XAML apps using C++/CX for Desktop Windows

Question

I have experimented with XAML UI programming using C++ for Windows 8 Store apps. I really like the developer experience, the XAML designer and the fact that I can get pure native apps with a modern rich user interface and high performance.

I want to create similar XAML apps using C++ for Desktop Windows (the non-Store world). How do I do this? For years I have waited for a native UI stack for Windows Desktop which is newer than MFC and somewhat higher level than direct Win32/GDI programming.

Sisyphean

+1 I can see the answers: Qt, MFC, WTL... that's it for us lower level people. There's a few others but they're deserted (many years now) and quite specialized. We, really native C++ people, have been left behind... but the C++ language itself is getting better, compiler is... so we need to roll our own. – Lauralauraceous

Answer 1

Both Silverlight and WPF use XAML along with code-behind to implement apps. Neither are still maintained but if you want to play with the same technology, it's there.

As Jeff McClintock mentioned, Microsoft has announced that a future update to Windows 8 will allow apps to run on the desktop, but I expect that this will merely be a windowing change and the apps will still run in the restricted sandbox that Store Apps run within. Maybe Microsoft will introduce yet another desktop-based UI framework and support it for three years before killing it.

WTL is newer than MFC, although its last update was six years ago. I personally recommend Qt, as it allows access to native Win32 calls (so you can do whatever ganky stuff Win32 apps normally want to do) while still having a rich, robust UI framework to build upon.

Obregon

I am looking for a C++ solution that can build reasonably modern looking Desktop apps. Looks like Qt is the only solution – Sisyphean

Answer 2

Codejock has some markup language support in MFC (native C++).

http://www.codejock.com/inc/img/downloads/samples/toolkitpro_markupsample_full.png

Martins

Answer 3

A future update to Windows 8.1 will allow Windows 8 Store Apps to run in a Window on the Desktop, and appear on the taskbar like a Win32 Application. This allows Store apps to Act a lot like Desktop Apps. MS have hinted store-app XMAL will be available to Desktop apps at some point in future.

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2014/04/02/microsoft-listens-to-users-start-menu-and-windowed-apps-are-on-the-way/

Glib

Answer 4

What I am looking at is C++/WinRT for native C++ applications that use the WinRT framework for UWP apps, at least for Windows 10. See C++/WinRT in the Microsoft Dev Center for a starting place.

C++/WinRT is an entirely standard modern C++17 language projection for Windows Runtime (WinRT) APIs, implemented as a header-file-based library, and designed to provide you with first-class access to the modern Windows API. With C++/WinRT, you can author and consume Windows Runtime APIs using any standards-compliant C++17 compiler. The Windows SDK includes C++/WinRT; it was introduced in version 10.0.17134.0 (Windows 10, version 1803).

The intro article in the series goes on to say:

For authoring and consuming Windows Runtime APIs using C++, there is C++/WinRT. This is Microsoft's recommended replacement for the Windows Runtime C++ Template Library (WRL) and C++/CX.

I first got started with UWP apps for Windows 10 using C++/CX which uses the Microsoft Visual Studio C++ extensions with ref and all of the C# like extensions for C++ in a .NET world.

I am now working with Visual Studio 2017 and the C++/WinRT framework which uses native C++17 features along with an SDK. I believe you can also use C++/WinRT with Visual Studio 2015 with the latest updates, update 3.

There is also a package available from Extensions and Updates within Visual Studio, C++/WinRT, which contains a couple of Visual Studio templates for a couple of different application types.

C++/WinRT seems to be a work in progress. It seems best if you are using Visual Studio 2017 with the latest Windows 10, Version 1803, which contains the SDK and the XAML editor works fine. I have had problems with the XAML editor with an earlier build of Windows 10 Enterprise at work (IT Services maintains its own update servers and is a couple of builds behind the bleeding edge).

See also my question synchronizing SDK with Windows 10 update and using WinRT with Standard C++ which has an updated version of a test program from this article, C++ - Introducing C++/WinRT.

Making