In this course the students will learn the more advanced programming skills and techniques that could be used to optimize their Windows Store app and differentiate their app from other applications in the Windows Store. These advanced skills and techniques include a combination of both design and development skills. The students will also learn about monetizing applications and supporting the applications that they have published to the Windows Store.

Who Should Attend

This course is intended for professional developers who have 1 or more years of experience creating applications for a production environment.

What You'll Learn

After completing this course, students will be able to:

• Create background tasks.
• Consume background tasks.
• Integrate WinMD components into a solution.
• Capture media with the Camera and microphone.
• Get data from sensors.
• Enumerate and discover device capabilities.
• Implement printing by using contracts and charms.
• Implement Play To by using contracts and charms.
• Notify users by using Windows Push Notification Service (WNS).
• Design for and implement User Interface responsiveness.
• Implement animations and transitions.
• Create custom controls.
• Design applications for globalization and localization.
• Design and implement data caching.
• Save and retrieve files from the File system.
• Secure application data.
• Design and implement trial functionality in an application.
• Design for error handling.
• Design and implement a test strategy.
• Design a diagnostics and monitoring strategy.

Course Outline

Module 1: Windows Store App Essentials

This module provides an overview of the Windows 8.1 user experience and features, Windows Store apps, and the new user interface. You will review the process of developing apps using HTML to create the user interface, and the WinRT API to interact with the platform.

Lessons

• Review Windows Store App Essentials
• Review Windows Store App Essentials – Under the Hood

Module 2: Implementing Animations and Transitions

This module covers the following techniques for creating animations in Windows Store apps:
• The built-in WinJS.UI.Animation namespace
• CSS3 @keyframes
• CSS3 transitions and transformations

In this module, you will learn about the WinJS.UI.Animation namespace and CSS3 animations. By using animations in Windows Store apps, you can improve the user experience. This module also introduces the limitations of animations, and explains best practices for using them.

Lessons

• Implementing Animations
• Working with Transitions and Transformations

Lab: Implementing Animations, Transitions, and Transformations

• Creating Animations in a Windows Store App
• Creating Transitions and Transformations in a Windows StoreApp

Module 3: Implementing Globalization and Localization

Windows 8.1 supports over 100 languages, with a potential reach of 4.5 billion people. You can sell Windows Store apps in over 200 markets. When you design an app for globalization and localization, it can reach a wide audience. Globalization prepares an app for a global audience. This involves changing culture-specific elements of the user interface, such as dates, times, currencies, languages, and more. Localization takes globalization further by supporting specific languages, cultures, and regions. You should always globalize an app before you localize it.

Lessons

• Working with Resource File
• Implementing Culture-Specific Formatting

Lab: Implementing Globalization and Localization

• Create and Consume the Resource Files
• Apply Culture-Specific Formatting

Module 4: Implementing Branding and a Seamless UI for Windows Store Apps

This module explains how you can add branding to your app, and how to add a branded splash screen to it, which improves the user experience when they load the app.

Lessons

• Introduction to Branding
• Customizing the Splash Screen
• Branding the UI of Your App

Lab: Branding and a Seamless UI

• Creating a Customized Splash Screen
• Branding a Windows Store App

Module 5: Advanced Data Scenarios in a Windows Store App

In this module, you will explore the new file storage capabilities of Windows 8.1 and learn how to use them in the apps that you build. You will also see how to design and implement more efficient data storage through caching and how to set up file extensions, associations, and compression.

Lessons

• Implementing Storage Options for a Windows Store App
• Implementing Data Caching
• Advanced File Functionality

Lab: Caching Data

• Caching Data

Module 6: Creating Reusable Controls and Components

In this module, you will learn how the Windows Library for JavaScript (WinJS) provides a rich set of controls, such as the ListView, FlipView, and AppBar controls. You can use these controls to create functional apps. If the built-in controls do not provide the functionality you need, you can create your own custom controls and reuse them in any other apps, like a built-in control.

You will also learn how to extend the Windows Runtime (WinRT) by exposing existing or new libraries to Windows Store apps. You can create custom WinRT components that can be used from any other supported programming language (C#, VB.NET, C++, or JavaScript).

Lessons

• Working with Custom Controls
• Creating and Using WinRT Components

Lab: Creating Reusable Controls and Components

• Create and Use a Custom Control
• Use a WinRT Component

Module 7: Implementing Advanced Contract Scenarios

This module describes how to use two new contracts:
• The Print contract enables interaction with printing devices.
• The Play To contract enables media sharing with other devices, such as television sets.

This module also describes how to integrate the contacts and calendar appointments managed by the operating system with a Windows Store app, creating new contacts and calendar appointments, updating and deleting existing ones.

Lastly, you will learn how to take advantage of several convenient Windows 8.1 APIs to provide exciting, user-friendly features in your apps. Windows RT has native APIs for working with PDF files, creating screenshots of your app, and generating speech from text through speech synthesis.

Lessons

• Implementing the Print Contract
• The Play To Contract
• Integrating Contacts and Calendars
• Integrating speech synthesis
• Support PDF files and screenshots

Lab: Integrating the Print Contract Into the App

• Printing Content
• Integrating the Printing Functionality
• Adding PDF Support

Module 8: The Windows Push Notification Service

This module describes and explains Windows Push Notifications design concepts.

Lessons

• Introduction to the Push Notification Service
• Communicating with the WNS

Lab: The Windows Push Notification Service

• Manage a Windows Notification Service Channel

Module 9: Capturing Media

In this module, you will learn how to include media capturing functionality in your app. Learning to use the media capturing APIs of Windows 8.1 can be a key element in creating an exciting and successful app.

Lessons

• Using CameraCaptureUI to Capture Pictures, Video and Audio
• Using MediaCapture to Capture Pictures, Video, or Audio

Lab: Capturing Media

• Capturing Video by Using the CameraCaptureUI API
• Capturing an Image by Using the MediaCapture API

Module 10: Background Tasks

This module explains how to create, register, and use background tasks for Windows Store apps.

Lessons

• Creating Background Tasks
• Using Background Tasks in a Windows Store App

Lab: Background Tasks

• Transfer Files in the Background
• Create and Consume a Background Task

Module 11: Working with Sensors and Devices

This module describes some of the sensors and devices available to a Windows Store app and explains how to access them from your Windows Store app.

Lessons

• Working with Sensors
• Working with Devices

Lab: Working with Sensors and Devices

• Using the SimpleOrientationSensor
• Using Location Services

Module 12: Generating Revenue with Your App

This module will introduce you to the options you have, as a developer, to increase revenue with your Windows Store apps.

Lessons

• Implementing Trial Functionality in a Windows Store App
• Implementing In-App Purchases
• Advertising in a Windows Store App

Lab: Generating Revenue with your App

• Using the Windows.ApplicationModel.Store Namespace toSupport Trial App Conversion
• Implementing In-App Purchasing

Module 13: Securing Windows Store App Data

In this module, you will learn how to create a secure application that is secure at the client and server side, and how to protect data.

Lessons

• Managing Windows Authentication
• Managing Web Authentication
• Encryption in a Windows Store App

Lab: Securing Windows Store App Data

• Using ACS Authentication
• Encrypting User Information

Module 14: Tracing and Profiling Windows Store Apps

In this module, you will learn the techniques that will help you analyze your code for potential issues, create run time logs efficiently, and diagnose various types of performance problems in your Windows Store app.

Lessons

• Tracing and Profiling a Windows Store App

Lab: Tracing and Profiling Windows Store Apps

• Profile Performance
• Profile Memory Usage

We look forward to your great success.