This sample shows how to create an Input Method Editor (IME) that works in Windows Store apps and Windows 8.1 desktop apps.

The sample IME has the following features:

• Uses the Text Services Framework (TSF)
• Runs in base trust
• Compatible with Windows Store apps
• Compatible with Systray and desktop
• Interacts with touch keyboard
• Integrates with Search contract
• Interacts with light-dismiss

The IME sample uses the following code to obtain the parent window:

pView->GetWnd(&parentWndHandle);

This implementation works only for Windows Store apps that use the built-in edit controls. This implementation won't work if the app uses the custom edit control from the subset of Text Service Framework (TSF) APIs available in the Windows Runtime. To ensure that the IME gets the proper parent window, so that the owned window is set correctly and works for desktop and Windows Store apps, replace the previous code with the following code:

if (FAILED(pView->GetWnd(&parentWndHandle)) || (parentWndHandle == nullptr)) { parentWndHandle = GetFocus(); }

To get a copy of Windows, go to Downloads and tools.

To get a copy of Visual Studio, go to Visual Studio Downloads.

Guidelines and checklist for IME development

Text Services Framework

Client

Windows 8.1

Server

Windows Server 2012 R2

1. Start Visual Studio and select File > Open > Project/Solution.

2. Go to the directory named for the sample, and double-click the Microsoft Visual Studio Solution (.sln) file titled SampleIME.sln.

3. Press F7 (or F6 for Visual Studio 2013) or use Build > Build Solution to build the sample.

If you build the IME sample by using Visual Studio 2013, create an installation experience for the IME by using a third-party installer that supports Windows 8.1, like InstallShield from Flexera Software.

The following steps show how to use InstallShield to create a setup project for your IME DLL.

• Install Visual Studio 2013.
• Start Visual Studio 2013.
• On the File menu, point to New and select Project. The New Project dialog opens.
• In the left pane, navigate to Templates > Other Project Types > Setup and Deployment, click Enable InstallShield Limited Edition, and click OK. Follow the installation instructions.
• Restart Visual Studio 2013.
• Open the IME solution (.sln) file.
• Press F6 to build the solution.
• In Solution Explorer, right-click the solution, point to Add, and select New Project. The Add New Project dialog opens.
• In the left tree view control, navigate to Templates > Other Project Types > InstallShield Limited Edition.
• In the center window, click InstallShield Limited Edition Project.
• In the Name text box, type "SetupIME" and click OK.
• In the Project Assistant dialog, click Application Information.
• Fill in your company name and the other fields.
• Click Application Files.
• In the left pane, right-click the [INSTALLDIR] folder, and select New Folder. Name the folder "Plugins".
• Click Add Files. Navigate to SampleIME.dll, which is in the C++\Debug folder, and add it to the Plugins folder. Repeat this step for the IME dictionary, which is in the C++\SampleIME\Dictionary folder.
• Right-click the IME DLL and select Properties. The Properties dialog opens.
• In the Properties dialog, click the COM & .NET Settings tab.
• Under Registration Type, select Self-registration and click OK.
• Build the solution. The IME DLL is built, and InstallShield creates a setup.exe file that enables users to install your IME on Windows 8.1. The setup.exe file is located in the SetupIME\SetupIME\Express\DVD-5\DiskImages\DISK1 folder.