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So I have implemented the "Share" functionality in our app without an issue, wherein the "Share" charm comes in from the right side of the window, and installed Store apps are listed (Dropbox, OneDrive, Mail, etc.). The issue we have is with retrieving files from these same sources. The app properly handles consuming the shared files when opened through the file explorer or the Dropbox/OneDrive store apps. However, what we would like to do is show something equivalent to the "Share" charm to allow the user to browse for the shared files through the charm, as opposed to necessitating a FilePicker or File Explorer (similar to how retrieving content in-app looks in iOS). I have found nothing from the links below about this possibility, but was hoping someone had tried to implement something similar before.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/uwp/app-to-app/receive-data https://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/uwp/app-to-app/share-data

Thanks!

andrewdewaal
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I believe that the 'share' UI and function in windows is implemented as one way - share the item from my app, to others. The opposite side - pick the item from other apps to my app - is implemented with filepicker (file-serving apps should implement the contract picker ui, and the ui is shown inside the common file dialog), as you mentioned.

Mamoru Satoh
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what we would like to do is show something equivalent to the "Share" charm to allow the user to browse for the shared files through the charm, as opposed to necessitating a FilePicker or File Explorer

As far as I know, there’re no such APIs or controls for you to do it directly. If you didn’t want to use FilePicker or FileExplorer, you might be able to try to think about creating a custom file explorer.

For example, you could use ListView, GridView etc. The StorageFile.GetThumbnailAsync and StorageFolder.GetThumbnailAsync method would return a thumbnail image for the current folder or file, then you can show it in ListView, GridView etc. You can make it look like a file explorer.

Folder enumeration sample and File and folder thumbnail sample would be helpful to you.

Xie Steven
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