Lessons Learned from Building Windows 8 Store. Apps with MVVM and XAML.
Mike Douglas
. @mikedouglasdev ...
Lessons Learned from Building Windows 8 Store Apps with MVVM and XAML Mike Douglas
[email protected] @mikedouglasdev
AGENDA • • • •
Background Why XAML/C#/MVVM? Lessons Learned What’s Next?
ABOUT MIKE DOUGLAS • Solution Consultant for Deliveron Consulting Services • Microsoft Visual Studio ALM MVP • Microsoft External Rangers – Visual Studio ALM • HDC, KCDC, OTSUG Presentations • Team Deploy – TeamDeploy.CodePlex.com • Blog - CodeSmartNotHard.com • Email – mikedouglas **at** deliveron.com • Twitter - @mikedouglasdev
ABOUT DELIVERON • Project based, technology consulting • Areas of Expertise: – – – – –
SharePoint BizTalk Business Intelligence .NET Development ALM Training and Consulting
• Deliveron Jumpstarts • Newsletters & Webcasts • www.Deliveron.com
BACKGROUND • The Challenge • TFS Agile Poker (www.tfsagilepoker.com) – MVVM, XAML, WinRT, Async/Await, OData/REST, Azure Mobile Services.
• ALM Readiness TreasureMap – Open source app for managing ALM Ranger’s guidance and tools – http://tinyurl.com/almtreasuremap
WHY XAML/C#/MVVM? • XAML/C# vs HTML5/JavaScript – – – –
Matching feature sets Originally thought I was going to use HTML5/JavaScript XAML/C# - Databinding and new features XAML is only way to get cross platform between • Win8 • WP • MVVM Cross and Xamarin – IOS – Android
LESSONS LEARNED • • • •
Design Development Testing Deployment to the Windows Store
LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN
LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN • Storyboarding – Create wireframe and visualize design
• Frameworks – Roll your own – Utilize Existing • IOC support • Flyout support • View to ViewModel auto wiring • Examples – MvvmLight – Prism
LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT • Async / Await – No UI blocking threads Method Signature
Example
Usage
Async Void
private async void OnSubmitPointsCommand()
Asynchronous Event Handlers only Potentially await-able
Async Task
public async Task CloseSessionAsync(string session)
Use when returning void
Async Task
public async Task CreateSessionAsync()
Use when having a return value
Await SomeMethodAsync
CurrentChannel = await PushNotificationChannelManager.CreatePushNot ificationChannelForApplicationAsync();
Used to create asynchronous method and doesn’t block UI thread
LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT • Persisting Data – Scenarios • Session State • Local or Roaming Settings – Default Serialization • Painful, requires KnownTypes definitions, DataMember attributes – JSON string serializedSettings = Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.SerializeObject(appSettings); applicationSettings = Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(serializedSe ttings);
– Roaming Settings Windows.Storage.ApplicationData.Current.RoamingSettings.Values["ApplicationS ettings"] = serializedSettings;
LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT • Styling and Data Templates
LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT • DataBinding – Properties support 2 way binding
– Converters • Boolean To Visibility
LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT • Commanding
LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT • Behaviors – Only buttons have a Command property – Attached Properties extend object with Command
LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT • Simulating Suspending and Terminating from VS
LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT • Team Agile Poker Demo
LESSONS LEARNED - TESTING
LESSONS LEARNED - TESTING • Dependency Injection / IOC – Recently released frameworks for PCL • Unity • Ninject
• Coded UI Testing support in Windows 8.1 / VS 2013 – Extensive gesture support
• Microsoft Test Manager – Execute test cases against device – Log and capture error information for bugs
LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE
LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE • Windows App Certification Kit
LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE • Gracefully handle common scenarios – – – –
Unhandled Exceptions -> NO CRASHES! Midstream Network Loss and no network connectivity Snapped Views Adaptive to support multiple resolutions (1366 x 768, 1920 x 1080)
LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE • Don’t make your company name / app name too long – Error Found: The performance launch test collected the following results:. • The Native Image Generator failed due to long file path for file C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\DeliveronConsultingServic.TeamPlanningPok er_1.0.0.1_neutral__s9dp6hmz44fsa\Microsoft.Data.Services.Clie nt.WindowsStore.dll • The Native Image Generator failed due to long file path for file C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\DeliveronConsultingServic.TeamPlanningPok er_1.0.0.1_neutral__s9dp6hmz44fsa\Microsoft.WindowsAzure.Mo bileServices.Managed.dll – To Skip NGEN • Add nongen.txt file to root folder of project.
LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE • Privacy Policy – Must have privacy policy if accessing any external resources and storing any data. http://www.privacychoice.org
LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE • When submitting – Tester Notes • Assume it is one of your grandparents is doing the review. • Assume no domain knowledge – Some markets have restrictions • Had to change rating to 12+ (email) • Some countries require an official game rating
LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE • How to create all of the required image sizes? – PerfecTile for Windows 8 – http://nirm.it/PerfecTile/
LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE • App Certification Demo
LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE
LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS 8.1
LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS 8.1 • Windows 8.1 – Currently in preview, released as free update in Windows Store on 10/17 – No more snapped views, can adjust to any size – Windows 8.0 apps will work on Windows 8.1 – Windows 8.1 apps will not work on Windows 8.0
WHAT’S NEXT? • • • • •
Windows 8.1 Version New Features Cross Platform with Xamarin (IOS, Android, WP8) Web version Writing TFS book
RESOURCES •
Xamarin and MvvmCross – http://xamarin.com/evolve/2013#session-dnoeeoarfj
•
Prism for Windows 8 – http://prismwindowsruntime.codeplex.com/
•
PerfecTile – http://nirm.it/PerfecTile/
•
CUIT Gestures in VS 2013 – http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudioalm/archive/2013/08/17/coded-ui-test-gesturesupport-in-visual-studio-2013.aspx
•
The Tablet Show – Getting apps into the Store – http://thetabletshow.com/?ShowNum=70
•
Pluralsight Courses – http://www.pluralsight.com/training/Courses/TableOfContents/windows8-hands-on – http://www.pluralsight.com/training/Courses/TableOfContents/win8mvvm
•
Free Online Privacy Policy tool – http://www.privacychoice.org
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