---
topic: sample
languages:
- js
products:
- windows
- windows-uwp
---

# Sharing content source app sample

Shows how an app shares content with another app. This sample uses classes from the 
[Windows.ApplicationModel.DataTransfer](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/br205967) namespace. 

> **Note:** This sample is part of a large collection of UWP feature samples. 
> If you are unfamiliar with Git and GitHub, you can download the entire collection as a 
> [ZIP file](https://github.com/Microsoft/Windows-universal-samples/archive/master.zip), but be 
> sure to unzip everything to access shared dependencies. For more info on working with the ZIP file, 
> the samples collection, and GitHub, see [Get the UWP samples from GitHub](https://aka.ms/ovu2uq). 
> For more samples, see the [Samples portal](https://aka.ms/winsamples) on the Windows Dev Center. 

Some of the classes you might want to review in more detail are the 
[DataTransferManager](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/br205932) class, 
which you use to initiate a share operation, and the [DataPackage](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/br205873) class, 
which you use to package the content. Because each share scenario usually involves two apps—the source app 
and a target app that receives the content—we recommend you install and deploy the 
[Sharing content target app sample](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?linkid=231519) when you install and run this one. 
This way, you can see how sharing works from end to end.

This sample demonstrates the following:

* Sharing content in a variety of formats, including:
  *  Text
  *  Web link
  *  Application link (with logo and background color)
  *  Images
  *  Files
  *  Delay-rendered files
  *  HTML content
  *  Custom data
* Displaying a custom message when your app has nothing to share.
* Adding a custom [ShareProvider](https://docs.microsoft.com/uwp/api/windows.applicationmodel.datatransfer.shareprovider) so your app can be its own share target.

**Note** The Windows universal samples require Visual Studio 2017 to build and Windows 10 to execute.
 
To obtain information about Windows 10 development, go to the [Windows Dev Center](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=532421)

To obtain information about Microsoft Visual Studio and the tools for developing Windows apps, go to [Visual Studio](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=532422)

## Related topics

### Reference

To learn more about sharing and the [Windows.ApplicationModel.DataTransfer](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/br205967) namespace, we recommend you take a look at the [Sharing and exchanging data](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/hh464923) section of our documentation, which describes how sharing works and contains several how-to topics that cover how to share [text](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/hh758313), an [image](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/hh758305), files, and other formats. Our [Guidelines for sharing content](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/hh465251) can also help you create a great user experience with the share feature.

For more info about the concepts and APIs demonstrated in this sample, see these topics:

-   [Sharing content target app sample](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?linkid=231519)
-   [Sharing and exchanging data](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/hh464923)
-   [How to share files (HTML)](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/hh758308)
-   [How to share files (XAML)](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/hh871371)
-   [How to share HTML (HTML)](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/hh758310)
-   [How to share HTML (XAML)](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/hh973055)
-   [How to share text (HTML)](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/hh758313)
-   [How to share text (XAML)](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/hh871372)
-   [Quickstart: Sharing content (HTML)](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/hh465261)
-   [Share data](https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/mt243293)
-   [DataPackageView](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/hh738408)
-   [ShareOperation](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/br205977)
-   [Windows.ApplicationModel.DataTransfer](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/br205967)
-   [Windows.ApplicationModel.DataTransfer.Share](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/br205989)

## System requirements

**Client:** Windows 10

**Server:** Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview

**Phone:** Windows 10

## Build the sample

1. If you download the samples ZIP, be sure to unzip the entire archive, not just the folder with the sample you want to build. 
2. Start Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 and select **File** \> **Open** \> **Project/Solution**.
3. Starting in the folder where you unzipped the samples, go to the Samples subfolder, then the subfolder for this specific sample, then the subfolder for your preferred language (C++, C#, or JavaScript). Double-click the Visual Studio Solution (.sln) file.
4. Press Ctrl+Shift+B, or select **Build** \> **Build Solution**.

## Run the sample

The next steps depend on whether you just want to deploy the sample or you want to both deploy and run it.

### Deploying the sample

- Select Build > Deploy Solution. 

### Deploying and running the sample

- To debug the sample and then run it, press F5 or select Debug >  Start Debugging. To run the sample without debugging, press Ctrl+F5 or select Debug > Start Without Debugging. 
