Host Windows Forms (C#) Inside MFC Application (VC++,VS6.0)

Question

After a bunch of reading this afternoon, and not getting any tangible results. Is it possible to host a windows forms dialog inside of a MFC application that is still being developed using VC6.

The issue arises is that we have a large application that has never been upgraded with the new Visual Studios because VC6 always worked. Now we need to add some of the C# functionality in it. I am unable to do the /clr option as our project consists entirely of unmanaged C++. I did a search for "CWinFormsControl" within all our libraries/headers and didn't come up with anything. I am unsure what to try next.

Also, forgive any ignorance as I am doing research and new to this depth of programming.

I have checked the following articles:

• http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/676cbawx(v=vs.100).aspx
• http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vclanguage/thread/97fddc35-e94d-4587-8be0-0b573185eb63/
• http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ahdd1h97(v=vs.80).aspx
• http://www.functionx.com/visualc/Lesson04.htm
• http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/sk/vcgeneral/thread/c38db22e-cf61-4b47-bcc8-e6202c40d1b5

Answer 1

CWinFormsControl requires MFC 8.0.

You can make your managed assembly a COM server (e.g. ActiveX) and use it in MFC application like any other COM server.

Answer 2

I don't have VC6 laying around to try this out, but I think it should be mostly possible; at least for a simple modal ShowDialog() scenario.

You'll create a new assembly/DLL using C++/CLI, compiled with the /clr flag. This will expose an unmanaged API to your existing MFC code, using the usual __declspec(dllexport). The implementation will call into your C# code which lives it yet another assembly.