Microsoft Windows 8 build study NOTE (1)

BPS-1006 Tools for building Metro style apps

Refer video: http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/BUILD/BUILD2011/BPS-1006

Note:

It is introduction of VC2011, here is some major demo topic as follows:

• Auto spell which is powerful with Visual Assist

  • Auto spell, finding related function and method. It is easy to go.

• JS debugging:

  • It is cool to have debugger for JS which also support all debugging window (variable, watch…)

• Parallel stack debugging windows:

  • It has visualization debugging tab for parallel which could show currently threading and each thread dependency.

• RT XAML editor:

  • During debugging you also could editing XMAL code by select on UI or select on code segment to show UI change on fly.

• Simulator debugger:

  • I think it is very cool stuff for me such we don’t have multiple touch panel on hand but we need implement some related to “Share”, “Search” which need finger slip.

  • It also provide “finger”, “rotate”, “zoom” and it could simulate to different resolution for Metro UI debugging.

• Asynchronous programming (await, async)

  • Refer here for more detail:

    • Something about C# 5.0

    • Asynchronous Programming in C# 5.0 part two: Whence await?

  • Concept:

    • Will folk another thread after “await” and response on original message loop to ensure response quickly.

    • It look like to cut original message thread,one back to main and another keep doing async task.

    • It help us to using linear thinking to do asynchronous programming

  • Sample: (from here) async void ArchiveDocuments(List urls) { Task archive = null; for(int i = 0; i < urls.Count; ++i) { var document = await FetchAsync(urls[i]); if (archive != null) await archive; archive = ArchiveAsync(document); } }

BPS-1005 Platform for Metro style apps

Refer video: http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/BUILD/BUILD2011/BPS-1005

Note:

• What is major different between Metro UI application with desktop application?

  • No overlay window architect (all full screen)

  • No message box related API.

• Device access all using asynchronous to ensure all application could response on time.

• About “Broker” in WinRT concern as follows:

  • Impact system integrity.

  • Impact user data

  • Impact User private

• HTML5/CSS/JS great for Metro Apps

  • MSFT try to enlarge their engineer base and try to draw Web engineer’s attention to join Metro Apps development.

• Package your application:

  • Application could be easily to pack and upload to MSFT with one click on VS11.

  • All package need digital signature before upload to App Store

TOOL-789C Bringing existing C++ code into Metro style apps

Refer video: http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/BUILD/BUILD2011/TOOL-789C

Note:

• About Metro UI app:

  • No registry, GDI, MessageBox coding.

• Here is work/not work desktop app

  • Work:

    • Standard C++

    • Parallel pattern

    • Win32 (WinRT and Win32 subset)

    • ATL (ATL subset)

  • Not work:

    • MFC

• About WinRT

  • Refer: Windows Runtime(WinRT) 揭秘

  • Any old DLL component could be easy to pack to WinRT  component if no depends limited list as above.

• Q&A

  • Two Metro UI don’t have any way to communicate for now, currently it still isolate.

  • For disable API, it might change depends engineer feedback to MSFT.

  • All Metro UI need component could be pack to WinRT component and package today to delivery to end-user via store.

  • Shared component is not work on Metro UI, all component must be side-by-side. Because you could not use CoCreateInstance by CLSID, so there is unique CLSID on Metro world.

  • Whole app on Metro UI are isolate due to security and system integrity.