Metro Revealed: Building Windows 8 Apps with XAML and C#

106 Pages·2012·1.19 MB·English

by  Adam Freeman (auth.)

Metro Revealed
Building Windows 8 Apps
with XAML and C#
Adam Freeman
Metro Revealed: Building Windows 8 Apps with XAML and C#
Copyright © 2012 by Adam Freeman
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Dedicated to my lovely wife, Jacqui Griffyth
– Adam Freeman
Contents at a Glance
About the Author ....................................................................................xi
About the Technical Reviewer ..............................................................xiii
Acknowledgments .................................................................................xv
(cid:78) Chapter 1: Getting Started ....................................................................1
(cid:78) Chapter 2: Data, Binding, and Pages ..................................................17
(cid:78) Chapter 3: AppBars, Flyouts, and Navigation .....................................37
(cid:78) Chapter 4: Layouts and Tiles ..............................................................57
(cid:78) Chapter 5: App Life Cycle and Contracts ............................................77
(cid:78) Index ...................................................................................................93
v
Contents
About the Author ....................................................................................xi
About the Technical Reviewer ..............................................................xiii
Acknowledgments .................................................................................xv
(cid:78) Chapter 1: Getting Started ....................................................................1
About This Book .............................................................................................1
What Do You Need to Know Before You Read This Book? .................................................1
What Software Do You Need for This Book? .....................................................................2
What Is the Structure of This Book? .................................................................................2
More about the Example Metro Application ......................................................................3
Is There a Lot of Code in This Book? .................................................................................4
Getting Up and Running .................................................................................5
Creating the Project ..........................................................................................................5
Exploring the App.xaml File ..............................................................................................7
Exploring the BlankPage.xaml File ...................................................................................8
Exploring the StandardStyles.xaml File ............................................................................9
Exploring the Package.appxmanifest File .......................................................................10
An Incredibly Brief XAML Overview ..............................................................10
Using the Visual Studio Design Surface ..........................................................................11
Configuring Controls in XAML .........................................................................................11
Configuring Controls in Code ..........................................................................................12
vii
(cid:78) CONTENTS
Running and Debugging a Metro App ...........................................................14
Running a Metro App in the Simulator ............................................................................15
Summary ......................................................................................................16
(cid:78) Chapter 2: Data, Binding, and Pages ..................................................17
Adding a View Model ....................................................................................18
Adding the Main Page ..................................................................................20
Writing the Code .............................................................................................................22
Adding a Resource Dictionary ........................................................................................23
Writing the XAML ............................................................................................................26
Running the Application ...............................................................................29
Inserting Other Pages into the Layout ..........................................................29
Dynamically Inserting Pages into the Layout ...............................................31
Switching Between Pages ..............................................................................................32
Implementing the Embedded Page ................................................................................33
Summary ......................................................................................................36
(cid:78) Chapter 3: AppBars, Flyouts, and Navigation .....................................37
Adding an AppBar .........................................................................................38
Declaring the AppBar ......................................................................................................38
Adapting Predefined AppBar Buttons .............................................................................40
Creating Custom AppBar Button Styles ..........................................................................41
Implementing AppBar Button Actions .............................................................................42
Creating Flyouts ...........................................................................................43
Creating the User Control ...............................................................................................44
Writing the User Control Code ........................................................................................45
Adding the Flyout to the Application ...............................................................................47
Creating a More Complex Flyout .....................................................................................49
viii
(cid:78) CONTENTS
Navigating within a Metro App .....................................................................53
Creating the Wrapper ......................................................................................................53
Creating the Other View ..................................................................................................55
Testing the Navigation ....................................................................................................56
Summary ......................................................................................................56
(cid:78) Chapter 4: Layouts and Tiles ..............................................................57
Supporting Metro Layouts ............................................................................58
Responding to Layout Changes in Code .........................................................................60
Responding to Layout Changes in XAML ........................................................................62
Breaking Out of the Snapped View .................................................................................64
Using Tiles and Badges ................................................................................65
Improving Static Tiles .....................................................................................................66
Creating Live Tiles ..........................................................................................................67
Updating Wide Tiles ........................................................................................................71
Applying Badges ...........................................................................................73
Summary ......................................................................................................76
(cid:78) Chapter 5: App Life Cycle and Contracts ............................................77
Dealing with the Metro Application Life Cycle ..............................................78
Correcting the Visual Studio Event Code ........................................................................78
Simulating the Life-Cycle Events ....................................................................................79
Testing the Life-Cycle Events .........................................................................................80
Adding a Background Activity ......................................................................81
Extending the View Model ..............................................................................................82
Displaying the Location Data ..........................................................................................83
Declaring the App Capabilities ........................................................................................84
Controlling the Background Task ....................................................................................84
ix
(cid:78) CONTENTS
Implementing a Contract ..............................................................................88
Declaring Support for the Contract .................................................................................88
Implementing the Search Feature ..................................................................................88
Responding to the Search Life-Cycle Event ....................................................................90
Testing the Search Contract ...........................................................................................91
Summary ......................................................................................................92
Index ......................................................................................................93
x
About the Author
Adam Freeman is an experienced IT professional who has held senior
positions in a range of companies, most recently serving as chief technology
officer and chief operating officer of a global bank. Now retired, he spends
his time writing and running.
xi