6.0.0

🔄 Breaking Changes​

This release introduces a major redesign of the Win32 Dart API with a strong focus on type safety, deterministic resource management, and idiomatic Dart usage. Most changes are mechanical but widespread.

Key breaking changes include:

• Exception-based error handling

  • APIs returning HRESULT now throw WindowsException on failure
  • Logical return values are returned directly instead of via out-parameters

• New error model for APIs that call SetLastError()

  • Such APIs now return Win32Result<T> which captures both the logical return value and the associated last-error code atomically on the native side, ensuring the error state is preserved

• Strongly typed Win32 handles

  • Opaque handles (e.g., HKEY, HWND, HICON) are now extension types instead of plain int or Pointer values

• Win32 BOOL mapped to Dart bool

  • Applies uniformly to return values, parameters, and struct fields

• Enums are now extension types

  • Replaces raw int constants with strongly typed extension types

• Explicit COM lifetime management

  • Automatic cleanup via Finalizer has been removed
  • COM objects must be released explicitly or managed with Arena

• COM and HRESULT API simplifications

  • QueryInterface-style methods now return interfaces directly
  • Manual HRESULT checks and pointer plumbing are eliminated

• Major string API cleanup

  • Renamed and simplified string conversion helpers
  • Removed TEXT(), BSTR class, and legacy helpers

• GUID API redesign

  • Removed Guid class and string-based helpers
  • GUID struct is now the single, explicit representation

• winsock2 library removed

  • All Winsock APIs are now exported directly from win32.dart

• Dispatcher API redesign

  • Strongly typed results
  • No manual VARIANT or DISPPARAMS construction
  • Explicit ownership and cleanup

See the Migration Guide with examples and mechanical migration steps.

🚀 Features​

• Scope-based lifetime management

  • New extensions for Arena to manage native memory and COM lifetimes

• Much stronger type safety across the API surface

  • Typed handles, enums, booleans, GUIDs, and COM interfaces

• More idiomatic Dart APIs

  • Fewer pointers, fewer out-parameters, clearer ownership rules

• Reliable error handling

  • Atomic capture of GetLastError() values on native side, exposed via Win32Result<T>

• Cleaner, more consistent conversion APIs

  • Unified naming and semantics for strings, binary data, and FILETIME values

• Native memory leak detection via package:ffi_leak_tracker

  • Tracks allocations with call stacks and timestamps; see the Leak Tracking guide for details