wParam = GetKeyFromReason(reason);
        if (!NavigateFocus(&msg))
        {
            const auto nextElement = ::GetNextDlgTabItem(m_hMainWnd, senderHwnd, previous);
            ::SetFocus(nextElement);
        }
    }
    else
    {
        const auto request = winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::Hosting::XamlSourceFocusNavigationRequest(winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::Hosting::XamlSourceFocusNavigationReason::Restore);
        lastFocusRequestId = request.CorrelationId();
        sender.NavigateFocus(request);
    }
}
HWND DesktopWindow::CreateDesktopWindowsXamlSource(DWORD dwStyle, winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::UIElement content)
{
...
    winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::Hosting::DesktopWindowXamlSource desktopSource;
    desktopSource.TakeFocusRequested({ this, &DesktopWindow::OnTakeFocusRequested });
...
}

Generation of WinRT resources for Win32 apps

By default a Windows Store app of a Win32 app that uses 3rd party controls or its own resources requires the generation of a consolidated Resources.pri file. This is performed by the tool MakePri.exe. In a UWP App, this only happens when the Appx is generated. However, for Win32 Apps you need to do the following steps:

Create a new Blank UWP App
Change the output type to be a Dynamic link dll.
Change the AppxPackage to deploy a dummy exe.
Change these properties in your project:

  <PropertyGroup Label="Globals">
    <WindowsAppContainer>true</WindowsAppContainer>
    <AppxGeneratePriEnabled>true</AppxGeneratePriEnabled>
    <ProjectPriIndexName>App</ProjectPriIndexName>
    <AppxPackage>true</AppxPackage>
  </PropertyGroup>

In your main Win32 project, make sure you deploy the file resources.pri to your output directory:

    <NativeReferenceFile Include="$(SolutionDir)\bin\$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\$(AppProjectName)\resources.pri">
      <DeploymentContent>true</DeploymentContent>
      <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
    </NativeReferenceFile>

Make sure to create a build dependency between your main Win32 project and the UWP App project

Use of 3rd party controls

Using 3rd party control objects require:

Having a consolidated resources file
A custom application object that:
1. Registers the Xaml metedata providers.
2. Initializes Xaml by calling InitializeForCurrentThread
3. Provide WinRT registration of activatable classes.

Make sure to deploy all XAML compiler output from your App in your Win32 app project:

    <NativeReferenceFile Include="$(SolutionDir)\bin\$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Markup\Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Markup.dll">
      <DeploymentContent>true</DeploymentContent>
      <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
    </NativeReferenceFile>
    <NativeReferenceFile Include="$(SolutionDir)\bin\$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\SampleUserControl\SampleUserControl.dll">
      <DeploymentContent>true</DeploymentContent>
      <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
    </NativeReferenceFile>
    <NativeReferenceFile Include="$(SolutionDir)\bin\$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\$(AppProjectName)\*.xbf">
      <DeploymentContent>true</DeploymentContent>
      <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
    </NativeReferenceFile>
    <NativeReferenceFile Include="$(SolutionDir)\bin\$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\$(AppProjectName)\*.dll">
      <DeploymentContent>true</DeploymentContent>
      <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
    </NativeReferenceFile>

Auto deployment of the Microsoft VC Libs for Win32 applications

The Visual C++ Runtime Libraries are required to execute native applications. In UWP Apps, the Microsoft VC Libs are referenced via Framework packages. The Framework packages are downloaded from the Microsoft Store. Unpackaged Win32 applications are not deployed via Microsoft Store; hence, Framework packages mechanism doesn't work.

To make it work is needed to deploy the VC Libs to the same folder where the Win32 executable file is deployed.

This is performed using the following MSBuild code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
    <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'">
        <VCLibConfig>Debug</VCLibConfig>
        <VCLibConfigName>Debug.</VCLibConfigName>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'">
        <VCLibConfig>Retail</VCLibConfig>
        <VCLibConfigName></VCLibConfigName>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Platform)'=='Win32'">
        <VCLibPlatform>x86</VCLibPlatform>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Platform)'=='x64'">
        <VCLibPlatform>x64</VCLibPlatform>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Platform)'=='ARM'">
        <VCLibPlatform>ARM</VCLibPlatform>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <PropertyGroup>
        <WindowsKitDir>C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows Kits\10\</WindowsKitDir>
        <VCLibVersion>14</VCLibVersion>
        <VCLibDir>$(WindowsKitDir)\ExtensionSDKs\Microsoft.VCLibs\$(VCLibVersion).0\Appx\$(VCLibConfig)\$(VCLibPlatform)\</VCLibDir>
        <VCLibName>Microsoft.VCLibs.$(VCLibPlatform).$(VCLibConfigName)$(VCLibVersion).00.appx</VCLibName>
    </PropertyGroup>

    <ItemGroup>
        <VCLibPackage Include="$(VCLibDir)$(VCLibName)" />
    </ItemGroup>

    <Target Name="UnzipVCLibPackage" BeforeTargets="PrepareForBuild">
        <Message Text="Extracting @(VCLibPackage) to $(IntDir)\VCLibs\" />
        <MakeDir Directories="$(IntDir)\VCLibs\" />
        <UnZip SourceFiles="@(VCLibPackage)" DestinationFolder="$(IntDir)\VCLibs\" />
        <CreateItem Include="$(IntDir)\VCLibs\*.dll">
            <Output
                TaskParameter="Include"
                ItemName="VCLibItems"/>
        </CreateItem>
        <Copy SourceFiles="@(VCLibItems)" DestinationFolder="$(OutDir)"/>
    </Target>
</Project>

WinRT free registration

In order a 3rd party native type be instanciated by an Win32 executable, the type needs to be registered in the executable manifest.

For example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly
    xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1"
    xmlns:asmv3="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3"
    manifestVersion="1.0">
    <asmv3:file name="MyApp.dll">
        <activatableClass
            name="MyApp.App"
            threadingModel="both"
            xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:winrt.v1" />
        <activatableClass
            name="MyApp.XamlMetadataProvider"
            threadingModel="both"
            xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:winrt.v1" />
        <activatableClass
            name="MyApp.MainUserControl"
            threadingModel="both"
            xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:winrt.v1" />
    </asmv3:file>
</assembly>

It is recommended to separate each manifest file per component and have multiple manifest files:

MyApp
Microsoft UI Xaml
Sample User Control

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ReadMe.md

ReadMe.md

Native C++/WinRT Win32 Sample with auto resize single Island

Overview

Projects in the solution:

How to implement the Keyboard input

Generation of WinRT resources for Win32 apps

Use of 3rd party controls

Auto deployment of the Microsoft VC Libs for Win32 applications

WinRT free registration

Files

ReadMe.md

Latest commit

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ReadMe.md

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Native C++/WinRT Win32 Sample with auto resize single Island

Overview

Projects in the solution:

How to implement the Keyboard input

Generation of WinRT resources for Win32 apps

Use of 3rd party controls

Auto deployment of the Microsoft VC Libs for Win32 applications

WinRT free registration