book

Modernizing Your Windows Applications with the Windows App SDK and WinUI

Name: Modernizing Your Windows Applications with the Windows App SDK and WinUI
ISBN: 9781803235660

by Matteo Pagani, Marc Plogas

April 2022

Intermediate to advanced

514 pages

11h 19m

English

Packt Publishing

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Modernizing Your Windows Applications with the Windows App SDK and WinUI
ContributorsAbout the authorsAbout the reviewers
Preface
Who this book is forWhat this book coversTo get the most out of this bookDownload the example code filesConventions usedGet in touchShare Your Thoughts
Section 1: Basic Concepts
Chapter 1: Getting Started with the Windows App SDK and WinUI
Technical requirementsA brief history of Windows UI platformsIntroducing the Windows App SDK and WinUI 3.0The role of the new .NET runtimeExploring the Windows App SDKChoosing the right deployment modelManaging the dependency with the Windows App SDKPackaged appsUnpackaged appsUpgrading the Windows App SDK runtimeCreating the first Windows App SDK projectA new packaged WinUI C# applicationUsing a separate packaging projectA new unpackaged WinUI applicationAdding support to an existing applicationBuilding libraries and componentsUsing a WinUI class libraryUsing a .NET class librarySummaryQuestionsFurther reading
Section 2: Modernization Journey
Chapter 2: The Windows App SDK for a Windows Forms Developer
Technical requirementsIntroducing XAMLUsing namespacesCustomizing controls with propertiesReacting to changes with event handlersStyling your applications with resourcesSharing a resource with a whole applicationUsing dictionaries to organize resourcesReusing multiple resources with stylesUnderstanding animationsPlaying an animationCustomizing the template of a controlUsing a Universal Windows Platform projectUsing the XAML source codeManaging the states of a controlData bindingBinding with C# objectsImplementing the INotifyPropertyChanged interfaceDisplaying collections of data with DataTemplatesCreating user controlsSummaryQuestions
Chapter 3: The Windows App SDK for a WPF Developer
Technical requirementsImporting XAML namespacesBinding with x:BindDifferent contextDefault binding modeUsing x:Bind to define a DataTemplateEvent bindingFunctionsUsing the dispatcherImproving dispatcher usage in asynchronous scenariosLocalizing your applicationsTranslating the user interfaceHandling translation in codeA better way to manage localizationSupport localization in a packaged appSummaryQuestions
Chapter 4: The Windows App SDK for a UWP Developer
Technical requirementsMoving to a new namespaceWorking with the UI threadControlling the application's life cycleSupporting the application's activationSupporting multiple activation pathsApplication instancingSupporting advanced redirection scenariosManaging the application's windowUsing the AppWindow classPerforming operations in the backgroundSummaryQuestions
Chapter 5: Designing Your Application
Technical requirementsCreating a responsive layoutUsing effective pixelsAdapting the UI Using the right controls to build a responsive layoutSupporting navigationImplementing the NavigationMenu controlHandling the navigationSupporting the page's life cycleSupporting page transitionsManaging backward navigationAdding sections to the footerDisplaying a menu at the topSupporting Windows themesForcing a specific themeCreating animationsCreating animations in C#Creating animations in XAMLApplying effects and animating themConnected animationsUsing a connected animation in a master-detail scenarioUsing animated iconsExploring the WinUI controlsSummaryQuestions
Chapter 6: Building a Future-Proof Architecture
Technical requirementsLearning the basic concepts of the MVVM patternMoving a bit deeper into the MVVM patternExploring frameworks and librariesSupporting actions with commandsEnabling or disabling a commandMaking your application easier to evolve Exchanging messages between different classesManaging navigation with the MVVM patternNavigating to another pagePassing parameters from a ViewModel to anotherSummaryQuestions

Section 3: Integrating Your App with the Windows Ecosystem
Chapter 7: Migrating Your Windows Applications to the Windows App SDK and WinUI
Technical requirementsGetting an understanding of general migration guidanceExploring the sample applicationUpdating your applications to .NET 6The .NET Portability AnalyzerUpgrading your solutionMigrating a Windows Forms applicationSupporting navigationMigrating from the code-behind approach to the MVVM patternMigrating the DataGrid controlMigrating the Details pageMigrating a WPF applicationThemesMigrating a UWP appMigrating the dispatcherActivationManaging the life cycleSummaryQuestions
Chapter 8: Integrating Your Application with the Windows Ecosystem
Technical requirementsIntegrating APIs from the Universal Windows PlatformTaking advantage of the Bing Maps serviceIntroducing biometric authenticationWorking with files and foldersWorking with foldersWorking with filesUsing the local storage in packaged appsUsing local storage to store settingsWorking with file pickersSupporting the sharing contractBuilding the source appBuilding the target appIntegrating web experiences in your desktop applicationAdding the WebView2 control to your pageEnabling interactions between the native and web layersDistributing the WebView2 runtime with your applicationsSummaryQuestions
Chapter 9: Implementing Notifications
Technical requirementsSending a notification from a Windows applicationWorking with toast notificationsSupporting toast notifications in packaged appsAdding imagesCustomizing the application's name and the timestampTagging a toast notificationScheduling a notificationAdding interaction to a notificationHandling activation from a notificationSupporting user inputDisplaying a progress barDisplaying a badge in the taskbarImplementing push notificationsImplementing the backendLimitations of the current implementationSummaryQuestions
Chapter 10: Infusing Your Apps with Machine Learning Using WinML
Technical requirementsA brief introduction to ONNX and WinMLEvaluating an ONNX model with WinMLLoading the ONNX modelLoading the labelsPreparing the model inputPerforming the evaluationSorting the resultsPutting everything togetherTraining and using your own machine learning modelTraining the modelTesting the modelExporting the modelSummaryQuestions
Section 4: Distributing Your Application
Chapter 11: Publishing Your Application
Understanding the MSIX packaging technologyBuilt-in optimizations around network bandwidth and disk spaceDeployment flexibilityTamper protection and signature enforcementRegistry virtualizationLocal application data virtualizationThe Virtual File System (VFS)MSIX limitationsThe anatomy of an MSIX packageCreating and signing an MSIX packageChoosing a distribution methodChoosing a signing methodSelecting and configuring packagesSigning an MSIX packagePublishing your application to Microsoft StoreSubmitting an MSIX packaged applicationSubmitting an unpackaged applicationThe certification processSubmitting updatesDeploying your applications from a website using AppInstallerGenerating an AppInstaller file with Visual StudioGenerating an AppInstaller file with AppInstaller File BuilderDeploying an AppInstaller fileUpdating an application automaticallyUpdating an application from codeSupporting updates and repairsPublishing your application to the Windows Package Manager repositoryCreating a manifest for Windows Package ManagerSummaryQuestions
Chapter 12: Enabling CI/CD for Your Windows Applications
Technical requirementsIntroducing CI/CD pipelinesBuilding a Windows application in a CI/CD pipelinePulling the source codeAdding MSBuild to the system's pathBuilding the Windows applicationPublishing the artifactTesting the workflowSupporting versioningInstalling the tool and generating the version numberSetting the version numberHandling signingStoring the certificate on GitHubAutomating the deploymentGenerating the App Installer fileDeploying our Windows applicationImproving the deployment storySummaryQuestionsFurther reading
Assessments
Chapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12
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Overview

This comprehensive guide, 'Modernizing Your Windows Applications with the Windows App SDK and WinUI,' offers developers the insights and tools they need to upgrade legacy Windows applications seamlessly. Learn how to incorporate the latest Windows 11 features, modern design principles, and responsive UI into existing Windows Forms, WPF, and UWP apps with ease.

What this Book will help me do

Enhance your app's UI with Fluent Design and implement responsive layouts for modern appeal.
Deploy your apps across platforms, including the Microsoft Store, using packaging tools like MSIX.
Incorporate new Windows 11 features and APIs into legacy apps built with Windows Forms, WPF, or UWP.
Leverage AI by integrating WinML into your apps for advanced functionalities.
Engage users effectively with finer notification mechanisms and deep OS integration.

Author(s)

None Pagani and None Plogas collectively bring years of experience in Windows app development and software modernization. They are renowned for their hands-on approach, providing practical strategies to bridge traditional development practices with contemporary tools. Their passion lies in empowering developers to evolve their applications for the modern Windows ecosystem.

Who is it for?

Designed for developers experienced in creating and maintaining Windows Forms, WPF, or UWP apps, this book is perfect for those looking to modernize their applications without starting from scratch. If you're aiming to incorporate modern features and improve user engagement while maintaining your knowledge on .NET, C#, and Visual Studio, this guide is tailored for you.

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