fix: honor AppView.FLET_APP_HIDDEN in Windows and Linux desktop runners

client/linux/my_application.cc

@@ -48,7 +48,9 @@ static void my_application_activate(GApplication* application) {
   }
 
   gtk_window_set_default_size(window, 1280, 720);
-  gtk_widget_show(GTK_WIDGET(window));
+  // Realize the native window without showing it so Dart can decide when to
+  // display and position the window.
+  gtk_widget_realize(GTK_WIDGET(window));
 
   g_autoptr(FlDartProject) project = fl_dart_project_new();
   fl_dart_project_set_dart_entrypoint_arguments(project, self->dart_entrypoint_arguments);

client/windows/runner/flutter_window.cpp

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include <optional>
 
 #include "flutter/generated_plugin_registrant.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 FlutterWindow::FlutterWindow(const flutter::DartProject& project)
     : project_(project) {}
@@ -27,8 +28,13 @@ bool FlutterWindow::OnCreate() {
   RegisterPlugins(flutter_controller_->engine());
   SetChildContent(flutter_controller_->view()->GetNativeWindow());
 
-  flutter_controller_->engine()->SetNextFrameCallback([&]() {
-    this->Show();
+  const bool hide_window_on_start =
+      HasEnvironmentVariable(L"FLET_HIDE_WINDOW_ON_START");
+  flutter_controller_->engine()->SetNextFrameCallback([this,
+                                                       hide_window_on_start]() {
+    if (!hide_window_on_start) {
+      Show();
+    }
   });
 
   // Flutter can complete the first frame before the "show window" callback is

client/windows/runner/utils.cpp

@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ std::vector<std::string> GetCommandLineArguments() {
   return command_line_arguments;
 }
 
+bool HasEnvironmentVariable(const wchar_t* name) {
+  ::SetLastError(ERROR_SUCCESS);
+  const DWORD value_length = ::GetEnvironmentVariableW(name, nullptr, 0);
+  return value_length > 0 || ::GetLastError() != ERROR_ENVVAR_NOT_FOUND;
+}
+
 std::string Utf8FromUtf16(const wchar_t* utf16_string) {
   if (utf16_string == nullptr) {
     return std::string();

client/windows/runner/utils.h

@@ -16,4 +16,8 @@ std::string Utf8FromUtf16(const wchar_t* utf16_string);
 // encoded in UTF-8. Returns an empty std::vector<std::string> on failure.
 std::vector<std::string> GetCommandLineArguments();
 
+// Returns true when the given environment variable exists, even if it is set
+// to an empty value.
+bool HasEnvironmentVariable(const wchar_t* name);
+
 #endif  // RUNNER_UTILS_H_

packages/flet/lib/src/services/window.dart

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import 'package:window_manager/window_manager.dart';
 
 import '../flet_backend.dart';
 import '../flet_service.dart';
+import '../models/window_state.dart';
 import '../utils/alignment.dart';
 import '../utils/colors.dart';
 import '../utils/desktop.dart';
@@ -51,6 +52,10 @@ class WindowService extends FletService with WindowListener {
   bool? _skipTaskBar;
   double? _progressBar;
   bool? _ignoreMouseEvents;
+  Alignment? _deferredAlignmentOnShow;
+  bool _deferredCenterOnShow = false;
+  bool _isClosing = false;
+  bool _applyingDeferredPlacement = false;
   bool _listenersAttached = false;
 
   WindowService({required super.control});
@@ -68,22 +73,7 @@ class WindowService extends FletService with WindowListener {
   Future<void> _initWindowState() async {
     try {
       final windowState = await getWindowState();
-      _width = windowState.width;
-      _height = windowState.height;
-      _top = windowState.top;
-      _left = windowState.left;
-      _opacity = windowState.opacity;
-      _minimizable = windowState.minimizable;
-      _maximizable = windowState.maximizable;
-      _fullScreen = windowState.fullScreen;
-      _resizable = windowState.resizable;
-      _alwaysOnTop = windowState.alwaysOnTop;
-      _preventClose = windowState.preventClose;
-      _minimized = windowState.minimized;
-      _maximized = windowState.maximized;
-      _visible = windowState.visible;
-      _focused = windowState.focused;
-      _skipTaskBar = windowState.skipTaskBar;
+      _cacheWindowState(windowState);
 
       if (!_listenersAttached) {
         windowManager.addListener(this);
@@ -130,6 +120,77 @@ class WindowService extends FletService with WindowListener {
     });
   }
 
+  bool _shouldDeferPlacementUntilShow() {
+    return isLinuxDesktop() && (_visible == null || _visible == false);
+  }
+
+  void _cacheWindowState(WindowState state) {
+    _width = state.width;
+    _height = state.height;
+    _top = state.top;
+    _left = state.left;
+    _opacity = state.opacity;
+    _minimizable = state.minimizable;
+    _maximizable = state.maximizable;
+    _fullScreen = state.fullScreen;
+    _resizable = state.resizable;
+    _alwaysOnTop = state.alwaysOnTop;
+    _preventClose = state.preventClose;
+    _minimized = state.minimized;
+    _maximized = state.maximized;
+    _visible = state.visible;
+    _focused = state.focused;
+    _skipTaskBar = state.skipTaskBar;
+  }
+
+  WindowState _snapshotWindowState({bool? visible, bool? focused}) {
+    return WindowState(
+      maximized: _maximized ?? false,
+      minimized: _minimized ?? false,
+      fullScreen: _fullScreen ?? false,
+      alwaysOnTop: _alwaysOnTop ?? false,
+      focused: focused ?? _focused ?? false,
+      visible: visible ?? _visible ?? false,
+      minimizable: _minimizable ?? true,
+      maximizable: _maximizable ?? true,
+      resizable: _resizable ?? true,
+      preventClose: _preventClose ?? false,
+      skipTaskBar: _skipTaskBar ?? false,
+      width: _width ?? 0,
+      height: _height ?? 0,
+      top: _top ?? 0,
+      left: _left ?? 0,
+      opacity: _opacity ?? 1,
+    );
+  }
+
+  Future<void> _applyDeferredPlacementAfterShow() async {
+    if (!isLinuxDesktop() ||
+        _applyingDeferredPlacement ||
+        (_deferredAlignmentOnShow == null && !_deferredCenterOnShow)) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    _applyingDeferredPlacement = true;
+    final deferredAlignment = _deferredAlignmentOnShow;
+    final deferredCenter = _deferredCenterOnShow;
+    _deferredAlignmentOnShow = null;
+    _deferredCenterOnShow = false;
+
+    try {
+      if (deferredAlignment != null) {
+        await setWindowAlignment(deferredAlignment, false);
+      }
+      if (deferredCenter) {
+        await centerWindow();
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      debugPrint("Error applying deferred window placement: $e");
+    } finally {
+      _applyingDeferredPlacement = false;
+    }
+  }
+
   Future<void> _updateWindow(FletBackend backend) async {
     if (!isDesktopPlatform()) {
       return;
@@ -264,7 +325,12 @@ class WindowService extends FletService with WindowListener {
       }
 
       if (alignment != null && alignment != _alignment) {
-        await setWindowAlignment(alignment);
+        if (_shouldDeferPlacementUntilShow()) {
+          _deferredAlignmentOnShow = alignment;
+        } else {
+          await setWindowAlignment(alignment);
+          _deferredAlignmentOnShow = null;
+        }
         _alignment = alignment;
       }
 
@@ -386,12 +452,18 @@ class WindowService extends FletService with WindowListener {
         break;
       case "center":
         await _pendingWindowUpdate;
-        await centerWindow();
+        if (_shouldDeferPlacementUntilShow()) {
+          _deferredAlignmentOnShow = null;
+          _deferredCenterOnShow = true;
+        } else {
+          await centerWindow();
+        }
         break;
       case "close":
         await closeWindow();
         break;
       case "destroy":
+        _isClosing = true;
         await destroyWindow();
         break;
       case "start_dragging":
@@ -427,25 +499,37 @@ class WindowService extends FletService with WindowListener {
     if (["resize", "resized", "move"].contains(eventName)) {
       return;
     }
-    getWindowState().then((state) {
-      _width = state.width;
-      _height = state.height;
-      _top = state.top;
-      _left = state.left;
-      _opacity = state.opacity;
-      _minimized = state.minimized;
-      _maximized = state.maximized;
-      _minimizable = state.minimizable;
-      _maximizable = state.maximizable;
-      _fullScreen = state.fullScreen;
-      _resizable = state.resizable;
-      _alwaysOnTop = state.alwaysOnTop;
-      _preventClose = state.preventClose;
-      _visible = state.visible;
-      _focused = state.focused;
-      _skipTaskBar = state.skipTaskBar;
-
-      control.backend.onWindowEvent(eventName, state);
-    });
+    if (eventName == "close") {
+      _isClosing = !(_preventClose ?? false);
+      control.backend.onWindowEvent(
+          eventName, _snapshotWindowState(focused: false));
+      return;
+    }
+    if (eventName == "hide") {
+      _visible = false;
+      _focused = false;
+      control.backend.onWindowEvent(
+          eventName, _snapshotWindowState(visible: false, focused: false));
+      return;
+    }
+    if (_isClosing) {
+      control.backend.onWindowEvent(eventName, _snapshotWindowState());
+      return;
+    }
+
+    () async {
+      try {
+        if (eventName == "show") {
+          _visible = true;
+          await _applyDeferredPlacementAfterShow();
+        }
+
+        final state = await getWindowState();
+        _cacheWindowState(state);
+        control.backend.onWindowEvent(eventName, state);
+      } catch (e) {
+        debugPrint("Error handling window event $eventName: $e");
+      }
+    }();
   }
 }

sdk/python/templates/build/{{cookiecutter.out_dir}}/windows/runner/flutter_window.cpp

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include <optional>
 
 #include "flutter/generated_plugin_registrant.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 FlutterWindow::FlutterWindow(const flutter::DartProject& project)
     : project_(project) {}
@@ -27,8 +28,13 @@ bool FlutterWindow::OnCreate() {
   RegisterPlugins(flutter_controller_->engine());
   SetChildContent(flutter_controller_->view()->GetNativeWindow());
 
-  flutter_controller_->engine()->SetNextFrameCallback([&]() {
-    this->Show();
+  const bool hide_window_on_start =
+      HasEnvironmentVariable(L"FLET_HIDE_WINDOW_ON_START");
+  flutter_controller_->engine()->SetNextFrameCallback([this,
+                                                       hide_window_on_start]() {
+    if (!hide_window_on_start) {
+      Show();
+    }
   });
 
   // Flutter can complete the first frame before the "show window" callback is

sdk/python/templates/build/{{cookiecutter.out_dir}}/windows/runner/utils.cpp

@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ std::vector<std::string> GetCommandLineArguments() {
   return command_line_arguments;
 }
 
+bool HasEnvironmentVariable(const wchar_t* name) {
+  ::SetLastError(ERROR_SUCCESS);
+  const DWORD value_length = ::GetEnvironmentVariableW(name, nullptr, 0);
+  return value_length > 0 || ::GetLastError() != ERROR_ENVVAR_NOT_FOUND;
+}
+
 std::string Utf8FromUtf16(const wchar_t* utf16_string) {
   if (utf16_string == nullptr) {
     return std::string();

sdk/python/templates/build/{{cookiecutter.out_dir}}/windows/runner/utils.h

@@ -16,4 +16,8 @@ std::string Utf8FromUtf16(const wchar_t* utf16_string);
 // encoded in UTF-8. Returns an empty std::vector<std::string> on failure.
 std::vector<std::string> GetCommandLineArguments();
 
+// Returns true when the given environment variable exists, even if it is set
+// to an empty value.
+bool HasEnvironmentVariable(const wchar_t* name);
+
 #endif  // RUNNER_UTILS_H_