Windows 8 App Projects - XAML and C# Edition (Paperback)

Become a leading Windows 8 app developer by using Windows 8 App Projects - XAML and C# Edition to learn techniques, tools, and ideas to create successful, 5-star apps.

Windows 8 App Projects - XAML and C# Edition shows you the nuts and bolts of the Windows 8 development ecosystem. Then, through a series of example driven chapters, you'll discover how to leverage the platform’s unique features. With each project, you'll be one step closer to building full-featured, responsive, and well designed apps that feel like they’re a part of the operating system.

Windows 8 App Projects - XAML and C# Edition is a great book for developers that already know their way around the .net framework and want to leverage their existing knowledge into building apps for the new and exciting Windows RT platform and the great touch-first tablet and hybrid devices that accompany Windows 8 to market.

• Learn to build apps for Windows 8 in an example driven way
• Leverage existing skills onto the Windows 8 platform
• Get to know and use the new Modern UI style to make your apps stand out

What you’ll learn

• Start building apps on the new and exciting Windows 8 platform
• Learn how to leverage Windows 8's unique features
• Build apps that feel fast and fluid and is always connected
• Learn the nuts and bolts of the new Modern UI style
• Prepare your apps for selling on the marketplace
• Pass certification on the first try

Who this book is for

Windows 8 App Projects - XAML and C# Edition is for professional and hobby developers who have an interest in developing and selling applications on the Windows Store. The book is aimed both at developers who want to start creating apps and at developers who are already creating apps on any platform. The book follows a project oriented way of working making it easier to place all subjects in a certain context.

Table of Contents

1.       Introduction



2.       Getting Started: The first chapter helps reader with setting up their development environment. We also take a closer look at the Windows 8 simulator and the difference between running native. 



a.       Introduction 



b.       Setting up the environment 



c.       Starting our first projects 



d.       Closer look at the simulator



3.       Building a first project: This chapter is where the actual developing begins, we take a look at the available templates in Visual Studio and start building a multi-page app that we navigate through. 



a.       Let's take a look at the included templates 



b.       Add some pages to the project 



c.       Navigate around a Windows 8 app 



d.       MVVM and MVVM Light 



e.       Where are my Behaviors?



4.       Getting cloudy with data: There are very few apps that get by without consuming data. In this chapter we’ll take a look at how to implement both local and remote data in a Windows 8 application. 



a.       Using SQLite in Windows 8 



b.       Data binding 



c.       Converters 



d.       Data as content 



e.       Taking it to the cloud



5.       Build a charming application: The charms are a unique and great feature of the Windows 8 platform. Integrating them in an application provides a form of interaction that will feel natural to the user because it is a part of the operating system. 



a.       Search charm 



b.       Share charm 



c.       Settings charm



6.       Using live tiles: Windows Phone has already proven the value of the live tiles. They provide a way to inform your users of certain events and provide a way to draw users back into your application. In this chapter we’ll take a look at how to create and update tiles and badges. 



a.       Create the application tile 



b.       Creating secondary tiles 



c.       Updating tiles 



d.       Badges



7.       Notifications: Notifications provide a way to inform your user of important things without them having to have your app open in the background. We will learn how to use different kinds of notifications in this chapter. 



a.       Cooking some toast notifications 



b.       Raw notifications 



c.       Your app on the lockscreen



8.       Make your app adaptable: Windows 8 will appear on a variety of devices with different aspect ratios, resolutions, form factors, etc. In this chapter we’ll learn how to make sure that your app looks good on all possible forms and sizes of Windows 8. 



a.       Twisting the device around 



b.       Support multiple resolutions 



c.       Snap that app 



d.       Viewstates



9.       Sensors: The range of upcoming devices running Windows 8 will have a variety of sensors on board. In this chapter we’ll have a closer look at the most common ones and learn how to leverage them in our apps. 



a.       Location 



b.       Accelerometer 



c.       Gyroscope 



d.       Compass 



e.       Sensor Fusion 



f.        Gestures



10.   Games: Building games is as much fun as playing them. Windows 8 has full DirectX support, next to DX Javascript developers can quickly get started building games as well. XNA is not supported on Windows 8 but thanks to the community even XNA developers can now build games using MonoGame. In this chapter we’ll compare these three methods. 



a.       DirectX 



b.       JavaScript 



c.       MonoGame



11.   Going to market with your app: Once your app is finished you’ll want to publish it as fast as possible. In this chapter we’ll take a look at common reasons for certification failure. 



a.       Creating a developer account 



b.       Business models 



c.       Prepare to submit 



d.       Submit your app