This 88-page primer unveils the key features of Microsoft's eagerly anticipated Windows 8 operating system. Windows 8 contains Microsoft's revolutionary new application framework for building dynamic and responsive touch-enabled applications that target both desktops and mobile devices. Experienced author Adam Freeman invites you to take a crash course in Windows 8 development. Using the open standards of XAML and C# he ensures you understand the changes that are being made to Windows development practices and puts you on the right course to creating innovative and elegant applications for this latest evolution of the world’s most successful operating system.
This 88-page primer unveils the key features of Microsoft's eagerly anticipated Windows 8 operating system. Windows 8 contains Microsoft's revolutionary new application framework for building dynamic and responsive touch-enabled applications that target both desktops and mobile devices. Experienced author Adam Freeman invites you to take a crash course in Windows 8 development. Using the open standards of HTML5 and JavaScript, he ensures you understand the changes that are being made to Windows development practices and puts you on the right course to creating innovative and elegant applications for this latest evolution of the world’s most successful operating system.
The Model-View-View-Model (MVVM) pattern is held in high regard by many developers as an excellent way of creating sophisticated modern applications. It's clear seperation of presentation and business logic produces a clean implementation that promotes speed, scalability and code reuse in applications with a complex UI. These strengths have found it favor with WPF and Silverlight developers. It is now increasingly being employed for Windows 8 apps, a purpose to which it is ideally suited as this book will show. In this brief, information-rich, guide we will show you how MVVM works with both XAML (C#) and HTML5 (JavaScript) flavors of Windows 8. Beginning with a brief recap of MVVM concepts under .NET - to provide a common frame of reference - we will then delve into the details of how MVVM can best be implemented in Metro-style apps for Windows 8 and show a working application framework in each case.
Windows 8 enables you to build stunning applications that integrate with each other, services, and Windows itself like never before. And you can sell them in the Windows Store for tablets such as Surface, laptops, and traditional desktop PCs! Now, world-renowned Microsoft programming guru Adam Nathan shows you exactly how to write first-class apps for this radically new version of Windows. Clear, accessible, and intensely practical, this guide teaches through concise code examples, fully color-coded to match their appearance in Visual Studio--the same approach that made Nathan’s WPF 4 Unleashed so popular. Writing with unprecedented depth and insight, Nathan guides you through creating advanced user interfaces with XAML and exploiting key Windows 8 features such as touch, sensors, charms, and live tiles. Whether you’re already comfortable with Microsoft programming or relatively new to it, Windows 8 Apps with XAML and C# Unleashed will take you to the cutting edge of Windows 8 development. Detailed information on how to... Use XAML to represent state-of-the-art user interfaces Ensure app usability on multiple devices and form factors Handle touch, mouse, pen, and keyboard input Manage the high-performance, low-power Windows 8 app lifecycle Use Windows 8 controls for managing lists, rich text, images, multimedia, and more Encode, decode, and transcode multimedia content Leverage rich XAML vector graphics and animation Make the most of styles and templates Interact with built-in functionality such as the Camera app, file picker, contact picker, the lock screen, and more Exploit the Windows 8 charms bar with contracts and extensions Work with the rich set of available sensors: accelerometer, compass, light sensor, location, proximity, and more
Full color: Learn how to build great Windows Store apps! Figures and code appear as they do in Visual Studio. Windows 8.1 enables you to build stunning applications that integrate with each other, Web services, and Windows itself. You can sell them in the Windows Store, with more options than ever before, for tablets such as Surface, laptops, and traditional desktop PCs! World-renowned Microsoft programming guru Adam Nathan shows you exactly how to write first-class apps for this significant update to Windows. Don't let the minor name change fool you--Windows 8.1 contains an incredible amount of new developer opportunities compared to Windows 8. Clear, accessible, and intensely practical, this guide teaches through concise code examples, in full color to match their appearance in Visual Studio--the same approach that made Nathan's WPF Unleashed so popular. Writing with unprecedented depth and insight, Nathan guides you through creating advanced user interfaces with XAML and exploiting key Windows 8.1 features. Whether you're already comfortable with Microsoft programming or relatively new to it, Windows 8.1 Apps with XAML and C# Unleashed will take you to the cutting edge of Windows 8.1 development. Detailed information on how to... Use XAML to represent state-of-the-art user interfaces, even across multiple windows Handle touch, mouse, keyboard, and pen input, including handwriting recognition Use new Windows 8.1 controls for creating hubs, flyouts, better app bars, performing in-app searches, rendering PDFs, and much more Encode, decode, and transcode multimedia content and speech-enable your app Leverage rich XAML vector graphics and animation Interact with built-in functionality such as the Camera app, file picker, the lock screen, new contacts and appointments integration, and more Exploit the Windows 8.1 charms bar Integrate DirectX graphics seamlessly Work with the rich set of available sensors: accelerometer, compass, light sensor, location (with geofencing support), proximity, and more Control devices such as fingerprint readers, image and bar code scanners, magnetic stripe readers, and custom Bluetooth, USB, HID, or Wi-Fi Direct devices
In just 24 sessions of one hour or less, Sams Teach Yourself Windows 8.1 Apps with XAML and C# in 24 Hours will help you build compelling apps for Windows 8.1 devices of all kinds.
“Jeremy builds real apps for real customers. That’s why I can heartily recommend this book. Go out and write some great apps...and keep this book handy.” —From the Foreword by Jeff Prosise Build Exceptionally Immersive and Responsive Touch-Based Windows Store Apps for Windows 8 with C# and XAML This is the first practical guide to building breakthrough applications for Windows 8 from project templates through publication to the new Windows Store. Microsoft “MVP of the Year” Jeremy Likness helps you combine your existing developer skills with new Visual Studio 2012 tools and best practices to create apps that are intuitive and innovative. His guidance and insight will help you dive into Windows 8 development—and gain a powerful competitive advantage for years to come. Likness illuminates the entire apps lifecycle, from planning and Model-View-View Model (MVVM) based design through coding, testing, packaging, and deployment. He covers both business and consumer apps, showing how Windows 8/WinRT development builds upon and contrasts with older WPF and Silverlight approaches. Using carefully crafted downloadable code examples and sample projects, Likness shows how to make the most of new platform features, including integrated social networking, search, contracts, charms, and tiles. Throughout, he addresses crucial development challenges that have only been discussed on MSDN, blog posts, and Twitter feeds—and never with this depth and clarity before. Coverage includes • Mastering real-world Windows 8 development for all devices and form factors • Understanding the new WinRT framework and the unique characteristics of Windows 8 apps • Designing apps that are faster, more responsive, do more with less, and maximize battery life • Creating exceptionally fluid interfaces with VS 2012 templates, built-in animations, and XAML • Building apps that respond consistently to multiple forms of input, including complex touch manipulations • Using contracts and charms to expose services or enable users to do so • Providing information to users through Live Tiles even when your app isn’t running • Connecting your app seamlessly to multiple data sources, including social networks and cloud storage • Syndicating rich, network-based content • Using Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM) • Securing Windows 8 apps through authentication and authorization • Efficiently testing, debugging, packaging, and deploying apps
Windows 8 application development is an exciting topic these days. Windows 8 introduces WinRT, the API for accessing the operating system and the underlying hardware where Metro applications run. WinRT can be accessed through multiple development languages, including C++, .NET languages and JavaScript. Developers from all backgrounds can use their skills to build beautiful and fast Windows 8 applications. Author Michael Mayberry takes you through a quick overview of this new addition in WinRT Revealed and will get you started quickly in developing Windows 8 applications in this new environment. Written at a brisk space and a no-nonsense style, you'll find exactly what you need to understand what's different in WinRT compared to what you know, and pointers on how to develop solid WinRT applications even before Windows 8's release.
Learn to use exciting new development tools and create applications for Windows 8 If you're a beginning developer, there's no better place to get up to speed on the Windows 8 SDK than this Wrox guide. A team of Microsoft experts provides a complete course in Windows 8 programming, helping you take full advantage of the innovative new SDK. Written in an easy-to-read style, this book is packed with reusable examples that showcase the endless possibilities of the Windows SDK and also introduces the new Windows 8 app store. It explains how to set up the development environment and covers user interface design, using special effects and graphics, working with C# and C++, and much more. Provides a complete introduction to the Windows SDK and Windows 8, starting with setting up the development environment and building your first application Covers user interface design, touch- and event-driven design elements, leveraging windows-based services, and offline application development with HTML 5 Explores creating C# applications for the Windows 8 system, XNA 4 and Silverlight 5 considerations, and the role of C++ Shows how to debug, certify and deploy your applications Introduces the new Windows 8 app store and offers advice on marketing your apps Beginning Windows 8 Application Development is perfect for anyone who's ready to get started developing apps for the exciting new Windows 8 OS.
Beginning Windows 8 Application Development – XAML Edition introduces you to the Windows 8 modern app design paradigm and the new Windows 8 programming model developed around this paradigm. You'll learn to build rich, immersive applications designed to run on the many devices that will be powered by Windows 8. With the introduction of Windows 8, once again Microsoft has re-envisioned the way that PCs and devices will be used and applications will be built in a world that has become far more connected. The Windows 8 modern UI style is far more than a programming model and Beginning Windows 8 Application Development – XAML Edition takes you beyond the syntax of any development language. We examine the factors such as UX (User Experience), social integration, and maintaining data and settings across multiple devices. Gives an early start to building next-generation connected applications Introduces new programming libraries available in Windows 8 Explores Windows 8 app design concepts
