From last article “HOW TO COMMUNICATE BETWEEN METRO UI AND DESKTOP UI ON WIN8”, it talking about to pass the control between Metro/Desktop application.
However during programing on Metro and Desktop, you might need some communication mechanism for Metro/Desktop application.
I just provide my experience for this kind of question, here is my solution for communicate between Metro and Desktop on Win8 Customer Preview. (I also feedback on MSFT forum here)
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Write a application to listen TCP as information center which call “DesktopSvr” (ex: here)
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Metro app try to send message to localhost via streamsocket (P.S. localhost is not work, but 127.0.0.1 work well).
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“DesktopSvr” will pass desktop app via IPC or anyway you familiar.
Metro application communication guidline:
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Desktop might also pass some data to “DesktopSvr” it will be our information center.
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Metro:
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Since Metro UI will not get any TCP feedback if app under suspends, so communicate between metro app via TCP seems not possible here.
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Metro app only get TCP event when it is remain as alive. (ex: StreamSocket.)
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Metro app only take feedback and response when event register. (ex: SystemTriggerType), so Metro app might need take more pooling query information to our “DesktopSvr”.
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Metro app might not to communicate to another Metro app, it is possible for “Metro A” to pass to “DesktopSvr” and “Metro B” also try to retrival information to “Desktop”.
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Desktop:
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Desktop is easy to communicate with other desktop app via original way.
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Desktop might also need pass information to “DesktopSvr” first, and Metro app will try to get it from “DesktopSvr”.
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