In app purchase controls / library for mac app store / windows app store?

[lanyusan]

Hello,

Is there some in app purchase controls / library for mac app store / windows app store for Avalonia?

There is an In-App Billing Plugin for .NET MAUI, Xamarin, and Windows:

https://github.com/jamesmontemagno/InAppBillingPlugin

Unfortunately it doesn't support avalonia.

Does anyone know if there is anything similar for Avalonia out there, or could anyone share some insights/blogs etc. about implementing iap with Avalonia?

[robloo]

Here is my general plan for Windows: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-dev-appconsult/enable-in-app-product-purchases-for-desktop-bridge-converted/ba-p/316901. Avalonia is essentially a classic .net or Win32 app in this case. Microsoft does allow desktop bridge apps to access these API's. It's going to take some work though and there is no drop-in library I've found yet.

macOS is TBD but someone else may know more. There must be a way to do this with native code interop though.

This type of thing is ideal for a Toolkit. Or adding Avalonia support to other projects like: https://github.com/jamesmontemagno/InAppBillingPlugin which you already found (and is recommended by Microsoft here dotnet/maui#1461)

[lanyusan]

Regarding using net6.0-mac or net6.0-maccatalyst - I'm no expert here but I think you should be able to change the target framework of your Avalonia app to use one of these?

@ grokys

How do I do that on VS for Mac?

I tried to manually modify csproj file by setting
TargetFramework to net6.0-mac or net6.0-maccatalyst, which couldn't be recognized by compiler.

  <PropertyGroup>
    <OutputType>WinExe</OutputType>
    <TargetFramework>net6.0-mac</TargetFramework>
    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
    <!--Avalonia doesen't support TrimMode=link currently,but we are working on that https://github.com/AvaloniaUI/Avalonia/issues/6892 -->
    <TrimMode>copyused</TrimMode>
    <BuiltInComInteropSupport>true</BuiltInComInteropSupport>
  </PropertyGroup>

[lanyusan]

I looked at the Nuget, I bet you can use it with Avalonia for most platforms. As @grokys states, net6.0-mac is supported for example along with most other platforms. Have you tried pulling it into a non-Windows Avalonia platform and seeing if it works?

The only issue is native Windows support outside UWP/WinUI. However, I see no technical reason this can't be supported. Microsoft allows store API usage through desktop bridge apps.

@robloo I have run the testing app on Mac, still the same issue System.NotImplementedException .

The testing app repo:

https://github.com/lanyusan/avanolia-iap-bug1

How do I change target framework to net6.0-mac or net6.0-maccatalyst ?

[maxkatz6]

TargetFramework to net6.0-mac or net6.0-maccatalyst, which couldn't be recognized by compiler.

That was a correct way.
I have this sample project https://github.com/maxkatz6/avalonia-net6-macos-sample

[maxkatz6]

The only issue is native Windows support outside UWP/WinUI. However, I see no technical reason this can't be supported. Microsoft allows store API usage through desktop bridge apps.

Yes, developers can use WinRT apis. The easiest way would be to target net6.0-windows10.0.19041.0 (or another version) and use these APIs. Though, some API require app identity and packaging, which can be solved by creating a WAPPROJ project - which creates a MSIX package.

[maxkatz6]

BTW, avalonia doesn't work with maccatalyst atm. Instead, it supports "full APIs" - ios and macos.

[lanyusan]

@maxkatz6

Greate news. I have tried your input on both Mac and Windows.

The plugin by James Montemagno can connect to app store on both platforms.

Thanks.

I haven't tested further the plugin by James but it looks now it would work.

[jamesmontemagno]

Feel free to make a PR in the readme on information on how to setup for Avalonia

[lanyusan]

After further investigation, it looks the plugin from James doesn't support subscription products for Windows app store.

jamesmontemagno/InAppBillingPlugin#297

[robloo]

Again, please use the WinRT native API's directly. Microsoft also re-worked their store API's when they added subscriptions (was several years after the first version). You must be using Windows.Services.Store APIs instead of Windows.ApplicationModel.Store. I would guess James' plugin targets the old APIs.

[lanyusan]

Yes. I have decided to implement our own iap as we use subscription model.

[jamesmontemagno]

Yes, I just haven't had time to implement this into the plugin for Windows, however I am open to PRs for that.

[lanyusan]

Yes, I just haven't had time to implement this into the plugin for Windows, however I am open to PRs for that.

I am pretty new to dotnet. I might be able to build an IAP function specifically for our needs but not sure if I can build it as a library. Would give it a try after we have got it work.

[renrutsirhc]

@lanyusan I'm also trying to get this working currently (subscription in app purchasing using windows.services.store api). I'm running into an issue which I've described in detail here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/76096700/in-app-purchasing-with-microsoft-store-in-an-avalonia-app?noredirect=1#comment134206671_76096700 I'm wondering if you got your implementation working in the end?