How to run a Windows Store app programmatically?

Question

I just built one of the project templates. Offers Visual Studio 2012 (the "Split App (XAML)" template, available through Templates → Other languages ​​→ Visual C # → Windows Store in the New Project dialog box).

I can run the application from Visual Studio 2012, and I can start it from the Windows 8 startup screen, but if I try to run the generated executable file directly (for example, through Windows Explorer or from the shell), the full error message "This application is not may work on your pc. "

A look at the executable instance of the application through Process Explorer shows that it: a) just links to the runtime environment of MSCOREE.DLL.NET and b) it is called using the command line as follows:

"[..] \bin\Debug\AppX\WindowsStoreSample.exe" -ServerName:App.AppXgsxd2athqtr03f55we0938hcn632we3k.mca 

My actual question is: what is the correct way to run this kind of application programmatically? I would use a simple CreateProcess , and then try to assemble the command line as shown above? If so, how can I determine the correct argument to -ServerName ? Or is there any other way to run such applications?

Answer 1

The correct way to run Windows Store applications is to use the IApplicationActivationManager interface. This is the same as Visual Studio itself to run the application. All methods on the interface have a DWORD out parameter, which receives the PID of the newly launched process.