Can we run a C#/WPF application on Mac OS X?

Question

I sell a C#/WPF application (targeting .net 3.0 at the moment) and people keep asking me for a Mac version.

The application is a time tracking application with a goo

Answer 1

We had a similar issue. We wrote a Mac version in Silverlight 3 (which supports quite alot of WPF .NET stuff). It was sandboxed but if this isn't a problem, you can do some nice stuff. Our codebase is now on WPF and Silverlight 3 and is the same, when we compile it produces the SL3 and Desktop apps.

Answer 2

You want a new feature (support a entire different platform) and you wish to put no effort in it. Sorry, most of the time that will not work.

Besides the most basic (native) .NET stuff with mono, I do not think you can run a WPF application natively on MacOSX.

If you think you can make more money by gaining Mac users. You might consider using other presentation methods. Due to your current 'investment' I'd say try Silverlight (yes, I read your rant about not doing so). Another option could be Adobe AIR / Flex.

If you port your application this way. You can maintain a single codebase.. one that runs on both platforms.

If you wish to spend more time on new features in your current codebase: ignore the Mac users.

Answer 3

There's absolutely no way you can run full-fledged WPF app on Mac. I'm not even sure if this is possible in Parallels. The best thing you can do is to use Silverlight, which was previously named "WPF/E" and does run on Macintosh.

Answer 4

You can use Parallels. I have our office software written in C# and WPF and people use it on Mac under Parallels all the time.

As a further note, Parallels lets you run Windows Applications side by side with Mac OSX applications, visible in their own window on the Mac desktop. It also allows copy and paste and drag and drop between Mac and Windows apps.

Answer 5

Actually, there's a CrossOver for you. Other people who answer view from programmer's point. IF I were you, I'll install CrossOver then install .NET 3.5 inside CrossOver and happily run the WPF software.

http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/

or if you prefer a free (but more difficult) solution, try wine.

http://davidbaumgold.com/tutorials/wine-mac/

Answer 6

It cannot be done. But since your UI is in WPF, what you could do is transform XAML into something else - like GTK# for example. Of course, if you're like me and use lots of .NET 3.5 functionality, that won't help you much.

One more reason to keep your UI in plain, simplistic XML to start with.