added CSharp version of Microsoft Edge Launcher for all the guys, who…

… wants to check, how they can call UWP app - in this case Microsoft Edge - for different purposes - f.e. testing, batch scripting, etc. Also contains URL Regex validation and short instructions

MIcrosoftEdgeLauncherCsharp/App.config

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+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
+<configuration>
+    <startup> 
+        <supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.5.2" />
+    </startup>
+</configuration>

MIcrosoftEdgeLauncherCsharp/MIcrosoftEdgeLauncherCsharp.csproj

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+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<Project ToolsVersion="14.0" DefaultTargets="Build" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
+  <Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props" Condition="Exists('$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props')" />
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <Configuration Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == '' ">Debug</Configuration>
+    <Platform Condition=" '$(Platform)' == '' ">AnyCPU</Platform>
+    <ProjectGuid>{AFFCAEFD-5CAB-4491-8FAD-4C4363B78528}</ProjectGuid>
+    <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
+    <AppDesignerFolder>Properties</AppDesignerFolder>
+    <RootNamespace>MIcrosoftEdgeLauncherCsharp</RootNamespace>
+    <AssemblyName>MIcrosoftEdgeLauncherCsharp</AssemblyName>
+    <TargetFrameworkVersion>v4.5.2</TargetFrameworkVersion>
+    <FileAlignment>512</FileAlignment>
+    <AutoGenerateBindingRedirects>true</AutoGenerateBindingRedirects>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+  <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' ">
+    <PlatformTarget>AnyCPU</PlatformTarget>
+    <DebugSymbols>true</DebugSymbols>
+    <DebugType>full</DebugType>
+    <Optimize>false</Optimize>
+    <OutputPath>bin\Debug\</OutputPath>
+    <DefineConstants>DEBUG;TRACE</DefineConstants>
+    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
+    <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+  <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Release|AnyCPU' ">
+    <PlatformTarget>AnyCPU</PlatformTarget>
+    <DebugType>pdbonly</DebugType>
+    <Optimize>true</Optimize>
+    <OutputPath>bin\Release\</OutputPath>
+    <DefineConstants>TRACE</DefineConstants>
+    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
+    <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <Reference Include="System" />
+    <Reference Include="System.Core" />
+    <Reference Include="System.Xml.Linq" />
+    <Reference Include="System.Data.DataSetExtensions" />
+    <Reference Include="Microsoft.CSharp" />
+    <Reference Include="System.Data" />
+    <Reference Include="System.Net.Http" />
+    <Reference Include="System.Xml" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <Compile Include="Program.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Properties\AssemblyInfo.cs" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <None Include="App.config" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+  <Import Project="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.CSharp.targets" />
+  <!-- To modify your build process, add your task inside one of the targets below and uncomment it. 
+       Other similar extension points exist, see Microsoft.Common.targets.
+  <Target Name="BeforeBuild">
+  </Target>
+  <Target Name="AfterBuild">
+  </Target>
+  -->
+</Project>

MIcrosoftEdgeLauncherCsharp/Program.cs

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+using System;
+using System.Diagnostics;
+using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
+using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
+using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
+
+namespace MIcrosoftEdgeLauncherCsharp
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Class Program, which allows for Edge to be runned out of 
+    /// </summary>
+    class Program
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Edge Application Name
+        /// </summary>
+        private const string EdgeName = "Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge";
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Defines the entry point of the application.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="args">The arguments.</param>
+        static void Main(string[] args)
+        {
+            //call to unmanaged code to activate "modern" app
+            var launcher = new ApplicationActivationManager();
+            Debug.WriteLine("Checking args...");
+            uint pid;
+            switch (args.Length)
+            {
+                case 0:
+                    Debug.WriteLine("calling without arguments...");
+                    launcher.ActivateApplication(EdgeName, null, ActivateOptions.None, out pid);
+                    break;
+                case 1:
+                    {
+                        var url = args[0];
+                        Debug.WriteLine("calling with url...");
+                        Console.WriteLine(url);
+                        //check, if valid URL
+                        var regex = new Regex(@"^http\://[a-zA-Z0-9\-\.]+\.[a-zA-Z]{2,3}(/\S*)?$");
+                        if (regex.IsMatch(url))
+                            launcher.ActivateApplication(EdgeName,
+                                url,
+                                ActivateOptions.None,
+                                out pid);
+                        else
+                            Console.WriteLine("Enter valid URL. f.e. http://www.bing.com");
+                        break;
+                    }
+                default:
+                    Console.WriteLine("Application allows ONLY one parameter. Type <MicrosoftEdgeLauncherCsharp.exe http://yourpreferedurl.com> (without <>).");
+                    break;
+            }
+
+            Console.Read();
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Enum ActivateOptions
+        /// </summary>
+        public enum ActivateOptions
+        {
+            /// <summary>
+            /// The none
+            /// </summary>
+            None = 0x00000000,  // No flags set
+            /// <summary>
+            /// The design mode
+            /// </summary>
+            DesignMode = 0x00000001,  // The application is being activated for design mode, and thus will not be able to
+                                      // to create an immersive window. Window creation must be done by design tools which
+                                      // load the necessary components by communicating with a designer-specified service on
+                                      // the site chain established on the activation manager.  The splash screen normally
+                                      // shown when an application is activated will also not appear.  Most activations
+                                      // will not use this flag.
+                                      /// <summary>
+                                      /// The no error UI
+                                      /// </summary>
+            NoErrorUI = 0x00000002,  // Do not show an error dialog if the app fails to activate.                                
+            /// <summary>
+            /// The no splash screen
+            /// </summary>
+            NoSplashScreen = 0x00000004,  // Do not show the splash screen when activating the app.
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Interface IApplicationActivationManager
+        /// </summary>
+        [ComImport, Guid("2e941141-7f97-4756-ba1d-9decde894a3d"), InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)]
+        interface IApplicationActivationManager
+        {
+            // Activates the specified immersive application for the "Launch" contract, passing the provided arguments
+            // string into the application.  Callers can obtain the process Id of the application instance fulfilling this contract.
+            /// <summary>
+            /// Activates the application.
+            /// </summary>
+            /// <param name="appUserModelId">The application user model identifier.</param>
+            /// <param name="arguments">The arguments.</param>
+            /// <param name="options">The options.</param>
+            /// <param name="processId">The process identifier.</param>
+            /// <returns>IntPtr.</returns>
+            IntPtr ActivateApplication([In] String appUserModelId, [In] String arguments, [In] ActivateOptions options, [Out] out UInt32 processId);
+            /// <summary>
+            /// Activates for file.
+            /// </summary>
+            /// <param name="appUserModelId">The application user model identifier.</param>
+            /// <param name="itemArray">The item array.</param>
+            /// <param name="verb">The verb.</param>
+            /// <param name="processId">The process identifier.</param>
+            /// <returns>IntPtr.</returns>
+            IntPtr ActivateForFile([In] String appUserModelId, [In] IntPtr /*IShellItemArray* */ itemArray, [In] String verb, [Out] out UInt32 processId);
+            /// <summary>
+            /// Activates for protocol.
+            /// </summary>
+            /// <param name="appUserModelId">The application user model identifier.</param>
+            /// <param name="itemArray">The item array.</param>
+            /// <param name="processId">The process identifier.</param>
+            /// <returns>IntPtr.</returns>
+            IntPtr ActivateForProtocol([In] String appUserModelId, [In] IntPtr /* IShellItemArray* */itemArray, [Out] out UInt32 processId);
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Class ApplicationActivationManager.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>
+        ///     implementation was made from community members at stackoverflow http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12925748/iapplicationactivationmanageractivateapplication-in-c
+        /// </remarks>
+        [ComImport, Guid("45BA127D-10A8-46EA-8AB7-56EA9078943C")]//Application Activation Manager
+        class ApplicationActivationManager : IApplicationActivationManager
+        {
+            /// <summary>
+            /// Activates the application.
+            /// </summary>
+            /// <param name="appUserModelId">The application user model identifier.</param>
+            /// <param name="arguments">The arguments.</param>
+            /// <param name="options">The options.</param>
+            /// <param name="processId">The process identifier.</param>
+            /// <returns>IntPtr.</returns>
+            [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)/*, PreserveSig*/]
+            public extern IntPtr ActivateApplication([In] String appUserModelId, [In] String arguments, [In] ActivateOptions options, [Out] out UInt32 processId);
+            /// <summary>
+            /// Activates for file.
+            /// </summary>
+            /// <param name="appUserModelId">The application user model identifier.</param>
+            /// <param name="itemArray">The item array.</param>
+            /// <param name="verb">The verb.</param>
+            /// <param name="processId">The process identifier.</param>
+            /// <returns>IntPtr.</returns>
+            [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
+            public extern IntPtr ActivateForFile([In] String appUserModelId, [In] IntPtr /*IShellItemArray* */ itemArray, [In] String verb, [Out] out UInt32 processId);
+            /// <summary>
+            /// Activates for protocol.
+            /// </summary>
+            /// <param name="appUserModelId">The application user model identifier.</param>
+            /// <param name="itemArray">The item array.</param>
+            /// <param name="processId">The process identifier.</param>
+            /// <returns>IntPtr.</returns>
+            [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
+            public extern IntPtr ActivateForProtocol([In] String appUserModelId, [In] IntPtr /* IShellItemArray* */itemArray, [Out] out UInt32 processId);
+        }
+    }
+}

MIcrosoftEdgeLauncherCsharp/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs

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+using System.Reflection;
+using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
+using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
+
+// General Information about an assembly is controlled through the following 
+// set of attributes. Change these attribute values to modify the information
+// associated with an assembly.
+[assembly: AssemblyTitle("MIcrosoftEdgeLauncherCsharp")]
+[assembly: AssemblyDescription("")]
+[assembly: AssemblyConfiguration("")]
+[assembly: AssemblyCompany("")]
+[assembly: AssemblyProduct("MIcrosoftEdgeLauncherCsharp")]
+[assembly: AssemblyCopyright("Copyright ©  2015")]
+[assembly: AssemblyTrademark("")]
+[assembly: AssemblyCulture("")]
+
+// Setting ComVisible to false makes the types in this assembly not visible 
+// to COM components.  If you need to access a type in this assembly from 
+// COM, set the ComVisible attribute to true on that type.
+[assembly: ComVisible(false)]
+
+// The following GUID is for the ID of the typelib if this project is exposed to COM
+[assembly: Guid("affcaefd-5cab-4491-8fad-4c4363b78528")]
+
+// Version information for an assembly consists of the following four values:
+//
+//      Major Version
+//      Minor Version 
+//      Build Number
+//      Revision
+//
+// You can specify all the values or you can default the Build and Revision Numbers 
+// by using the '*' as shown below:
+// [assembly: AssemblyVersion("1.0.*")]
+[assembly: AssemblyVersion("1.0.0.0")]
+[assembly: AssemblyFileVersion("1.0.0.0")]