Build Windows 8 Apps with Microsoft Visual C++ Step by Step

Build Windows 8 Apps with Microsoft Visual C++ Step by Step

Released April 2013
Publisher(s): Microsoft Press
ISBN: 9780735668881

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Book description

Your hands-on, step-by-step guide to building Windows 8 apps with Microsoft Visual C++

Teach yourself how to build Windows 8 applications using the Visual C++ language—one step at a time. Ideal for those with intermediate to advanced C++ development skills, this tutorial provides practical, learn-by-doing exercises for creating apps that can adapt to different screen sizes—including desktop and laptop computers, tablets, and slates.

Discover how to:

  • Build apps using Windows 8 design guidelines

  • Explore the Windows 8 application architecture

  • Apply tools and libraries from Microsoft Visual Studio and the Windows 8 SDK

  • Use XAML to create touch-optimized user interfaces

  • Create apps that make use of device sensors

  • Manage the Windows 8 application lifecycle

  • Prepare your app for the Windows Store

    •

    Table of contents

    1. Dedication
    2. Introduction
      1. Who should read this book
      2. Who should not read this book
        1. Assumptions
      3. Organization of this book
        1. Finding your best starting point in this book
      4. Conventions and features in this book
      5. System Requirements
      6. Code samples
        1. Installing the code samples
      7. Acknowledgments
      8. Errata & book support
      9. We want to hear from you
      10. Stay in touch
    3. 1. Introduction to Windows Store apps
      1. The Windows 8 experience
      2. Charms bar and app bars
      3. Windows Runtime
      4. Badges, live tiles, toasts, and lock screen
      5. Background tasks
      6. Contracts and extensions
      7. Visual Studio 2012 and Windows 8 Simulator
      8. Summary
      9. Quick reference
    4. 2. Windows 8 user interface style
      1. Influences
      2. Bauhaus style in the Windows 8 UI
        1. Enhance the functionality and the content, not the container
        2. Industrialize the software and user interface, and create projects, not products
        3. Use clear typography
        4. Take advantage of the grid system
        5. Prefer photos over drawings
        6. Select few and contrasting colors
        7. Strive for international language and employ essential iconography
      3. Characteristics of a Windows 8 app
        1. Silhouette
        2. Full screen
        3. Edges
        4. Comfort and touch
        5. Semantic Zoom
        6. Animations
        7. Different form factors
        8. Snapped and fill views
      4. Summary
      5. Quick reference
    5. 3. My first Windows 8 app
      1. Software installation
      2. Windows Store project templates
      3. UI elements
      4. Search functionality
      5. Summary
      6. Quick reference
    6. 4. Application life-cycle management
      1. Application manifest
      2. Application package
      3. Windows Store
      4. Launching
      5. Activating
      6. Suspending
      7. Resuming
      8. Summary
      9. Quick reference
    7. 5. Introduction to the Windows Runtime
      1. What is WinRT?
      2. WinRT under the hood
      3. WinRT design requirements
      4. Creating a WinMD library
      5. WinRT app registration
      6. Summary
      7. Quick reference
    8. 6. Windows Runtime APIs
      1. Using pickers
      2. Webcam
      3. Sharing contracts
      4. Summary
      5. Quick reference
    9. 7. Enhance the user experience
      1. Draw an application using Visual Studio 2012
      2. Create the layout of a Windows 8 application
      3. Customize the appearance of controls
      4. Summary
      5. Quick reference
    10. 8. Asynchronous patterns
      1. Asynchronous calls with the Parallel Patterns Library in C++
      2. Writing asynchronous methods
      3. Waiting for an event in an asynchronous way
      4. Cancelling asynchronous operations
      5. Tracking operation progress
      6. Synchronization with multiple asynchronous calls
      7. Synchronizing execution context
      8. Summary
      9. Quick reference
    11. 9. Rethinking the UI for Windows 8 apps
      1. Using Windows 8 UI-specific controls
      2. Designing flexible layouts
      3. Using tiles and toasts
      4. Summary
      5. Quick reference
    12. 10. Architecting a Windows 8 app
      1. Applications architecture in general
      2. Architectures for Windows 8 apps
      3. Implementing the data layer
      4. Implementing the communication layer using a SOAP service
      5. Implementing the communication layer using an OData service
      6. Consuming data from a Windows 8 app
      7. Implementing an app storage/cache
      8. SOAP security infrastructure
      9. OData security infrastructure
      10. Summary
      11. Quick reference
    13. A. About the authors
    14. Index
    15. About the Authors
    16. Copyright

    Product information

    • Title: Build Windows 8 Apps with Microsoft Visual C++ Step by Step
    • Author(s):
    • Release date: April 2013
    • Publisher(s): Microsoft Press
    • ISBN: 9780735668881