Essential Windows Phone 8 is the definitive guide to creating powerful, visually compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 platform. Nine-time Microsoft MVP Shawn Wildermuth draws on his extensive experience teaching Windows Phone developers, helping you to get started fast and master techniques that lead to truly outstanding apps. Expanded and updated with 30% new coverage, this conversational, authoritative guide covers the essentials and a whole lot more.
Wildermuth begins with a solid "foundation building" introduction to Windows Phone 8 development and Windows Phone 8 hardware, introducing design, language, hardware specifications, patterns, the application lifecycle, out-of-the-box services, Live Tiles, and the Windows Marketplace. Once you have that foundation, Wildermuth dives into hands-on development, emphasizing best practices and realistic code examples. You'll develop a complete application from start to finish, then build on your skills with increasingly sophisticated techniques. Coverage includes:
* Designing your app's look and feel
* Implementing email, calling, search, Web browsing, and camera support
* Interacting with users
* Choosing the right app paradigm and functionality
* Incorporating touch, vibration, motion, sound, and other forms of input
* Working with hubs and tiles
* Building location-based services
* Storing data
* Multitasking
* Integrating external data
* Preparing apps for the Marketplace
* And much more
Product Description
“Shawn has created a guide that is easy to read, up-to-date, and comprehensive–covering the entire application surface area for Windows Phone developers. Enjoy!”
–Jeff Wilcox, Senior Software Development Engineer, Microsoft
Essential Windows® Phone 8 is the definitive guide to creating powerful mobile apps with Microsoft’s dramatically improved Windows Phone 8 platform. Ten-time Microsoft MVP Shawn Wildermuth draws on his extensive experience teaching Windows Phone development, helping you to get started fast and master techniques that lead to truly outstanding solutions.
Updated throughout, this edition reflects new APIs and development best practices, ranging from new WinRT APIs to voice integration. It also contains a comprehensive new chapter on developing enterprise solutions for business.
After introducing the platform and its key improvements, Shawn dives directly into the essentials. Using realistic code, he illustrates today’s best techniques for delivering robust, well-performing apps. You’ll build a complete app from start to finish and then deepen your skills with increasingly sophisticated techniques.
From planning through delivery, Shawn guides you through the entire lifecycle, helping you make the most of Windows Phone 8’s valuable capabilities. Whether you’re a Windows developer going mobile or a mobile developer moving to Windows Phone, here are all the skills you’ll need.
Coverage includes
Setting up the WP8 development environment, including the emulator
Using XAML to fully control the look and feel of your app’s interface
Providing robust user interactivity through controls
Creating mobile experiences built around the real needs of Windows Phone users
Localizing your app for native languages and global markets
Utilizing vibration, motion, sound, the camera, or other hardware features
Supporting voice commands such as “Call Mom” or “Open Twitter”
Integrating features that use Contacts, Appointments, Alarms, the media library and hubs, and the lock screen
Storing data in simple files, caches, or a full-fledged database
Multitasking in the background without compromising performance
Implementing location-aware apps that can track where users are
Retrieving external data and assets via REST, Web services, push notifications, or Windows Live
Preparing your application for the Windows Phone Store
Building and distributing enterprise apps for your company’s internal customers
1 Introducing Windows Phone 1
A Different Kind of Phone 1
Phone Specifications 7
Input Patterns 10
Designing for Touch 11
Hardware Buttons 12
Keyboards 12
Sensors 15
Application Lifecycle 15
Driving Your Development with Services 17
Live Tiles 18
The Windows Phone Store 19
Distributing Your Application Through the Windows Phone Store 20
App Hub Submissions 20
Application Policies 22
Content Policies 25
Where Are We? 26
2 Writing Your First Phone Application 27
Preparing Your Machine 27
Creating a New Project 29
Visual Studio 29
XAML 34
Designing with Blend 39
Adding Code 48
Working with Events 51
Debugging in the Emulator 52
Debugging with a Device 53
Using Touch 58
Working with the Phone 61
Where Are We? 66
3 XAML Overview 67
What Is XAML? 67
XAML Object Properties 69
Understanding XAML Namespaces 70
Naming in XAML 71
Visual Containers 72
Visual Grammar 77
Shapes 77
Brushes 79
Colors 80
Text 81
Images 82
Transformations and Animations 84
Transformations 84
Animations 87
XAML Styling 90
Understanding Resources 91
Understanding Styles 93
Where Are We? 96
4 Controls 97
Controls in XAML 97
Simple Controls 100
Content Controls 106
List Controls 107
Phone-Specific Controls 108
Panorama Control 108
Pivot Control 112
Data Binding 115
Simple Data Binding 115
Using a DataTemplate 117
Improving Scrolling Performance 118
Binding Formatting 120
Element Binding 121
Converters 121
Data Binding Errors 123
Control Templates 125
Windows Phone Toolkit 130
AutoCompleteBox Control 131
ContextMenu Control 133
DatePicker and TimePicker Controls 135
ListPicker Control 137
LongListSelector Control 140
PerformanceProgressBar Control 144
ToggleSwitch Control 145
ExpanderView Control 146
PhoneTextBox Control 147
CustomMessageBox 149
WrapPanel Layout Container 153
Where Are We? 156
5 Designing for the Phone 157
The Third Screen 157
It Is a Phone, Right? 160
Deciding on an Application Paradigm 162
Panorama 164
Pivot 166
Simple Pages 169
Microsoft Expression Blend 169
Creating a Project 170
A Tour Around Blend 171
Blend Basics 180
Layout 180
Brushes 186
Creating Animations 191
Working with Behaviors 196
Phone-Specific Design 199
The ApplicationBar in Blend 199
Using the Panorama Control in Blend 203
Using the Pivot Control in Blend 206
Previewing Applications 209
Designing with Visual Studio 210
Implementing the Look and Feel of the Phone 212
Where Are We? 215
6 Developing for the Phone 217
Application Lifecycle 217
Navigation 220
Tombstoning 227
The Phone Experience 233
Orientation 233
Designing for Touch 236
Application Client Area 245
Application Bar 247
Understanding Idle Detection 249
The Tilt Effect 250
Localizing Your Phone Application 252
Where Are We? 258
7 Phone Hardware 261
Using Vibration 261
Using Motion 262
Emulating Motion 266
Using Sound 268
Playing Sound with MediaElement 269
Using XNA Libraries 270
Playing Sounds with XNA 270
Adjusting Playback 271
Recording Sounds 272
Working with the Camera 275
Using the PhotoCamera Class 276
Raw Hardware Access 281
Camera Lens App 284
The Clipboard API 286
Location APIs 287
Location Permission 287
Accessing Location Information 289
Turning Coordinates into Addresses 294
Emulating Location Information 295
Voice Commands 299
Speech Recognition 306
Speech Synthesis 310
Bluetooth and VOIP 316
Where Are We? 316
8 Phone Integration 317
Contacts and Appointments 317
Contacts 318
Appointments 323
Alarms and Reminders 324
Creating an Alarm 327
Creating a Reminder 328
Accessing Existing Notifications 329
Using Tasks 330
Launchers 333
Choosers 344
Media and Picture Hubs 355
Accessing Music 355
Playing Music 359
Accessing Pictures 360
Storing Pictures 363
Integrating into the Pictures Hub 364
Essential Windows Phone 8 is the definitive guide to creating powerful, visually compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 platform. Nine-time Microsoft MVP Shawn Wildermuth draws on his extensive experience teaching Windows Phone developers, helping you to get started fast and master techniques that lead to truly outstanding apps. Expanded and updated with 30% new coverage, this conversational, authoritative guide covers the essentials and a whole lot more.
Wildermuth begins with a solid "foundation building" introduction to Windows Phone 8 development and Windows Phone 8 hardware, introducing design, language, hardware specifications, patterns, the application lifecycle, out-of-the-box services, Live Tiles, and the Windows Marketplace. Once you have that foundation, Wildermuth dives into hands-on development, emphasizing best practices and realistic code examples. You'll develop a complete application from start to finish, then build on your skills with increasingly sophisticated techniques. Coverage includes:
Designing your app's look and feel
Implementing email, calling, search, Web browsing, and camera support
Interacting with users
Choosing the right app paradigm and functionality
Incorporating touch, vibration, motion, sound, and other forms of input
Working with hubs and tiles
Building location-based services
Storing data
Multitasking
Integrating external data
Preparing apps for the Marketplace
And much more
Wildermuth begins with a solid "foundation building" introduction to Windows Phone 8 development and Windows Phone 8 hardware, introducing design, language, hardware specifications, patterns, the application lifecycle, out-of-the-box services, Live Tiles, and the Windows Marketplace. Once you have that foundation, Wildermuth dives into hands-on development, emphasizing best practices and realistic code examples. You'll develop a complete application from start to finish, then build on your skills with increasingly sophisticated techniques. Coverage includes:
* Designing your app's look and feel
* Implementing email, calling, search, Web browsing, and camera support
* Interacting with users
* Choosing the right app paradigm and functionality
* Incorporating touch, vibration, motion, sound, and other forms of input
* Working with hubs and tiles
* Building location-based services
* Storing data
* Multitasking
* Integrating external data
* Preparing apps for the Marketplace
* And much more
Product Description
“Shawn has created a guide that is easy to read, up-to-date, and comprehensive–covering the entire application surface area for Windows Phone developers. Enjoy!”
–Jeff Wilcox, Senior Software Development Engineer, Microsoft
Essential Windows® Phone 8 is the definitive guide to creating powerful mobile apps with Microsoft’s dramatically improved Windows Phone 8 platform. Ten-time Microsoft MVP Shawn Wildermuth draws on his extensive experience teaching Windows Phone development, helping you to get started fast and master techniques that lead to truly outstanding solutions.
Updated throughout, this edition reflects new APIs and development best practices, ranging from new WinRT APIs to voice integration. It also contains a comprehensive new chapter on developing enterprise solutions for business.
After introducing the platform and its key improvements, Shawn dives directly into the essentials. Using realistic code, he illustrates today’s best techniques for delivering robust, well-performing apps. You’ll build a complete app from start to finish and then deepen your skills with increasingly sophisticated techniques.
From planning through delivery, Shawn guides you through the entire lifecycle, helping you make the most of Windows Phone 8’s valuable capabilities. Whether you’re a Windows developer going mobile or a mobile developer moving to Windows Phone, here are all the skills you’ll need.
Coverage includes
Setting up the WP8 development environment, including the emulator
Using XAML to fully control the look and feel of your app’s interface
Providing robust user interactivity through controls
Creating mobile experiences built around the real needs of Windows Phone users
Localizing your app for native languages and global markets
Utilizing vibration, motion, sound, the camera, or other hardware features
Supporting voice commands such as “Call Mom” or “Open Twitter”
Integrating features that use Contacts, Appointments, Alarms, the media library and hubs, and the lock screen
Storing data in simple files, caches, or a full-fledged database
Multitasking in the background without compromising performance
Implementing location-aware apps that can track where users are
Retrieving external data and assets via REST, Web services, push notifications, or Windows Live
Preparing your application for the Windows Phone Store
Building and distributing enterprise apps for your company’s internal customers
1 Introducing Windows Phone 1
A Different Kind of Phone 1
Phone Specifications 7
Input Patterns 10
Designing for Touch 11
Hardware Buttons 12
Keyboards 12
Sensors 15
Application Lifecycle 15
Driving Your Development with Services 17
Live Tiles 18
The Windows Phone Store 19
Distributing Your Application Through the Windows Phone Store 20
App Hub Submissions 20
Application Policies 22
Content Policies 25
Where Are We? 26
2 Writing Your First Phone Application 27
Preparing Your Machine 27
Creating a New Project 29
Visual Studio 29
XAML 34
Designing with Blend 39
Adding Code 48
Working with Events 51
Debugging in the Emulator 52
Debugging with a Device 53
Using Touch 58
Working with the Phone 61
Where Are We? 66
3 XAML Overview 67
What Is XAML? 67
XAML Object Properties 69
Understanding XAML Namespaces 70
Naming in XAML 71
Visual Containers 72
Visual Grammar 77
Shapes 77
Brushes 79
Colors 80
Text 81
Images 82
Transformations and Animations 84
Transformations 84
Animations 87
XAML Styling 90
Understanding Resources 91
Understanding Styles 93
Where Are We? 96
4 Controls 97
Controls in XAML 97
Simple Controls 100
Content Controls 106
List Controls 107
Phone-Specific Controls 108
Panorama Control 108
Pivot Control 112
Data Binding 115
Simple Data Binding 115
Using a DataTemplate 117
Improving Scrolling Performance 118
Binding Formatting 120
Element Binding 121
Converters 121
Data Binding Errors 123
Control Templates 125
Windows Phone Toolkit 130
AutoCompleteBox Control 131
ContextMenu Control 133
DatePicker and TimePicker Controls 135
ListPicker Control 137
LongListSelector Control 140
PerformanceProgressBar Control 144
ToggleSwitch Control 145
ExpanderView Control 146
PhoneTextBox Control 147
CustomMessageBox 149
WrapPanel Layout Container 153
Where Are We? 156
5 Designing for the Phone 157
The Third Screen 157
It Is a Phone, Right? 160
Deciding on an Application Paradigm 162
Panorama 164
Pivot 166
Simple Pages 169
Microsoft Expression Blend 169
Creating a Project 170
A Tour Around Blend 171
Blend Basics 180
Layout 180
Brushes 186
Creating Animations 191
Working with Behaviors 196
Phone-Specific Design 199
The ApplicationBar in Blend 199
Using the Panorama Control in Blend 203
Using the Pivot Control in Blend 206
Previewing Applications 209
Designing with Visual Studio 210
Implementing the Look and Feel of the Phone 212
Where Are We? 215
6 Developing for the Phone 217
Application Lifecycle 217
Navigation 220
Tombstoning 227
The Phone Experience 233
Orientation 233
Designing for Touch 236
Application Client Area 245
Application Bar 247
Understanding Idle Detection 249
The Tilt Effect 250
Localizing Your Phone Application 252
Where Are We? 258
7 Phone Hardware 261
Using Vibration 261
Using Motion 262
Emulating Motion 266
Using Sound 268
Playing Sound with MediaElement 269
Using XNA Libraries 270
Playing Sounds with XNA 270
Adjusting Playback 271
Recording Sounds 272
Working with the Camera 275
Using the PhotoCamera Class 276
Raw Hardware Access 281
Camera Lens App 284
The Clipboard API 286
Location APIs 287
Location Permission 287
Accessing Location Information 289
Turning Coordinates into Addresses 294
Emulating Location Information 295
Voice Commands 299
Speech Recognition 306
Speech Synthesis 310
Bluetooth and VOIP 316
Where Are We? 316
8 Phone Integration 317
Contacts and Appointments 317
Contacts 318
Appointments 323
Alarms and Reminders 324
Creating an Alarm 327
Creating a Reminder 328
Accessing Existing Notifications 329
Using Tasks 330
Launchers 333
Choosers 344
Media and Picture Hubs 355
Accessing Music 355
Playing Music 359
Accessing Pictures 360
Storing Pictures 363
Integrating into the Pictures Hub 364
Essential Windows Phone 8 is the definitive guide to creating powerful, visually compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 platform. Nine-time Microsoft MVP Shawn Wildermuth draws on his extensive experience teaching Windows Phone developers, helping you to get started fast and master techniques that lead to truly outstanding apps. Expanded and updated with 30% new coverage, this conversational, authoritative guide covers the essentials and a whole lot more.
Wildermuth begins with a solid "foundation building" introduction to Windows Phone 8 development and Windows Phone 8 hardware, introducing design, language, hardware specifications, patterns, the application lifecycle, out-of-the-box services, Live Tiles, and the Windows Marketplace. Once you have that foundation, Wildermuth dives into hands-on development, emphasizing best practices and realistic code examples. You'll develop a complete application from start to finish, then build on your skills with increasingly sophisticated techniques. Coverage includes:
Designing your app's look and feel
Implementing email, calling, search, Web browsing, and camera support
Interacting with users
Choosing the right app paradigm and functionality
Incorporating touch, vibration, motion, sound, and other forms of input
Working with hubs and tiles
Building location-based services
Storing data
Multitasking
Integrating external data
Preparing apps for the Marketplace
And much more