I need to figure out how to write functions to control access to resources on Windows 8.1. On Windows 7 and earlier versions, it seems I can use Access Control List related functions provided in Win32 API to write things like that,
C++ - How to set file permissions (cross platform)
but wonder how to do the same thing on the latest Windows 8.1, since Win32 is replaced by WinRT.
I'm considering using C++, but any suggestion to accomplish this task is welcomed.
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I'm writing a program that needs to run across Windows 7, 8.x and 10. The program has a one (relatively minor) feature that relies on Windows APIs that are only available on Windows 10. This feature will obviously not work on Win7, and before calling these APIs I make sure that the current OS is Windows 10.
In order to use these APIs I'm forced to configure my VS2015 project to "Consume Windows Runtime Extension" (/ZW) and to set "Target Platform Version" to 10.0.10586.0.
However, this causes a problem when I try to run the app on Windows 7. I get an error dialog saying "The program can't start because api-ms-win-core-winrt-string-l1-1-0.dll is missing from your computer". I tried to installed VS2015 redistributable package on the Win7 machine, but that did not solve the problem.
Any idea on how to get this to run on Win7? I really prefer not to change all my code to dynamically load all Windows 10 functions.
The program is written in C++, and the Windows API I use are from Windows.Devices.WifiDirect namespace.
I ended up solving this problem by moving all my Win10-only API calls into a proxy DLL, which is compiled with /ZW. I then removed the /ZW switch from the main program, which then allowed it to run under Windows 7. The proxy DLL is only loaded (using LoadLibrary() call) when my program is running on a Windows 10 machine.
This solved the problem. I did have to write a few proxy functions for the DLL, but it was far lass overhead than doing that for all the Win10-only API calls.
I would still like to hear better solutions, if there are any.
It is possible to access Windows 10 APIs without using /ZW switch by using the "ABI" API. More details here:
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20160629-00/?p=93775
You'll have to use APIs like "RoGetActivationFactory" and "WindowsCreateString" through LoadLibrary/GetProcAddress, since you can't link to them as they're not available on Windows 7. Don't forget to define your WINVER and _WIN32_WINNT to Windows 7:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa383745(v=vs.85).aspx
That will allow you to not link to any APIs not available on Windows 7.
I am writing a Windows service in C++ using QT 5.4, the service can be run, but I would like to log some event into the system. I have searched a bit seems the Win32 API ReportEvent() suits for this.
However, most of the resource I found involved using mc.exe and rc.exe which seems to be missed in the QT environment, and the most updated Windows SDK for Windows 8.1 does not contain these tools as well.
If Visual Studio is not available for me, how can I use ReportEvent()in QT? Or is there any alternative solution for logging events?
Thanks!
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.
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.
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/
Codejock has some markup language support in MFC (native C++).
http://www.codejock.com/inc/img/downloads/samples/toolkitpro_markupsample_full.png
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.
I want to use Boost C++ in a Windows 8 Metro app and I can't get the library built on Windows 8 via Visual Studio 11 in the Windows 8 Developer Preview. I believe this is due to the limited out-of-the-box functionality on VS 11 at this time.
The latest version of Boost (1.48.0) does not come with an installer.
Does anyone have a solution for this?
If the answer is build on Windows 7 and transfer, how do I accomplish this?
Boost C++ download: http://www.boost.org/users/download/
Boost C++ getting started: http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_48_0/more/getting_started/windows.html
A Metro library and a desktop library are different things. Metro libraries are severely restricted. You could build the library on Windows 7 and hand-install it on your system, but that would not mean you could use it on your system from a Metro app, if it made system calls that Metro does not allow.
Rather than "all of Boost" you would be best served by trying to get the pieces you need working. If you don't use Boost to work with files, what do you care that file access must now be async, and must go through APIs that ensure your Metro app has declared the right capabilities, and so on? And of course if you are using part of Boost that is in C++11, (eg shared_ptr) save yourself a lot of trouble and use the C++11 version.
How should an application that uses the Volume Shadow Copy service be built for release? I've been building and testing in Windows 7 and everything looks good so I built the app to test in Windows XP and I get an error on startup:
The procedure entry point VssFreeSnapshotPropertiesInternal could not be located in the dynamic link library VSSAPI.DLL
Now, I realise that a way round this is to use LoadLibrary and call the function if it exists but surely the function should exist in the first place to be able to use VSS?
I read somewhere that I would need to build a different version for XP, Server 2003, Windows 7 etc but I've not seen that in other applications that use VSS.
What is the correct way to build a VSS app?
Thanks,
J
Take a look at HoboCopy source code.
This should answer every question you could have.
It's free (for personal use) and C++ src code covers all Windows versions from XP to 2008.
Src has moved, anyway start from here.
Note: The Windows SDK can be used to develop VSS applications only for Windows Vista and later Windows operating system versions. It cannot be used to develop VSS requester's, providers, or writers for Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003, or Windows XP.
link: VSS Application Compatibility (Windows)