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Get Started with WPF/WinForms

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Important

Visual Studio App Center is scheduled for retirement on March 31, 2025. While you can continue to use Visual Studio App Center until it is fully retired, there are several recommended alternatives that you may consider migrating to.

Learn more about support timelines and alternatives.

The App Center SDK uses a modular architecture so you can use any or all of the services.

Let's get started with setting up App Center SDK in your app to use App Center Analytics and App Center Crashes.

1. Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure that the following prerequisites are met:

  • Your project is targeting either .NET Framework 4.6.2 (or higher) or .NET Core 3.1 (or higher).
  • .NET Core is supported only when the WPF/WinForms application runs on Windows.
  • If you use the SDK from a portable library, it must target .NET standard 2.0 or higher (PCL isn't supported).
  • PackageReference project type. This requirement comes from SQLitePCL.raw library. More information at https://github.com/ericsink/SQLitePCL.raw/issues/537.
  • There's a known issue when integrating the SDK into VSTO projects. For more details, please visit https://github.com/microsoft/appcenter-sdk-dotnet/issues/1583/.

2. Create your app in the App Center Portal to obtain the App Secret

If you have already created your app in the App Center portal, you can skip this step.

  1. Sign up or log in and hit the blue button on the top right corner of the portal that says Add new and select Add new app from the dropdown menu.
  2. Enter a name and an optional description for your app.
  3. Select the appropriate OS and platform depending on your project as described above.
  4. Hit the button at the bottom right that says Add new app.

Once you have created an app, you can obtain its App Secret on the Settings page on the App Center Portal. At the top right hand corner of the Settings page, click on the triple vertical dots and select Copy app secret to get your App Secret.

3. Add the App Center SDK modules

The App Center SDK can be integrated using Visual Studio, or the Package Manager Console.

Note

App Center SDK uses strong-named assemblies for compatibility with applications that use strong-named sign.

Visual Studio

  • Open Visual Studio.
  • Click File > Open and choose your solution.
  • In the solution navigator, right-click References and choose Manage NuGet Packages.
  • In the Browse tab, Search for App Center, and install Microsoft.AppCenter.Analytics and Microsoft.AppCenter.Crashes packages.

Package Manager Console

  • Open the console in Visual Studio. To do this, choose Tools > NuGet Package Manager > Package Manager Console.
  • Type the following commands:
Install-Package Microsoft.AppCenter.Analytics
Install-Package Microsoft.AppCenter.Crashes

Note

If you use the App Center SDK in a portable project, you must install the packages in each of the projects: the portable, and the project that's running the WPF/WinForms app. To do that, you should open each sub-project and follow the corresponding steps described in Visual Studio section.

4. Start the SDK

To use App Center, opt in to the module(s) you want to use. By default no modules are started and you must explicitly call each of them when starting the SDK.

4.1 Add the Start() method

WPF

For your WPF application, modify the App.xaml.cs and add the following using statements:

using Microsoft.AppCenter;
using Microsoft.AppCenter.Analytics;
using Microsoft.AppCenter.Crashes;

Then in the same file, add the following code in the OnStartup method:

AppCenter.Start("{Your App Secret}", typeof(Analytics), typeof(Crashes));

If the App.xaml.cs file doesn't have the OnStartup method, you can add the Application.OnStartup(StartupEventArgs) method. Your App.xaml.cs file should look something like:

public partial class App : Application
{
    protected override void OnStartup(StartupEventArgs e)
    {
      base.OnStartup(e);
      AppCenter.Start("{Your App Secret}", typeof(Analytics), typeof(Crashes));
    }
  }
}

Warning

It's not recommended to embed your App Secret in source code.

If you need to start App Center services separately, you should:

  1. Configure or start it with the App Secret.
  2. If the code can be called multiple times, check if the App Center is already configured.
  3. Start the required service(s) without the App Secret.
AppCenter.Configure("{Your App Secret}");
if (AppCenter.Configured)
{
    AppCenter.Start(typeof(Analytics)); 
    AppCenter.Start(typeof(Crashes)); 
}

WinForms

For your WinForms application, modify the Program.cs file and add the following using statements:

using Microsoft.AppCenter;
using Microsoft.AppCenter.Analytics;
using Microsoft.AppCenter.Crashes;

Then in the same file, add the following code in the Main method, before the Application.Run statement.

AppCenter.Start("{Your App Secret}", typeof(Analytics), typeof(Crashes));

If you need to start App Center services separately, you should:

  1. Configure or start it with the App Secret.
  2. If the code can be called multiple times, check if the App Center is already configured.
  3. Start the required service(s) without the App Secret.
AppCenter.Configure("{Your App Secret}");
if (AppCenter.Configured)
{
    AppCenter.Start(typeof(Analytics)); 
    AppCenter.Start(typeof(Crashes)); 
}

Warning

It's not recommended to embed your App Secret in source code.

4.2 Replace the placeholder with your App Secret

Make sure to replace {Your App Secret} text with the actual value for your application. The App Secret can be found on the Getting Started page or Settings page on the App Center portal.

The Getting Started page contains the above code sample with your App Secret in it, you can copy-paste the whole sample.

The example above shows how to use the Start() method and includes App Center Analytics.

Unless you explicitly specify each service as parameters in the start method, you can't use that App Center service. In addition, the Start() API can be used only once in the lifecycle of your app – all other calls will log a warning to the console and only the services included in the first call will be available.

Great, you're all set to visualize crashes on the portal that the SDK collects automatically.

Look at the documentation for App Center Analytics and App Center Crashes to learn how to customize and use more advanced functionalities of both services.