What is the correct way to create a single-instance WPF application?

Question

Using C# and WPF under .NET (rather than Windows Forms or console), what is the correct way to create an application that can only be run as a single instance?

I kno

Answer 1

Here is an example that allows you to have a single instance of an application. When any new instances load, they pass their arguments to the main instance that is running.

public partial class App : Application
{
    private static Mutex SingleMutex;
    public static uint MessageId;

    private void Application_Startup(object sender, StartupEventArgs e)
    {
        IntPtr Result;
        IntPtr SendOk;
        Win32.COPYDATASTRUCT CopyData;
        string[] Args;
        IntPtr CopyDataMem;
        bool AllowMultipleInstances = false;

        Args = Environment.GetCommandLineArgs();

        // TODO: Replace {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000} with your application's GUID
        MessageId   = Win32.RegisterWindowMessage("{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}");
        SingleMutex = new Mutex(false, "AppName");

        if ((AllowMultipleInstances) || (!AllowMultipleInstances && SingleMutex.WaitOne(1, true)))
        {
            new Main();
        }
        else if (Args.Length > 1)
        {
            foreach (Process Proc in Process.GetProcesses())
            {
                SendOk = Win32.SendMessageTimeout(Proc.MainWindowHandle, MessageId, IntPtr.Zero, IntPtr.Zero,
                    Win32.SendMessageTimeoutFlags.SMTO_BLOCK | Win32.SendMessageTimeoutFlags.SMTO_ABORTIFHUNG,
                    2000, out Result);

                if (SendOk == IntPtr.Zero)
                    continue;
                if ((uint)Result != MessageId)
                    continue;

                CopyDataMem = Marshal.AllocHGlobal(Marshal.SizeOf(typeof(Win32.COPYDATASTRUCT)));

                CopyData.dwData = IntPtr.Zero;
                CopyData.cbData = Args[1].Length*2;
                CopyData.lpData = Marshal.StringToHGlobalUni(Args[1]);

                Marshal.StructureToPtr(CopyData, CopyDataMem, false);

                Win32.SendMessageTimeout(Proc.MainWindowHandle, Win32.WM_COPYDATA, IntPtr.Zero, CopyDataMem,
                    Win32.SendMessageTimeoutFlags.SMTO_BLOCK | Win32.SendMessageTimeoutFlags.SMTO_ABORTIFHUNG,
                    5000, out Result);

                Marshal.FreeHGlobal(CopyData.lpData);
                Marshal.FreeHGlobal(CopyDataMem);
            }

            Shutdown(0);
        }
    }
}

public partial class Main : Window
{
    private void Window_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
    {
        HwndSource Source;

        Source = HwndSource.FromHwnd(new WindowInteropHelper(this).Handle);
        Source.AddHook(new HwndSourceHook(Window_Proc));
    }

    private IntPtr Window_Proc(IntPtr hWnd, int Msg, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam, ref bool Handled)
    {
        Win32.COPYDATASTRUCT CopyData;
        string Path;

        if (Msg == Win32.WM_COPYDATA)
        {
            CopyData = (Win32.COPYDATASTRUCT)Marshal.PtrToStructure(lParam, typeof(Win32.COPYDATASTRUCT));
            Path = Marshal.PtrToStringUni(CopyData.lpData, CopyData.cbData / 2);

            if (WindowState == WindowState.Minimized)
            {
                // Restore window from tray
            }

            // Do whatever we want with information

            Activate();
            Focus();
        }

        if (Msg == App.MessageId)
        {
            Handled = true;
            return new IntPtr(App.MessageId);
        }

        return IntPtr.Zero;
    }
}

public class Win32
{
    public const uint WM_COPYDATA = 0x004A;

    public struct COPYDATASTRUCT
    {
        public IntPtr dwData;
        public int    cbData;
        public IntPtr lpData;
    }

    [Flags]
    public enum SendMessageTimeoutFlags : uint
    {
        SMTO_NORMAL             = 0x0000,
        SMTO_BLOCK              = 0x0001,
        SMTO_ABORTIFHUNG        = 0x0002,
        SMTO_NOTIMEOUTIFNOTHUNG = 0x0008
    }

    [DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError=true, CharSet=CharSet.Auto)]
    public static extern uint RegisterWindowMessage(string lpString);
    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    public static extern IntPtr SendMessageTimeout(
        IntPtr hWnd, uint Msg, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam,
        SendMessageTimeoutFlags fuFlags, uint uTimeout, out IntPtr lpdwResult);
}