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kxf-framework

Formerly KxFramework, initially a support library for Kortex Mod Manager and a general use application framework.

Build

For development

You'll need Visual Studio 2022 and VCPkg package manager.

  • Download and install VCPkg.

  • Build VCPkg using its instructions (run bootstrap-vcpkg.bat, wait for build to complete and run vcpkg.exe from the terminal).

  • Copy VCPkg folder contents to your VCPkg installation.

  • Download and build following packages for both x86 (kxf-default-x86) and x64 (kxf-default-x64) targets.

  • Set this instance of VCPkg as the default (vcpkg integrate install) or use project-specific linking (a NuGet package generated from a VCPkg installation: vcpkg integrate project).

  • Open kxf-framework solution in Visual Studio and Build Release configuration for x86 and x64. You can build Debug configuration as well, but it's not used most of the time.

As a dependency

The framework can be built as a VCPkg package. You need to make a custom triplet using provided kxf-default-[x86|x64].cmake template file (or just use this triplet as is).

If you're using precompiled headers in your project don't forget to include kxf/pch.hpp file in your project's precompiled header file.

#pragma once

// Unfortunately wxWidgets uses deprecated insecure functions
#define _CRT_SECURE_NO_DEPRECATE
#define _CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS

#include <kxf/pch.hpp>

// Additional headers here

Build notes

Sciter-JS can't be built using the default windows-static-md triplet because it's a dynamic library, but the framework itself is static. Modified triplet configuration is provided in VCPkg\triplets\community folder. The old Sciter isn't used anymore.

Configuration

This paragraph is a bit outdated since Visual Studio now has a VCPkg property page in project configuration window

Main project file kxf-framework.vcxproj isn't configured to use any triplets. Suitable triplet might or might not be automatically detected by Visual Studio so you'll need to change triplets in the .vcxproj (or even better .vcxproj.user) file as follows (example for kxf-default-[x86|x64]):

<PropertyGroup Label="Vcpkg">
	...
	<VcpkgTriplet Condition="'$(Platform)'=='Win32'">kxf-default-x86</VcpkgTriplet>
	<VcpkgTriplet Condition="'$(Platform)'=='x64'">kxf-default-x64</VcpkgTriplet>
</PropertyGroup>

Entire .vcxproj.user content for example.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="15.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
	<PropertyGroup Label="Vcpkg">
		<VcpkgTriplet Condition="'$(Platform)'=='Win32'">kxf-default-x86</VcpkgTriplet>
		<VcpkgTriplet Condition="'$(Platform)'=='x64'">kxf-default-x64</VcpkgTriplet>
	</PropertyGroup>
</Project>

Same thing applies to any project that will use kxf-framework as a dependency. Consider reading this article for more information.

Projects using this framework

It's all my own projects to be honest.

  • Kortex Mod Manager uses an old version of the framework and its development is currently frozen.
  • KxVirtualFileSystem is the virtual file system module Kortex Mod Manager uses. It currently doesn't use the framework, but it will soon!
  • Bethesda Module ShellView - a small shell integration app to show basic Bethesda plugin file (.esp/.esm/.esl) header information in Windows Explorer's property window.
  • Bethesda Archive Commander - an archiver application for Bethesda game archives (.bsa). It only supports BSA format up to Skyrim LE. It also uses a quite old framework version as I never got to update it.
  • xSE PluginPreloader is an utility for Bethesda games to load some XSE plugins before game's own static initializers were run.
  • PrivateProfileRedirector - a quality-of-life mod to reduce some Bethesda games startup time due to its inefficient configuration loading methods.

Most of them, one way or another, are related to Bethesda games too...

Future plans

  • Fully implement Sciter UI module for a more modern and flexible GUI library backend. Or find something with better documentation.
  • Eventually get rid of wxWidgets and native controls or, at least, hide wxWidgets inside the implementation part. Removing wxWidgets altogether would require a fully ready to use Sciter module and many other changes.
  • Either get rid of the Enumerator code (and revert all the code changes for it) or rewrite it to use C++20 coroutines. While being an interesting experiment, in its current state it's no better than a simple callback function while consuming a lot of maintenance time whenever I have to use it.
    • Partially mitigated by a new CallbackFunction class and adapters for it, but it's not used in many places yet.
  • Incorporate any useful code from KxVirtualFileSystem and PrivateProfileRedirector code bases and make them use this framework.
    • PrivateProfileRedirector is done now.
  • Update old code to use newer C++ features.