How I can make a platform agnostic C++ WinRT Component?

Question

If i want to create a C++ WinRT component. You have three platform which are x86/x64/ARM and each platform generates different dlls and winmd files (winmd differences are very minimal).

Now i have an AnyCPU C# project and i want to reference that C++ WinRT components. How do i do that?

For P/Invoke, you can use LoadLibrary trick to load right platform native dll. But Metro application references winmd file instead of write P/Invoke definitions. So, i'm wondering that how i can make platform agnostic C++ WinRT component.

Answer 1

The moment you use a C++ component from your C# component, you then need to create as many versions as you intend to target (ARM/X86/X64).

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http://blog.voidnish.com

Answer 2

Thanks for reply Nishant,

That what VS11 Beta does now. But if you take a look at the Windows Kits directory, it only has one winmd file that you can reference from AnyCPU assembly and you don't need to create multiple version of assemblies.

I'd like to know how i can do same thing.

Answer 3

As Nishant mentioned, once you reference a C++ component from your C# app, you will need to generate separate platform specific packages to upload to the store instead of a Neutral package. There is a related thread you may want to review as well.

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winappswithnativecode/thread/fd67a4f4-b4d4-445b-9925-f5aaa055ce89/#a2f83fc5-9c41-4e23-8865-7efd0625467e

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David Lamb