This sample demonstrates how to use Registration-free WinRT a new feature in Windows 10 Version 1903 to reference a C++ Windows Runtime component in a non-packaged C++ desktop app. It contains a C++ desktop app (CppConsoleApp.vcxproj) and a WinRT Component (WinRTComponent.vcxproj).

You can learn more about Registration-free WinRT here.

The C++ desktop app uses:

C++/WinRT to create projection header files of the component for use in the app code
The Microsoft.VCRTForwarders.140 NuGet package to manage C++ Runtime dependencies for the component. The GitHub repo can be found here.

Requirements

The sample requires Windows 10 Version 1903.

Instructions

CppConsoleApp

A non-packaged C++ app referencing a C++ WinRT Component.

The specific DLLs and classes (from the WinRT component) being referenced should be declared in the Win32 Application manifest - CppConsoleApp.exe.manifest.

To add a new Win32 Application Manifest to a desktop app, right click on the project, then select Add, New Item, General, Application Manifest File, and name it yourappname.exe.manifest.

For the System to locate the component DLLs specified in the application manifest at runtime, the DLLs must be in the same directory as the app's .exe. This project uses a propery sheet (PropertySheet.props) to copy the component DLL to the app's output directory.
The property sheet is also used to add a reference to the component's WinMD to enable C++/WinRT to generate projection headers of the component which are used in the app code.
To add your own property sheet to a C++ project:
- right-click the project node
- select Add, New Item, Visual C++, Property Sheets, Property Sheet (.props)
- edit the resulting property sheet file
- add the necessary project customizations
- select View, Other Windows, Property Manager
- right-click the project node
- select Add Existing Property Sheet...
- select the newly created property sheet file

WinRTComponent

A simple C++ WinRT Component with a class returning a string

The component is written using C++/WinRT instead of C++/CX. Therefore, it requires an installed Nuget Package: Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.
To manage the specific C++ Runtime Dependencies of the WinRT component, the app uses the Microsoft.VCRTForwarders.140 NuGet package.

Building and running the sample

Load the Project solution.
Retarget the solution to the SDK version on your machine: Right click, Retarget solution
Build the WinRTComponent project.
Build the CppConsoleApp project
Run the app