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I have a small, simple UWP app that I want to port to WinUI on Desktop. Everything went swimmingly except I can't get in-process background tasks working.
Two problems stand out:
Are in-process background tasks supported or planned in WinUI on Desktop? Am I just missing something?
Advice, documentation, or an issue to follow are all appreciated.
In-process background tasks for desktop apps need to use the COM background tasks: https://video2.skills-academy.com/windows/uwp/launch-resume/create-and-register-a-winmain-background-task
However, if you're writing a C# app, the docs and samples don't work for .NET 5 and have to be updated, and our team is currently investigating how to use in-process COM background tasks from a C# .NET 5 WinUI 3 app.
Out-of-process background tasks using the classic packaging project and a separate WinRT Component Library project should work, but as you mention it is additional complexity.
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I'm running into this issue as well while trying to use old style Push Notifications until there is experimental support again in the Windows App SDK. What does "classic packaging project" mean? Can I use a C# Win UI 3 .NET5 + Windows App SDK 1.0.0-experimentalv1 project for this?
So far, it's been a constant bait and switch where MS docs look promising, but the technologies can't be used together.
So far I've been trying to combine background push notifications (requires UWP), with a WebView2 XAML element (requires WINUI 3) -- or launch chrome when a background push notification is fired (can't do from UWP) -- so it's felt extremely arduous to make a simple app that can open a website on a background push notification. Especially I only find out once I write all the code there is an insurmountable blocker. I've re-written the app starting from 5 different Visual Studio templates, and none have worked.
(1) C# Windows App SDK v1.0.0-experimental1 -- Push Notifications only work on C++ (not documented)
(2) C++ Windows App SDK v1.0.0-experimental1 -- Push notification private preview link closed to new developers
(3) C# UWP -- No WebView2 support
(4) C# UWP WinUI3 -- In-Proc background tasks fail to register (not documented)
(5) C# UWP WinUI3 + Background Tasks -- Hopefully this works, but I'm worried it might not since the C# UWP WinUI3 proc wasn't receiving any raw notifications to the app which is why I've been trying to catch them with the BackgroundTasks
The last comment in this issue should help
I'll give the out-of-process route a shot if I can't get in-process working. I was hoping to avoid the added complexity but it might not be too bad. Thanks!