Embedding Chakra Javascript Engine in Windows 8 / .Net 4.5

Question

Given the rise of Javascript in Windows 8, does Windows 8 / .Net 4.5 / VS 2012 provide a mechanism to embed the Chakra javascript engine in application to enable scripting? If so, is there documentation for this somewhere?

Answer 1

There is no mechanism to do this that has been released or talked about. For now, it is available only in IE and to Metro style apps. There isn't even a Windows Scripting Host style exposure of it.

What is it about Chakra that you want in your scripting?

Answer 2

Yes, exists.

See: https://github.com/Microsoft/ChakraCore/wiki/Embedding-ChakraCore

 using System;
 using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
 using ChakraHost.Hosting;

public class HelloWorld
{
    static void Main() {
    JavaScriptRuntime runtime;
    JavaScriptContext context;
    JavaScriptSourceContext currentSourceContext = JavaScriptSourceContext.FromIntPtr(IntPtr.Zero);
    JavaScriptValue result;

    // Your script, try replace the basic hello world with something else
    string script = "(()=>{return \'Hello world!\';})()";

    // Create a runtime. 
    Native.JsCreateRuntime(JavaScriptRuntimeAttributes.None, null, out runtime);

    // Create an execution context. 
    Native.JsCreateContext(runtime, out context);

    // Now set the execution context as being the current one on this thread.
    Native.JsSetCurrentContext(context);

    // Run the script.
    Native.JsRunScript(script, currentSourceContext++, "", out result);

    // Convert your script result to String in JavaScript; redundant if your script returns a String
    JavaScriptValue resultJSString;
    Native.JsConvertValueToString(result, out resultJSString);

    // Project script result in JS back to C#.
    IntPtr resultPtr;
    UIntPtr stringLength;
    Native.JsStringToPointer(resultJSString, out resultPtr, out stringLength);

    string resultString = Marshal.PtrToStringUni(resultPtr);
    Console.WriteLine(resultString);
    Console.ReadLine();

    // Dispose runtime
    Native.JsSetCurrentContext(JavaScriptContext.Invalid);
    Native.JsDisposeRuntime(runtime);
}

}

Answer 3

Doesn't IE ActiveX use the same JavaScript engine as IE standalone?

You can simply embed Internet Explorer ActiveX frame and keep it hidden.