Consume COM components with C++/WinRT

Article
10/20/2022

You can use the facilities of the C++/WinRT library to consume COM components, such as the high-performance 2-D and 3-D graphics of the DirectX APIs. C++/WinRT is the simplest way to use DirectX without compromising performance. This topic uses a Direct2D code example to show how to use C++/WinRT to consume COM classes and interfaces. You can, of course, mix COM and Windows Runtime programming within the same C++/WinRT project.

At the end of this topic, you'll find a full source code listing of a minimal Direct2D application. We'll lift excerpts from that code and use them to illustrate how to consume COM components using C++/WinRT using various facilities of the C++/WinRT library.

COM smart pointers (winrt::com_ptr)

When you program with COM, you work directly with interfaces rather than with objects (that's also true behind the scenes for Windows Runtime APIs, which are an evolution of COM). To call a function on a COM class, for example, you activate the class, get an interface back, and then you call functions on that interface. To access the state of an object, you don't access its data members directly; instead, you call accessor and mutator functions on an interface.

To be more specific, we're talking about interacting with interface pointers. And for that, we benefit from the existence of the COM smart pointer type in C++/WinRT—the winrt::com_ptr type.

#include <d2d1_1.h>
...
winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1Factory1> factory;

The code above shows how to declare an uninitialized smart pointer to a ID2D1Factory1 COM interface. The smart pointer is uninitialized, so it's not yet pointing to a ID2D1Factory1 interface belonging to any actual object (it's not pointing to an interface at all). But it has the potential to do so; and (being a smart pointer) it has the ability via COM reference counting to manage the lifetime of the owning object of the interface that it points to, and to be the medium by which you call functions on that interface.

COM functions that return an interface pointer as void

You can call the com_ptr::put_void function to write to an uninitialized smart pointer's underlying raw pointer.

D2D1_FACTORY_OPTIONS options{ D2D1_DEBUG_LEVEL_NONE };
D2D1CreateFactory(
    D2D1_FACTORY_TYPE_SINGLE_THREADED,
    __uuidof(factory),
    &options,
    factory.put_void()
);

The code above calls the D2D1CreateFactory function, which returns an ID2D1Factory1 interface pointer via its last parameter, which has void** type. Many COM functions return a void**. For such functions, use com_ptr::put_void as shown.

COM functions that return a specific interface pointer

The D3D11CreateDevice function returns an ID3D11Device interface pointer via its third-from-last parameter, which has ID3D11Device** type. For functions that return a specific interface pointer like that, use com_ptr::put.

winrt::com_ptr<ID3D11Device> device;
D3D11CreateDevice(
    ...
    device.put(),
    ...);

The code example in the section before this one shows how to call the raw D2D1CreateFactory function. But in fact, when the code example for this topic calls D2D1CreateFactory, it uses a helper function template that wraps the raw API, and so the code example actually uses com_ptr::put.

winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1Factory1> factory;
D2D1CreateFactory(
    D2D1_FACTORY_TYPE_SINGLE_THREADED,
    options,
    factory.put());

COM functions that return an interface pointer as IUnknown

The DWriteCreateFactory function returns a DirectWrite factory interface pointer via its last parameter, which has IUnknown type. For such a function, use com_ptr::put, but reinterpret cast that to IUnknown.

DWriteCreateFactory(
    DWRITE_FACTORY_TYPE_SHARED,
    __uuidof(dwriteFactory2),
    reinterpret_cast<IUnknown**>(dwriteFactory2.put()));

Re-seat a winrt::com_ptr

Important

If you have a winrt::com_ptr that's already seated (its internal raw pointer already has a target) and you want to re-seat it to point to a different object, then you first need to assign nullptr to it—as shown in the code example below. If you don't, then an already-seated com_ptr will draw the issue to your attention (when you call com_ptr::put or com_ptr::put_void) by asserting that its internal pointer is not null.

winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1SolidColorBrush> brush;
...
    brush.put()
...
brush = nullptr; // Important because we're about to re-seat
target->CreateSolidColorBrush(
    color_orange,
    D2D1::BrushProperties(0.8f),
    brush.put()));

Handle HRESULT error codes

To check the value of a HRESULT returned from a COM function, and throw an exception in the event that it represents an error code, call winrt::check_hresult.

winrt::check_hresult(D2D1CreateFactory(
    D2D1_FACTORY_TYPE_SINGLE_THREADED,
    __uuidof(factory),
    options,
    factory.put_void()));

COM functions that take a specific interface pointer

You can call the com_ptr::get function to pass your com_ptr to a function that takes a specific interface pointer of the same type.

... ExampleFunction(
    winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1Factory1> const& factory,
    winrt::com_ptr<IDXGIDevice> const& dxdevice)
{
    ...
    winrt::check_hresult(factory->CreateDevice(dxdevice.get(), ...));
    ...
}

COM functions that take an IUnknown interface pointer

You can use com_ptr::get to pass your com_ptr to a function that takes an IUnknown interface pointer.

You can use the winrt::get_unknown free function to return the address of (in other words, a pointer to) the underlying raw IUnknown interface of an object of a projected type. You can then pass that address to a function that takes an IUnknown interface pointer.

For info about projected types, see Consume APIs with C++/WinRT.

For a code example of get_unknown, see winrt::get_unknown, or the Full source code listing of a minimal Direct2D application in this topic.

Passing and returning COM smart pointers

A function taking a COM smart pointer in the form of a winrt::com_ptr should do so by constant reference, or by reference.

... GetDxgiFactory(winrt::com_ptr<ID3D11Device> const& device) ...

... CreateDevice(..., winrt::com_ptr<ID3D11Device>& device) ...

A function that returns a winrt::com_ptr should do so by value.

winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1Factory1> CreateFactory() ...

Query a COM smart pointer for a different interface

You can use the com_ptr::as function to query a COM smart pointer for a different interface. The function throws an exception if the query doesn't succeed.

void ExampleFunction(winrt::com_ptr<ID3D11Device> const& device)
{
    ...
    winrt::com_ptr<IDXGIDevice> const dxdevice{ device.as<IDXGIDevice>() };
    ...
}

Alternatively, use com_ptr::try_as, which returns a value that you can check against nullptr to see whether the query succeeded.

Full source code listing of a minimal Direct2D application

Note

For info about setting up Visual Studio for C++/WinRT development—including installing and using the C++/WinRT Visual Studio Extension (VSIX) and the NuGet package (which together provide project template and build support)—see Visual Studio support for C++/WinRT.

If you want to build and run this source code example then first install (or update to) the latest version of the C++/WinRT Visual Studio Extension (VSIX); see the note above. Then, in Visual Studio, create a new Core App (C++/WinRT). Direct2D is a reasonable name for the project, but you can name it anything you like. Target the latest generally-available (that is, not preview) version of the Windows SDK.

Step 1. Edit `pch.h`

Open pch.h, and add #include <unknwn.h> immediately after including windows.h. This is because we're using winrt::get_unknown. It's a good idea to #include <unknwn.h> explicity whenever you use winrt::get_unknown, even if that header has been included by another header.

Note

If you omit this step then you'll see the build error 'get_unknown': identifier not found.

Step 2. Edit `App.cpp`

Open App.cpp, delete its entire contents, and paste in the listing below.

The code below uses the winrt::com_ptr::capture function where possible. WINRT_ASSERT is a macro definition, and it expands to _ASSERTE.

#include "pch.h"
#include <d2d1_1.h>
#include <d3d11.h>
#include <dxgi1_2.h>
#include <winrt/Windows.Graphics.Display.h>

using namespace winrt;

using namespace Windows;
using namespace Windows::ApplicationModel::Core;
using namespace Windows::UI;
using namespace Windows::UI::Core;
using namespace Windows::Graphics::Display;

namespace
{
    winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1Factory1> CreateFactory()
    {
        D2D1_FACTORY_OPTIONS options{};

#ifdef _DEBUG
        options.debugLevel = D2D1_DEBUG_LEVEL_INFORMATION;
#endif

        winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1Factory1> factory;

        winrt::check_hresult(D2D1CreateFactory(
            D2D1_FACTORY_TYPE_SINGLE_THREADED,
            options,
            factory.put()));

        return factory;
    }

    HRESULT CreateDevice(D3D_DRIVER_TYPE const type, winrt::com_ptr<ID3D11Device>& device)
    {
        WINRT_ASSERT(!device);

        return D3D11CreateDevice(
            nullptr,
            type,
            nullptr,
            D3D11_CREATE_DEVICE_BGRA_SUPPORT,
            nullptr, 0,
            D3D11_SDK_VERSION,
            device.put(),
            nullptr,
            nullptr);
    }

    winrt::com_ptr<ID3D11Device> CreateDevice()
    {
        winrt::com_ptr<ID3D11Device> device;
        HRESULT hr{ CreateDevice(D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_HARDWARE, device) };

        if (DXGI_ERROR_UNSUPPORTED == hr)
        {
            hr = CreateDevice(D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_WARP, device);
        }

        winrt::check_hresult(hr);
        return device;
    }

    winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1DeviceContext> CreateRenderTarget(
        winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1Factory1> const& factory,
        winrt::com_ptr<ID3D11Device> const& device)
    {
        WINRT_ASSERT(factory);
        WINRT_ASSERT(device);

        winrt::com_ptr<IDXGIDevice> const dxdevice{ device.as<IDXGIDevice>() };

        winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1Device> d2device;
        winrt::check_hresult(factory->CreateDevice(dxdevice.get(), d2device.put()));

        winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1DeviceContext> target;
        winrt::check_hresult(d2device->CreateDeviceContext(D2D1_DEVICE_CONTEXT_OPTIONS_NONE, target.put()));
        return target;
    }

    winrt::com_ptr<IDXGIFactory2> GetDxgiFactory(winrt::com_ptr<ID3D11Device> const& device)
    {
        WINRT_ASSERT(device);

        winrt::com_ptr<IDXGIDevice> const dxdevice{ device.as<IDXGIDevice>() };

        winrt::com_ptr<IDXGIAdapter> adapter;
        winrt::check_hresult(dxdevice->GetAdapter(adapter.put()));

        winrt::com_ptr<IDXGIFactory2> factory;
        factory.capture(adapter, &IDXGIAdapter::GetParent);
        return factory;
    }

    void CreateDeviceSwapChainBitmap(
        winrt::com_ptr<IDXGISwapChain1> const& swapchain,
        winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1DeviceContext> const& target)
    {
        WINRT_ASSERT(swapchain);
        WINRT_ASSERT(target);

        winrt::com_ptr<IDXGISurface> surface;
        surface.capture(swapchain, &IDXGISwapChain1::GetBuffer, 0);

        D2D1_BITMAP_PROPERTIES1 const props{ D2D1::BitmapProperties1(
            D2D1_BITMAP_OPTIONS_TARGET | D2D1_BITMAP_OPTIONS_CANNOT_DRAW,
            D2D1::PixelFormat(DXGI_FORMAT_B8G8R8A8_UNORM, D2D1_ALPHA_MODE_IGNORE)) };

        winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1Bitmap1> bitmap;

        winrt::check_hresult(target->CreateBitmapFromDxgiSurface(surface.get(),
            props,
            bitmap.put()));

        target->SetTarget(bitmap.get());
    }

    winrt::com_ptr<IDXGISwapChain1> CreateSwapChainForCoreWindow(winrt::com_ptr<ID3D11Device> const& device)
    {
        WINRT_ASSERT(device);

        winrt::com_ptr<IDXGIFactory2> const factory{ GetDxgiFactory(device) };

        DXGI_SWAP_CHAIN_DESC1 props{};
        props.Format = DXGI_FORMAT_B8G8R8A8_UNORM;
        props.SampleDesc.Count = 1;
        props.BufferUsage = DXGI_USAGE_RENDER_TARGET_OUTPUT;
        props.BufferCount = 2;
        props.SwapEffect = DXGI_SWAP_EFFECT_FLIP_SEQUENTIAL;

        winrt::com_ptr<IDXGISwapChain1> swapChain;

        winrt::check_hresult(factory->CreateSwapChainForCoreWindow(
            device.get(),
            winrt::get_unknown(CoreWindow::GetForCurrentThread()),
            &props,
            nullptr, // all or nothing
            swapChain.put()));

        return swapChain;
    }

    constexpr D2D1_COLOR_F color_white{ 1.0f,  1.0f,  1.0f,  1.0f };
    constexpr D2D1_COLOR_F color_orange{ 0.92f,  0.38f,  0.208f,  1.0f };
}

struct App : implements<App, IFrameworkViewSource, IFrameworkView>
{
    winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1Factory1> m_factory;
    winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1DeviceContext> m_target;
    winrt::com_ptr<IDXGISwapChain1> m_swapChain;
    winrt::com_ptr<ID2D1SolidColorBrush> m_brush;
    float m_dpi{};

    IFrameworkView CreateView()
    {
        return *this;
    }

    void Initialize(CoreApplicationView const&)
    {
    }

    void Load(hstring const&)
    {
        CoreWindow const window{ CoreWindow::GetForCurrentThread() };

        window.SizeChanged([&](auto&&...)
        {
            if (m_target)
            {
                ResizeSwapChainBitmap();
                Render();
            }
        });

        DisplayInformation const display{ DisplayInformation::GetForCurrentView() };
        m_dpi = display.LogicalDpi();

        display.DpiChanged([&](DisplayInformation const& display, IInspectable const&)
        {
            if (m_target)
            {
                m_dpi = display.LogicalDpi();
                m_target->SetDpi(m_dpi, m_dpi);
                CreateDeviceSizeResources();
                Render();
            }
        });

        m_factory = CreateFactory();
        CreateDeviceIndependentResources();
    }

    void Uninitialize()
    {
    }

    void Run()
    {
        CoreWindow const window{ CoreWindow::GetForCurrentThread() };
        window.Activate();

        Render();
        CoreDispatcher const dispatcher{ window.Dispatcher() };
        dispatcher.ProcessEvents(CoreProcessEventsOption::ProcessUntilQuit);
    }

    void SetWindow(CoreWindow const&) {}

    void Draw()
    {
        m_target->Clear(color_white);

        D2D1_SIZE_F const size{ m_target->GetSize() };
        D2D1_RECT_F const rect{ 100.0f, 100.0f, size.width - 100.0f, size.height - 100.0f };
        m_target->DrawRectangle(rect, m_brush.get(), 100.0f);

        char buffer[1024];
        (void)snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), "Draw %.2f x %.2f @ %.2f\n", size.width, size.height, m_dpi);
        ::OutputDebugStringA(buffer);
    }

    void Render()
    {
        if (!m_target)
        {
            winrt::com_ptr<ID3D11Device> const device{ CreateDevice() };
            m_target = CreateRenderTarget(m_factory, device);
            m_swapChain = CreateSwapChainForCoreWindow(device);

            CreateDeviceSwapChainBitmap(m_swapChain, m_target);

            m_target->SetDpi(m_dpi, m_dpi);

            CreateDeviceResources();
            CreateDeviceSizeResources();
        }

        m_target->BeginDraw();
        Draw();
        m_target->EndDraw();

        HRESULT const hr{ m_swapChain->Present(1, 0) };

        if (S_OK != hr && DXGI_STATUS_OCCLUDED != hr)
        {
            ReleaseDevice();
        }
    }

    void ReleaseDevice()
    {
        m_target = nullptr;
        m_swapChain = nullptr;

        ReleaseDeviceResources();
    }

    void ResizeSwapChainBitmap()
    {
        WINRT_ASSERT(m_target);
        WINRT_ASSERT(m_swapChain);

        m_target->SetTarget(nullptr);

        if (S_OK == m_swapChain->ResizeBuffers(0, // all buffers
            0, 0, // client area
            DXGI_FORMAT_UNKNOWN, // preserve format
            0)) // flags
        {
            CreateDeviceSwapChainBitmap(m_swapChain, m_target);
            CreateDeviceSizeResources();
        }
        else
        {
            ReleaseDevice();
        }
    }

    void CreateDeviceIndependentResources()
    {
    }

    void CreateDeviceResources()
    {
        winrt::check_hresult(m_target->CreateSolidColorBrush(
            color_orange,
            D2D1::BrushProperties(0.8f),
            m_brush.put()));
    }

    void CreateDeviceSizeResources()
    {
    }

    void ReleaseDeviceResources()
    {
        m_brush = nullptr;
    }
};

int __stdcall wWinMain(HINSTANCE, HINSTANCE, PWSTR, int)
{
    CoreApplication::Run(winrt::make<App>());
}

Working with COM types, such as BSTR and VARIANT

As you can see, C++/WinRT provides support for both implementing and calling COM interfaces. For using COM types, such as BSTR and VARIANT, we recommend that you use wrappers provided by the Windows Implementation Libraries (WIL), such as wil::unique_bstr and wil::unique_variant (which manage resources lifetimes).

WIL supersedes frameworks such as the Active Template Library (ATL), and the Visual C++ compiler's COM Support. And we recommend it over writing your own wrappers, or using COM types such as BSTR and VARIANT in their raw form (together with the appropriate APIs).

Avoiding namespace collisions

It's common practice in C++/WinRT—as the code listing in this topic demonstrates—to use using-directives liberally. In some cases, though, that can lead to the problem of importing colliding names into the global namespace. Here's an example.

C++/WinRT contains a type named winrt::Windows::Foundation::IUnknown; while COM defines a type named ::IUnknown. So consider the following code, in a C++/WinRT project that consumes COM headers.

using namespace winrt::Windows::Foundation;
...
void MyFunction(IUnknown*); // error C2872:  'IUnknown': ambiguous symbol

The unqualified name IUnknown collides in the global namespace, hence the ambiguous symbol compiler error. Instead, you can isolate the C++/WinRT version of the name into the winrt namespace, like this.

namespace winrt
{
    using namespace Windows::Foundation;
}
...
void MyFunctionA(IUnknown*); // Ok.
void MyFunctionB(winrt::IUnknown const&); // Ok.

Or, if you want the convenience of using namespace winrt, then you can. You just need to qualify the global version of IUnknown, like this.

using namespace winrt;
namespace winrt
{
    using namespace Windows::Foundation;
}
...
void MyFunctionA(::IUnknown*); // Ok.
void MyFunctionB(winrt::IUnknown const&); // Ok.

Naturally, this works with any C++/WinRT namespace.

namespace winrt
{
    using namespace Windows::Storage;
    using namespace Windows::System;
}

You can then refer to winrt::Windows::Storage::StorageFile, for example, as just winrt::StorageFile.

Consume COM components with C++/WinRT

COM smart pointers (winrt::com_ptr)

COM functions that return an interface pointer as void

COM functions that return a specific interface pointer

COM functions that return an interface pointer as IUnknown

Re-seat a winrt::com_ptr

Handle HRESULT error codes

COM functions that take a specific interface pointer

COM functions that take an IUnknown interface pointer

Passing and returning COM smart pointers

Query a COM smart pointer for a different interface

Full source code listing of a minimal Direct2D application

Step 1. Edit `pch.h`

Step 2. Edit `App.cpp`

Working with COM types, such as BSTR and VARIANT

Avoiding namespace collisions

Important APIs

Feedback

Feedback

Additional resources

Consume COM components with C++/WinRT

COM smart pointers (winrt::com_ptr)

COM functions that return an interface pointer as void

COM functions that return a specific interface pointer

COM functions that return an interface pointer as IUnknown

Re-seat a winrt::com_ptr

Handle HRESULT error codes

COM functions that take a specific interface pointer

COM functions that take an IUnknown interface pointer

Passing and returning COM smart pointers

Query a COM smart pointer for a different interface

Full source code listing of a minimal Direct2D application

Step 1. Edit pch.h

Step 2. Edit App.cpp

Working with COM types, such as BSTR and VARIANT

Avoiding namespace collisions

Important APIs

Feedback

Feedback

Additional resources

Step 1. Edit `pch.h`

Step 2. Edit `App.cpp`