Programming the Windows Runtime by Example A Comprehensive Guide to WinRT with Examples in C# and XAML

Master Windows 8.1/Windows Runtime Programming Through 80 Expert Projects
This is the most complete, hands-on, solutions-focused guide to programming modern Windows applications with the Windows Runtime.

Leading Windows development consultants Jeremy Likness and John Garland present easy-to-adapt C# and XAML example code for more than 80 projects. Their real-world application examples help you apply Windows 8.1’s best improvements, including large tiles, the new search control, flyouts, command bars, native WinRT networking, and new deployment and sideloading options.

Drawing on their pioneering experience, they illuminate key areas of the Windows Runtime API, offering uniquely detailed coverage of encryption, cloud connectivity, devices, printers, and media integration. You’ll find cutting-edge tips and tricks available in no other book.

This is an indispensable resource for all intermediate-to-advanced Windows developers, and for any architect building desktop, tablet, or mobile solutions with Microsoft technologies. Its focus on both C# and XAML will make it valuable to millions of Windows developers already familiar with Silverlight, WPF, and/or .NET.

Coverage includes
• Creating robust app interfaces with the newest XAML controls, including flyouts and command bars
• Saving data in a persistent “roaming zone” for syncing across Windows 8.1 devices
• Using Visual State Manager (VSM) to build apps that adapt to various device resolutions and orientations
• Integrating virtually any form of data into your apps
• Connecting with web services, RSS, Atom feeds, and social networks
• Securing apps via authentication, encrypting, signing, and single sign-on with Microsoft Account, Facebook, Google, and more
• Leveraging Windows 8.1 media enhancements that improve battery life and app performance
• Networking more effectively with Windows 8.1’s revamped HTTP implementation and new location APIs
• Using Tiles and Toasts to keep apps alive and connected, even when they aren’t running
• Enabling users to send content between devices via NFC tap and send
• Ensuring accessibility and globalizing your apps
• Efficiently debugging, optimizing, packaging, and deploying your apps
• Building sideloadable apps that don’t have to be published in Windows Store

“This book doesn’t just focus on singular concepts, it also provides end-to-end perspective on building an app in WinRT. It is one of those essential tools for Windows developers that will help you complete your software goals sooner than without it!”
—Tim Heuer, Principal Program Manager Lead, XAML Platform, Microsoft Corporation

Jeremy Likness is a multi-year Microsoft MVP for XAML technologies. A Principal Consultant for Wintellect with 20 years of experience developing enterprise applications, he has worked with software in multiple verticals ranging from insurance, health and wellness, supply chain management, and mobility. His primary focus for the past decade has been building highly scalable web-based solutions using the Microsoft technology stack with client stacks ranging from WPF, Silverlight, and Windows 8.1 to HTML5 and JavaScript. Jeremy has been building enterprise line of business applications with Silverlight since version 2.0, and he started writing Windows 8 apps when the Consumer Preview was released in 2011.

Prior to Wintellect, Jeremy was Director of Information Technology and served as development manager and architect for AirWatch, where he helped the company grow and solidify its position as one of the leading wireless technology solution providers in the United States prior to their acquisition by VMware. A fluent Spanish speaker, Jeremy served as Director of Information Technology for HolaDoctor (formerly Dr. Tango), where he architected a multilingual content management system for the company’s Hispanic-focused online diet program. Jeremy accepted his role there after serving as Development Manager for Manhattan Associates, an Atlanta-based software company that provides supply chain management solutions.

John Garland is a Principal Consultant for Wintellect with more than 15 years of experience developing software solutions. Prior to consulting, he spent much of his career working on high-performance video and statistical analysis tools for premier sports teams, with an emphasis on the NFL, the NBA, and Division 1 NCAA football and basketball. His consulting clients range from small businesses to Fortune-500 companies, and his work has been featured at Microsoft conference keynotes and sessions.

John is a Microsoft Client Development MVP, as well as a member of the Windows Azure Insiders and Windows Azure Mobile Services Advisory Board. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife and daughter, where he is an active speaker and participant in the New England software development community. He is a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering and holds Microsoft Certifications spanning Windows, Silverlight, Windows Phone, and Windows Azure. John is the author of the ebook Windows Store Apps Succinctly (Syncfusion, 2013).

1. The New Windows Runtime
2. Windows Store Apps and WinRT Components
3. Layouts and Controls
4. Data and Content
5. Web Services and Syndication
6. Connecting to the Cloud
7. Tiles and Toasts
8. Security (Authentication, Encrypting, Signing, and LiveConnect)
9. Social Networking
10. Networking
11. Contracts
12. Extensions
13. Devices
14. Printers
15. Background Tasks
16. Multimedia
17. Accessibility
18. Globalization
19. Packaging and Deploying
20. Debugging and Performance Optimization
21. Glossary