.NET Information center: Calling WinRT functions from low level C++

Sunday, April 01, 2012

Calling WinRT functions from low level C++

The high level projection available in C++ targeting WinRT make working with WinRT from C++ a much easier task. It handles error reporting, reference counting, string conversions etc for you. As an example let's consider the following high level C++ code to retrieve the path of the temporary folder:

void GetTempFolderPathHighLevel(std::wstring& path)

{

path = Windows::Storage::ApplicationData::Current->TemporaryFolder->Path->Data();

}

Short, simple, and to the point. The equivalent low level code to get this is heinous:

#include <windows.storage.h>

#include <wrl/client.h>

#include <wrl/wrappers/corewrappers.h>

HRESULT GetTempFolderPath(std::wstring& path)

{

HRESULT hr;

Microsoft::WRL::ComPtr<ABI::Windows::Storage::IApplicationDataStatics> applicationDataStatics;

hr = Windows::Foundation::GetActivationFactory(Microsoft::WRL::Wrappers::HStringReference(RuntimeClass_Windows_Storage_ApplicationData).Get(), &applicationDataStatics);

if (FAILED(hr))

{

return hr;

}