Fluent Windows® 8.1 App Development

Fluent Windows® 8.1 App Development

by Rebecca M. Riordan
Released July 2014
Publisher(s): Sams
ISBN: 9780133100600

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

Based on the principles of cognitive science and instructional design, Fluent Windows 8.1 App Development, part of the Fluent Learning series, is a true tutorial that will help you build effective working models for understanding a large and complex subject: developing XAML applications for Windows 8.1.

Most introductory books just talk at you and give you “exercises” that have more to do with taking dictation than actually learning. Fluent Windows 8.1 App Development, is different. It guides you through learning the way your mind likes to learn: by solving puzzles, making connections, and building genuine understanding instead of just memorizing random facts.

DETAILED INFORMATION ON HOW TO…

  • Develop Windows 8.1 applications using C# and Visual Basic .NET

  • Use XAML to create an application interface declaratively

  • Configure an application to work with all the required Windows 8.1 form factors

  • Integrate an application with Windows 8.1 contracts and notifications

    • Table of contents

    1. About This eBook
    2. Title Page
    3. Copyright Page
    4. Contents
    5. We Want to Hear From You!
    6. Reader Services
    7. Getting Started
      1. Introduction
        1. Fluent Learning Because...
        2. This Book isn’t for Everyone
        3. What you’ll Learn
        4. What you’ll Need
        5. How it works
      2. 1. Welcome to Windows 8.1
        1. Task List
        2. A Quick Tour
        3. The Lock Screen
        4. The Start Screen
        5. Semantic zoom
        6. Charms
        7. App Surfaces
        8. View States
        9. The Touch Language
        10. The Back Stack
        11. Characteristics of a Win8 App
        12. Immersive
        13. Responsive
        14. Alive
        15. A Web of Apps
        16. Review
        17. What you Get for Free
        18. Review
      3. 2. The Deep End
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. The Development Process in a Nutshell
        4. Say Hello
        5. Create a New Project
        6. Run in the Simulator
        7. Set Some XAML Properties
        8. Change the XAML
        9. Use the Property Window
        10. Add a Contract
        11. Wire up the Flyout
        12. Add a Live Tile
        13. Certify your App
        14. Say What?
        15. Visual Studio Templates
        16. Common Files
        17. Visual Studio 2013 Express
        18. Using the Simulator
        19. The XAML Designer
        20. Blend integration
        21. Review
    8. XAML Basics
      1. 3. XAML
        1. Fitting It In
        2. What?? Another Language?
        3. Task List
        4. XAML Fundamentals
        5. Syntax Basics
        6. Content Properties
        7. XAML Collections
        8. XAML Namespaces
        9. Standard Namespaces
        10. XAML Language Attributes
        11. Markup Extensions
        12. Custom Namespaces
        13. Review
        14. Logical & Visual Trees
        15. Navigating the Object Tree
        16. Navigating the Visual Tree
        17. By the Way...
        18. Review
      2. 4. Building Blocks
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. The Class Library
        4. Winrt Namespaces
        5. The XAML Class Hierarchy
        6. Panels
        7. Attached Properties
        8. The Grid
        9. The Variablesized Wrap Grid
        10. The Stackpanel
        11. Nesting Panels
        12. Review
        13. Layout Properties
        14. Specifying Sizes
        15. Grid Lengths
        16. Relative Positioning
        17. Specifying Margins & Padding
        18. Alignment
        19. Review
      3. 5. XAML Controls, Part 1: Basic Widgets
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. The Control Family
        4. Focus
        5. Focus State
        6. FocusManager
        7. Review
        8. Controls for Displaying Progress
        9. Build a Progress Exerciser
        10. Progress Properties
        11. UX Guidelines
        12. Controls for Actions & Choices
        13. Content Controls
        14. The ToggleSwitch
        15. The Slider
        16. Review
        17. Text & Date Controls
        18. TextBoxes
        19. Win8 Properties
        20. Date & Time Controls
        21. Formatting Dates
        22. Review
      4. 6. XAML Controls, Part 2: Complex Widgets
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. Simple Layout Widgets
        4. The ScrollViewer
        5. Using the ScrollViewer
        6. Scrollbar Defaults
        7. Optical Zoom
        8. Snapping
        9. Review
        10. Items Controls
        11. Items Magic
        12. The ListviewBase
        13. ListViewBase Drag & Click
        14. Selection Properties
        15. Review
        16. Semantic Zoom
        17. Implementing SemanticZoom
        18. SemanticZoom Classes
        19. Review
    9. XAML in Detail
      1. 7. Dependency Properties
        1. Fitting It In
        2. A Comparison
        3. Task List
        4. Dependency Properties
        5. Calculating DP Values
        6. Determinng the Base Value
        7. An Example
        8. Review
        9. Dependency Property Classes
        10. More Classes
        11. Creating Dependency Properties
        12. Walk-Through
        13. Walk-Through
        14. Attached Properties
        15. Setting Attached Properties
        16. Review
        17. Dependency Property Callbacks
        18. PropertyChangedCallback
        19. CreateDefaultValueCallback
        20. Registering Callbacks
        21. Review
      2. 8. Events & Input
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. Routed Events...
        4. ...Address a Problem
        5. Event Bubbling
        6. Routed Event Handlers
        7. Registering Handlers, Part 1
        8. Kinda Sorta Routed Events
        9. Testing Events
        10. Mommy, the Bad Button Ate my Events...
        11. Handled Events
        12. Registering Handlers, Part 2
        13. Review
        14. Input Events
        15. UIELement Events
        16. Sorting Events
        17. The Input APIs
        18. Down the Rabbit Hole
        19. The Pointer
        20. The PointerPoint
        21. The Keyboard API
        22. The Manipulation API
        23. Review
      3. 9. Commanding
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. Command Surfaces
        4. Commands
        5. Working with Commands
        6. Working with UICommands
        7. Appbars & Commandbars
        8. Appbar Widgets
        9. CommandBars
        10. Review
        11. Other Command Surfaces
        12. Tooltips
        13. Flyouts
        14. MenuFlyouts
        15. Message Dialogs
        16. Review
      4. 10. Text & Graphics
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. Drawing in XAML
        4. Basic Shapes
        5. Bounding Boxes
        6. Pen Properties
        7. Complex Shapes
        8. Geometries
        9. XAML Point Collections
        10. Path Geometries
        11. Review
        12. Brushes
        13. Color Models
        14. The Color Structure
        15. Specifying Colors
        16. Gradient Brushes
        17. Review
        18. Transforming Objects
        19. Applying Transforms
        20. XAML Typography
        21. Terminology
        22. Review
      5. 11. Resources, Styles, and Templates
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. Resources
        4. Referencing Resources
        5. Resources in Code
        6. Styles & Themes
        7. Style Hierarchies
        8. Styles in Visual Studio
        9. Win8 Themes
        10. Supporting High Contrast
        11. Review
        12. Templates
        13. Building Templates
        14. Template Bindings
        15. Presenting Content
        16. Review
        17. The VisualStateManager
        18. XAML Animations
        19. Elements of an Animation
        20. Storyboards
        21. Dependent Animations
        22. Timeline Classes
        23. Dot-Down Syntax
        24. Theme Animations
        25. Visual Transitions
        26. Review
        27. Theme Transitions
        28. Using Theme Transitions
        29. Review
      6. 12. XAML Binding
        1. Fitting It In
        2. The Problem...
        3. The Solution...
        4. Task List
        5. Creating Bindings
        6. Value Converters
        7. Building Converters
        8. Binding Modes
        9. Update Triggers
        10. Binding Sources
        11. Using RelativeSource
        12. The Data Context
        13. Review
        14. Binding to Collections
        15. Building a Collection
        16. Building Bindable Collections
        17. In A Nutshell
        18. More Templates
        19. The ItemsPanel
        20. Review
        21. Working with Collections
        22. Synchronizing the Display
        23. Organizing Collections
        24. Grouping Data with Linq
        25. Review
    10. Working With Windows 8
      1. 13. Displaying Your App
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. Loading Support Classes
        4. Common Files
        5. The Basic Page
        6. Using the DefaultViewModel
        7. Re-Build the Color Explorer
        8. Application Layout
        9. Checking Resolutions
        10. Adaptive Layout Techniques
        11. Creating a Vertical Layout
        12. The Visualstatemanager
        13. Building a Vertical Layout
        14. Creating the Portrait Layout
        15. Using the Device Panel
        16. Review
        17. Navigation
        18. Start-Up Process
        19. Managing State, Part 1
        20. NavigationCacheMode
        21. Sharing Data, Part 1
        22. The NavigationHelper
        23. Sharing Data, Part 2
        24. Creating a Data Source
        25. Making the Data Available
        26. Review
      2. 14. The Application Lifecycle
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. Launching an App
        4. Launch Event Args
        5. Splash Screens
        6. Scaling for Pixel Densities
        7. Extended Splash Screens
        8. Building an Extended Splash
        9. Review
        10. The SuspensionManager
        11. It isn’t Magic
        12. Working with Custom Types
        13. Review
      3. 15. Tiles & Notifications
        1. Fitting It In
        2. TaskList
        3. Primary Tiles
        4. Image Assets
        5. The Visual Assets Tab
        6. Secondary Tiles
        7. The SecondaryTile Class
        8. Element Rectangles
        9. Responding to Activation
        10. Review
        11. Notifications
        12. Delivery Methods
        13. Tile Notifications
        14. Navigating the DOM
        15. Navigating the Dom, Cont.
        16. Badge Notifications
        17. Available Glyphs
        18. Toast Notifications
        19. Toast Capabilities
        20. Creating Toast Notifications
        21. Toast Audio
        22. Other Toast Attributes
        23. Review
      4. 16. Files & Capabilities
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. Capabilities & Declarations
        4. Walk-Through
        5. Load an Image
        6. Not Quite...
        7. File Pickers
        8. Picker Classes
        9. File Associations
        10. (Yet) More Image Assets
        11. Responding to File Activation
        12. But it’s not your Decision...
        13. Review
        14. Application Data
        15. Using a Data Container
        16. When and Where
        17. Organizing Settings
        18. Roaming Settings
        19. Review
        20. The Storage APi
        21. Storage Classes
        22. File & Folder Queries
        23. Query Options
        24. Executing Queries
        25. Review
      5. 17. App Contracts
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. The Share Contract
        4. The Data Request
        5. Delayed Sharing
        6. Share Targets
        7. Building a Share Target
        8. Share Target Contract
        9. The Share UI
        10. The Code-Behind
        11. Activating and Responding
        12. Review
        13. The Settings Contract
        14. Creating Commands
        15. Displaying Settings
        16. Settings UI
        17. Review
      6. 18. Search
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. Search Basics
        4. Search Events
        5. Query Suggestions
        6. Providing Suggestions
        7. Result Suggestions
        8. Review
        9. Query Navigation
        10. Some Housekeeping
        11. The Search Results Template
        12. Changing the Data Model
        13. My way
        14. Navigating to Results
        15. Review
    11. Final Project
      1. 19. On Your Own
        1. Fitting It In
        2. Task List
        3. Determine the Requirements
        4. Design the UX
        5. The Landing Page
        6. The Standard Colors Page
        7. The Color Designer
        8. The Favorite Colors Page
        9. Design the Data Structures
        10. Data Persistence
        11. Create the Graphic Assets
        12. Implement the System
        13. Be Proud of Yourself
        14. Moving on
    12. Index

    Product information

    • Title: Fluent Windows® 8.1 App Development
    • Author(s): Rebecca M. Riordan
    • Release date: July 2014
    • Publisher(s): Sams
    • ISBN: 9780133100600