Can I use winUI 3 class library to WPF ?

Question

Can I use winUI 3 class library to WPF ?

mehmet yılmaz 20

I want to port my wpf app to uno platform because of uno compatible with winUI 3 xaml. So it will be easy to porting to uno. Can I use winUI 3 class library to WPF ?

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Answer 1

Hui Liu-MSFT 48,676 Microsoft External Staff

Hi,@mehmet yılmaz . Welcome Microsoft Q&A.

You could use a WinUI 3 class library in a WPF application, but with certain considerations.

WinUI 3 is targets Windows App SDK, while WPF is a separate framework with its own set of controls and runtime. While WinUI 3 and WPF share some common XAML concepts, they are not directly interchangeable.

And WinUI 3 is part of the Windows App SDK—so, naturally, a WinUI 3 app can use the other Windows App SDK features and APIs, as well. For how you can use Windows App SDK APIs (and Windows Runtime APIs) in a WPF app, you could refer to the document Use the Windows App SDK in a WPF app.

Here are a few points to consider:

UWP Control Compatibility: If you're using WinUI 3 controls in a UWP app, the Uno Platform should provide good compatibility. However, if you're looking to use WinUI 3 controls in a WPF app, you might run into issues because WPF and UWP have different application models, layout systems, and runtime environments.

WPF and Uno Platform: While Uno Platform aims to bring UWP features to other platforms, including WPF might not be a straightforward process. It's best to consult the Uno Platform documentation and resources to understand their compatibility and recommended practices for different scenarios.

Porting to Uno Platform: If your goal is to port your WPF app to Uno Platform for cross-platform compatibility, you'll likely need to adapt your UI code, as well as any platform-specific features or APIs you're using. While some code and XAML might be reusable, there might still be platform-specific adjustments required.

WinUI 3 and WPF: If you want to use WinUI 3 controls in a WPF app, it might be more practical to look for equivalent controls or solutions that are native to WPF.

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mehmet yılmaz 20 Reputation points

2023-08-31T06:27:21.27+00:00

when I try using winUI3 custom control in wpf xaml, I got this issue = "the type 'winui:CustomControl1' was not found and also the name 'CustomControl1' does not exist in the namespace ". I reference winUI3 class library .dll to wpf project. I added windowsApp sdk package, targetframework to project file and so on. But it does not work. Thanks a lot for your answering by the way.
Hui Liu-MSFT 48,676 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2023-08-31T07:18:10.1666667+00:00

Hi,@mehmet yılmaz .

When trying to use a WinUI 3 custom control in a WPF XAML file and encountering the error message you mentioned, there are a few potential reasons for this issue:

Namespace Mismatch: Ensure that you have correctly referenced the WinUI 3 class library and that you are using the correct namespace in your XAML file

Assembly Reference: Make sure that the WinUI 3 class library assembly (.dll) is referenced correctly in your WPF project. You can do this by right-clicking on References in your WPF project, selecting "Add Reference," and then selecting the WinUI 3 class library.

Using the Correct Namespace Prefix: In your XAML, make sure you're using the correct prefix for the WinUI 3 controls. The prefix is typically defined in your XAML namespace declarations.

Check Visual Studio Version: Ensure that you are using a compatible version of Visual Studio that supports WinUI 3 development for WPF projects. Some features might not work properly if you're using an outdated version.

Verify Target Framework: Make sure that your WPF project is targeting a compatible framework version for WinUI 3. Check if the target framework version matches the version supported by the WinUI 3 controls you're trying to use.

Build and Clean Solution: Sometimes, issues like this can be resolved by performing a clean build of your solution. Try cleaning the solution and rebuilding it to see if that resolves the issue.

Restart Visual Studio: Occasionally, Visual Studio might have some caching issues. Try restarting Visual Studio to see if that helps.

Namespace Naming: Ensure that there are no conflicts with namespaces and class names between your WPF project and the WinUI 3 class library.

If there are still problems, could you share with me a minimal sample project that can reproduce the problem for analysis?
mehmet yılmaz 20 Reputation points

2023-08-31T08:24:30.3766667+00:00

First of all, which one is winUI 3 and winUI2. When I open the visual studio to create a new project, I see WinUI 3 desktop app. Is that WinUI 3 right? What is winUI 2? is that nuget package and what is that name in nuget manager? And how can share my wpf app to you
Hui Liu-MSFT 48,676 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2023-08-31T09:51:15.04+00:00

Hi,@mehmet yılmaz . For the steps to create a WinUI 3 project, you could check out the documentation Create your first WinUI 3 (Windows App SDK) project. You can upload the sample project to GitHub and share its link with me.
mehmet yılmaz 20 Reputation points

2023-08-31T10:17:06.53+00:00

@Hui Liu-MSFT

so, how can I use winUI 2? I will share with you tomorrow because I am not available for now.
Hui Liu-MSFT 48,676 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2023-09-01T06:42:35.3033333+00:00
Hi,@mehmet yılmaz .

Not quite sure what your problem is exactly.

Here are two scenarios about using winUI 3 class library in WPF:

Use the Windows App SDK in a WPF app

After my testing, the winui3 control can be used in WPF in this case.

Use XAML Islands to host a UWP XAML control in a C# WPF app

You could check which one is more suitable for your requirement. Then I can follow up and analyze it on a case-by-case basis.

It is best to share with me a sample that can reproduce the problem to analyze the problem if there is still a problem.
mehmet yılmaz 20 Reputation points

2023-09-01T08:38:58.9166667+00:00

I want to run my wpf app on linux. So, I have some options such as using Uno Platform, Avalonia, Avalonia XPF.. So, I thought that If I use WinUI 3 class library I mean winUI 3 controls, xaml something like that, the porting process will be easy to manage. Conclusion, I need to use control which is made by winUI 3 in WPF app.
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mehmet yılmaz 20 Reputation points

2023-09-01T09:04:59.86+00:00

@Hui Liu-MSFT in the link https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/windows-app-sdk/wpf-plus-winappsdk This topic doesn't cover the process of migrating your WPF app to WinUI 3. When I try to use winui element i got this issue.

Answer 2

Castorix31 90,681

If you want to use WinUI 3 controls inside a WPF app, you can now use XAML Islands, which has just been released : https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/windows-app-sdk/stable-channel#xaml-islands-no-longer-experimental

I uploaded a sample in WPF/C# : WPF_XAML_Islands_WinUI3

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Can I use winUI 3 class library to WPF ?

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