Windows 8 Apps Revealed: Using HTML5 and JavaScript

139 Pages·2012·2.66 MB·English

by  Adam Freeman (auth.)

Windows 8 Apps
Revealed
Using HTML5 and JavaScript
Adam Freeman
Apress
Apress Media
Windows 8 Apps Revealed: Using HTML5 and JavaScript
Copyright © 2012 by Adam Freeman
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Dedicated to my lovely wife, Jacqui Griff yth.
—Adam Freeman
Contents at a Glance
About the Author ..............................................................................xi
About the Technical Reviewer ........................................................xiii
Acknowledgments ...........................................................................xv
Introduction ...................................................................................xvii
■ Chapter 1: Getting Started ..............................................................1
■ Chapter 2: Data and Bindings .......................................................21
■ Chapter 3: Application Controls ....................................................47
■ Chapter 4: Layouts and Tiles ........................................................73
■ Chapter 5: Life-Cycle Events .......................................................103
Index ..............................................................................................125
v
Contents
About the Author ..............................................................................xi
About the Technical Reviewer ........................................................xiii
Acknowledgments ...........................................................................xv
Introduction ...................................................................................xvii
■ Chapter 1: Getting Started ..............................................................1
About This Book ......................................................................................1
What Do You Need to Know Before You Read This Book? .........................................1
Do You Need to Know About HTML5? .......................................................................2
What Software Do You Need for This Book? .............................................................2
What Is the Structure of This Book? .........................................................................3
Tell Me More About the Example Windows 8 App .....................................................4
Is There a Lot of Code in This Book? .........................................................................5
Getting Up and Running ..........................................................................6
Creating the Project ..................................................................................................6
Exploring the default.html File ..................................................................................8
Exploring the default.css File .................................................................................11
Exploring the default.js File ....................................................................................14
Starting and Debugging a JavaScript Windows 8 App ..........................16
Reloading the Windows 8 App ...............................................................................17
Debugging Windows Store apps .............................................................................19
Summary ...............................................................................................20
vii
■ CONTENTS
■ Chapter 2: Data and Bindings .......................................................21
Creating the JavaScript File ..................................................................22
Using Code Completion...........................................................................................23
Reducing Global Namespace Pollution ...................................................................24
Returning to the View Model ..................................................................................25
Using Data Binding ................................................................................26
Using Basic Declarative Bindings ...........................................................................27
Creating Dynamic Bindings ....................................................................................29
Updating an Observable Data Item .........................................................................32
Creating Observable Arrays ...................................................................35
Using Templates ....................................................................................38
Using the Template .................................................................................................39
Responding to List Changes ...................................................................................41
Tracking the Selected Item .....................................................................................41
Applying the Template to the App ...........................................................................42
Summary ...............................................................................................45
■ Chapter 3: Application Controls ....................................................47
Adding an AppBar ..................................................................................48
Implementing App Bar Buttons ...............................................................................52
Adding Flyouts .......................................................................................53
Associating the Flyout with the AppBar Command .................................................55
Importing the Flyout Content ..................................................................................56
Wiring Up the Controls in a Flyout ..........................................................................57
Using Pages ...........................................................................................58
Defi ning the HTML ..................................................................................................59
Creating the JavaScript Callback ............................................................................59
Loading and Displaying the HTML ..........................................................................61
viii
■ CONTENTS
Loading a Complete HTML Document ...................................................62
Switching Between Pages ......................................................................................65
Displaying External Content ..................................................................66
Adding the Callback ................................................................................................67
Showing the Page ...................................................................................................68
Checking Manifest Permissions .............................................................................70
Summary ...............................................................................................71
■ Chapter 4: Layouts and Tiles ........................................................73
Dealing with Windows 8 Orientations and Views ..................................74
Simulating Orientation and View Changes..............................................................74
Simulating Views Changes .....................................................................................75
Adapting to Orientation and View Changes ............................................................77
Programmatically Exiting the Snapped View ..........................................................83
Using Tiles and Badges .........................................................................86
Improving Static Tiles .............................................................................................87
Applying the Images ...............................................................................................88
Updating Tiles .........................................................................................................90
Updating Wide Tiles ................................................................................................95
Applying Badges ....................................................................................98
Summary .............................................................................................101
■ Chapter 5: Life-Cycle Events .......................................................103
Dealing with the App Life Cycle ...........................................................103
Correcting the Visual Studio Event Code ..............................................................104
Simulating Life-Cycle Events Using Visual Studio ...............................................106
Triggering Life-Cycle Events ................................................................................107
Adding an Asynchronous Activity ..........................................................................108
ix
■ CONTENTS
Implementing the Search Contract ......................................................116
Declaring Support for the Contract .......................................................................116
Handling the Search .............................................................................................117
Implementing the Activated Event Handler ..........................................................119
Testing the Search Contract .................................................................................122
Summary .............................................................................................123
Index ..............................................................................................125
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 offi cer and
chief operating offi cer of a global bank. Now retired, he
spends his time writing and running.
His other upcoming publications include:
Pro Windows 8 Development in HTML5 and JavaScript
Pro ASP.NET MVC 4
His other publications include:
Th e Defi nitive Guide to HTML5 Pro ASP.NET 4 in C# 2010 4 Edition
Applied ASP.NET 4 in Context Pro ASP.NET 4 in VB 2010 3rd Edition
Pro ASP.NET MVC 3 Framework 3rd Edition Pro LINQ
Pro jQuery Pro .NET 4 Parallel Programming in C#
Introducing Visual C# 2010 Visual C# 2010 Recipes .
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