1. Developer Conference 2011
MICROSOFT USER GROUP KOLKATA

2. Building your first Metro
Style Application
Abhishek Sur, Microsoft MVP
Website: www.abhisheksur.com
Email : contact@abhisheksur.com
Twitter : @abhi2434

3. Agenda
 Introduction
 Convention & Rules
 Features
 Application Manifest
 Application Life Cycle
 Packaging & Deployment

4. Windows 8 Platforms and Tools
Metro Style Applications Desktop Applications
XAML
Javascript, CSS
HTML
C, C++ / C#, VB
Normal Desktop
Applications
Communication Graphics & Devices &
and Data Media Printing Win 32 Native Apps
Application Model
Windows Kernel Services

5. Why Metro Application
 Metro Style application are full screen, device ready,
touch interactive applications.
 They are more alive & truly designed for multi tasking
 Supports fluid layout, so content flows freely and adapts
to available space.
 Application Store

6. Conventions and Rules
 Everything should be in background. UI threads must be
responsive.
 Layout needs to support Snapping.
(FullScreen, Fillled, Snapped)
 UI elements should follow standardization. (Application
Bar, Charms etc.)
 Packaging and Deployment is recommended to be done
via App Store

7. Video

8. FEATURES

9. Live Tiles
 Tiles are like Icons.
 They provide facility to update tile content even when the
application is not running
 Tiles are bigger than Icon and helps you easily Tap using
Thumb.
 Size of Tile can be made Small or Big based on content
you want.

10. Chirms
 Each application is provided with Chirms.
 Chirms are special tools that allows an application to
interact with the environment.
 Chirms allows you to navigate to different settings
(Search, Share, Settings etc.)
• Windows+F – Opens File Search
• Windows+C – Opens Charms Bar
• Windows+I – Opens Settings
• Windows+Q – Opens App Search pane
• Windows+W – Opens Settings Search app
• Windows+Z – Opens App Bar

11. Application Bar
 Provides standard set of Icons in form of a Application
Toolbar.
 ApplicationBar generally applied on top or bottom of the
application.
 Shortcut for Application Bar is : Win + Z
 Application Bar provides standard access to activities
required for an application

12. Layout & Convensions

13. WORKING WITH APPLICATION
MANIFEST

14. Capabilities
 Windows 8 runs in constraint environment
 Capabilities define what the application is capable of.
 Some capabilities are treated as sensitive and hence
depends on User preference.
 User has flexibility to switch on / off.

15. Declarations
 General declarations on which the application can
participate.
 Example : File Type association, Global
search, Background Tasks etc.

16. Capabilities

17. Application Life Cycle
 Windows Metro application does not need to be stopped
by the User.
 Application must Detect Suspension, Termination or
Resumption.
 Application automatically gets to suspended mode after
5 seconds.
 Application gets terminated when it is not used for a long
time

18. Debugging in VS
 Visual Studio debugger
never suspend an
application.
 Visual Studio has special
menu which lets you Debug
Suspension and
Resumption of the
application.

19. Application Life Cycle
Manageent

20. Packaging And deployment
 Application Store
 Packaged using digital signature
 Zip content with XAML in plain text.
 Debug symbol files.
 VS generates additional files for local deployment

21. Package includes
 Compiled Code & Custom dlls (if any)
 XAML (not compiled)
 Resources
 Manifest
 Digital signature

22. Packaging Demo

23. References
• http://tinyurl.com/devconkol1
• http://tinyurl.com/devconkol2
• http://tinyurl.com/devconkol3

24. Thank you