Can I publish my WPF in windows store? [duplicate] - c#

I'm working on creating custom Cortana commands. The commands are registered and executed using a Universal Windows Platform Application. (GitHub)
For instance, I've registered the following command
<Command Name="ShutDown">
<ListenFor>Shut down</ListenFor>
<Navigate/>
</Command>
To run this function in a UWP application
static async void ShutDown()
{
var dialog = new MessageDialog("This is where I would shut the computer down.");
await dialog.ShowAsync();
//System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("Shutdown", "-s -t 10");
}
But after setting this up I learned System.Diagnostics.Process isn't supported in UWP.
The custom commands I want to run involve some sort of execution such as launching external programs, running other scripts, or opening websites.
It makes sense that UWP doesn't support them given that it's universal and an XBox or a phone might not be able to do these, but I was hoping there was some alternative or hacky way to accomplish this on a Windows 10 PC.
Is there a way for me to execute Process commands or something else with similar functionality in a UWP application? It seems like even though I can get Cortana to execute my C# code, UWP doesn't support much that would be useful in this situation.
Thanks in advance.

There are - limited - ways to achieve similar behavior.
You could use LaunchUri to trigger other apps which registered for a certain URI-Scheme. This should work for your webbrowser scenario. More details here:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/windows.system.launcher.launchuriasync.aspx
You could trigger another app and get results back from it using LaunchForResults. The called app has to support this. More details here:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/mt269386.aspx
You could trigger App Services provided by another app. The called app has to support this. The app service will be executed in background. ( I think this is pretty cool.) More details here:http://blogs.msdn.com/b/mvpawardprogram/archive/2015/06/11/writing-windows-10-app-services-in-javascript.aspx
This is a little hacky: I'm not sure if this still works but it did work for Windows 8.1: You could create a so called "Brokered Component". This allows you to trigger everything from you app on you machine, but you won't be able to publish a brokered component into the store. This also allowed Process.Start() on Windows 8.1. It only worked for sideloaded apps. I'm not sure if it still works on Windows 10.
More info here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/dn630195.aspx
Summary:
Starting another app is pretty easy as long as the target app registered as app service or registered a protocol handler (Uri scheme).
Starting scripts or other *.exe is impossible if option 4 doesn't work any longer.

With the Windows 10 Anniversary Update (1607) there is an option to enable this scenario on PC. With this API in the Desktop Extension SDK you can launch a fulltrust process that runs at the full user privileges:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/uwp/api/Windows.ApplicationModel.FullTrustProcessLauncher
This way you can light it up on the platforms where it is supported, i.e. PCs running 1607 or above. And your app will still be universal:
if (ApiInformation.IsApiContractPresent("Windows.ApplicationModel.FullTrustAppContract", 1, 0))
{
await FullTrustProcessLauncher.LaunchFullTrustProcessForCurrentAppAsync();
}

Related

How to start Electron.NET blazor app on windows start?

I am working on a project that uses Electron.NET and Blazor. I am looking for a solution how to start it automatically on OS(Win || MAC || Linux) start.
ElectronNET.API -> Version="9.31.2"
.NET Version = netcoreapp3.1
There is a folder in Windows 10/11 located at %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup. If you put a shortcut to your app in there it will run at startup for the current user.
If you want to run at startup for all users you will need:
admin escalation
create a task in Windows Task Scheduler with the trigger When the computer starts
I don't know how to do any of that on a Mac/Linux, but likely the basic process will be the same:
find an o/s specific way of starting a program
get your app to detect the platform it's running on
invoke said process putting shortcuts, links or config entries in the right places
I don't think Electron/ElectronNET has any specific helpers for this sort of thing.
There is an npm library called auto-launch that you would use if you were building Electron rather than ElectronNET. See NPM - auto-launch and also this article on how to use it in Electron. You might be able to port something into your app from there.

C# Universal Windows Platform Open Command Prompt [duplicate]

I'm working on creating custom Cortana commands. The commands are registered and executed using a Universal Windows Platform Application. (GitHub)
For instance, I've registered the following command
<Command Name="ShutDown">
<ListenFor>Shut down</ListenFor>
<Navigate/>
</Command>
To run this function in a UWP application
static async void ShutDown()
{
var dialog = new MessageDialog("This is where I would shut the computer down.");
await dialog.ShowAsync();
//System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("Shutdown", "-s -t 10");
}
But after setting this up I learned System.Diagnostics.Process isn't supported in UWP.
The custom commands I want to run involve some sort of execution such as launching external programs, running other scripts, or opening websites.
It makes sense that UWP doesn't support them given that it's universal and an XBox or a phone might not be able to do these, but I was hoping there was some alternative or hacky way to accomplish this on a Windows 10 PC.
Is there a way for me to execute Process commands or something else with similar functionality in a UWP application? It seems like even though I can get Cortana to execute my C# code, UWP doesn't support much that would be useful in this situation.
Thanks in advance.
There are - limited - ways to achieve similar behavior.
You could use LaunchUri to trigger other apps which registered for a certain URI-Scheme. This should work for your webbrowser scenario. More details here:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/windows.system.launcher.launchuriasync.aspx
You could trigger another app and get results back from it using LaunchForResults. The called app has to support this. More details here:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/mt269386.aspx
You could trigger App Services provided by another app. The called app has to support this. The app service will be executed in background. ( I think this is pretty cool.) More details here:http://blogs.msdn.com/b/mvpawardprogram/archive/2015/06/11/writing-windows-10-app-services-in-javascript.aspx
This is a little hacky: I'm not sure if this still works but it did work for Windows 8.1: You could create a so called "Brokered Component". This allows you to trigger everything from you app on you machine, but you won't be able to publish a brokered component into the store. This also allowed Process.Start() on Windows 8.1. It only worked for sideloaded apps. I'm not sure if it still works on Windows 10.
More info here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/dn630195.aspx
Summary:
Starting another app is pretty easy as long as the target app registered as app service or registered a protocol handler (Uri scheme).
Starting scripts or other *.exe is impossible if option 4 doesn't work any longer.
With the Windows 10 Anniversary Update (1607) there is an option to enable this scenario on PC. With this API in the Desktop Extension SDK you can launch a fulltrust process that runs at the full user privileges:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/uwp/api/Windows.ApplicationModel.FullTrustProcessLauncher
This way you can light it up on the platforms where it is supported, i.e. PCs running 1607 or above. And your app will still be universal:
if (ApiInformation.IsApiContractPresent("Windows.ApplicationModel.FullTrustAppContract", 1, 0))
{
await FullTrustProcessLauncher.LaunchFullTrustProcessForCurrentAppAsync();
}

How to create a background application using UWP without UI?

I need to run a BLE Discovery in background and need to show toast when a device found.This is done using UWP with UI. But I need only background application. Is there any way?
Firstly I think that it is good to clarify that even if you want to create UWP app that works in background you have to create normal Universal Windows Application from template in Visual Studio:
Each UWP application can register Background Task to perform some background operations.
You can find the whole implementation guide under below link:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/launch-resume/create-and-register-a-background-task
Background task has to be registered by the app so there is no way to create only Background task without the app.
Please also remember that application without UI will not pass Windows Store certification.
Lukmanul Hakim,
I have been facing a similar problem and found the best way is through a windows service. In particular:
BluetoothLEAdvertisementWatcher works in Windows services, unit test projects, and UWP packages (with the right manifest capabilities).
The advertisment watcher executes but does not deliver data/events in WPF desktop apps and .net command line programs.
As you note, UWP seems to require annoying UI and can only communicate in a limited way via app services.
Once you have the data in a windows service, you can do work there or communicate with any desktop app using regular IPC mechanisms like named pipes.
You will need to install the Windows 10 SDK and reference the windows runtime typically at: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\UnionMetadata\Windows.winmd
For reference here is the basic code to get advertisments:
var watcher = new BluetoothLEAdvertisementWatcher();
watcher.Received += OnAdvertismentReceived;
watcher.Start();

Add/Start/Stop IoT Core application from another application

I would like to add/start/stop/remove an application (IoT Core) just like the web interface or the Power Shell commands: "IotStartup" but from within a C# application running on the IoT Core itself.
Is there a c# API for this or do I have to implement the Power Shell commands inside my application?
Using the Device Portal API could work for you.
Here are the docs.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/debug-test-perf/device-portal-api-core
Device Portal APIs are intended for remote management, and may not work from within a UWP against localhost due to loopback restrictions in Windows (to prevent an app from attacking the device it's running on).
That said, the Windows.Management.Deployment.PackageManager class provides installation and removal APIs for apps. To launch an app, you can use Windows.System.Launcher. Note that PackageManager is a restricted capability, so the app won't be able to go into the Store without special permissions from Microsoft. It will work in sideloaded scenarios though.
There is no way to close an app from another app with existing APIs. However, Launching the app using the above, then connecting with an AppServiceConnection to manage it, you can send a "Close" message over the AppServiceConnection that causes the app to close itself.

Is there a possibility to start another App or Program from a Windows 8 Store App (C#)

I want to start another App or Program from my Windows Store App. For example my App is showing emails, so if someone clicks on such an email Outlook should open. Is this possible in an "App-Sandbox"?
It is not possible to just launch an arbitrary application, but with custom protocol activation you can launch an app that handles that protocol and if it is not installed - the OS will ask the user to install it. It means that if you can define a custom protocol in your app - you can launch it from another app with this protocol assuming no other app registers to handle it. An example of that is any XBOX Live app - if you check their manifest files - they all handle custom protocols.
If your specific question is about launching a specific app by name or location then no, this is not possible, but if you know a protocol handled by the app you want to launch - you can try using that - just bear in mind that there might be other apps that handle that protocol.
Short answer: no, it's not possible.
You can open files with their associated application but not spawn any arbitrary external process.
As #mitch-wheat pointed out, that's why it's called a sandbox.
Check out this sample
The sample is for Windows 8.1 but I think will work for Windows 8 as well.

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