MS 20482 Advanced Windows Store App Development Using HTML5 and JavaScript

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the Windows 8.1 platform, architecture, and features.
• Outline the process of creating user interfaces with HTML.
• Explain the new WinRT API model.
• Describe the basics of working with files, implementing contracts, showing notifications, and deploying your app to the Windows Store.

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Implement animations by using the WinJS.UI.Animation namespace and CSS3 @keyframes.
• Implement animations by using transitions and transformations.

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Create and use resource files for localization.
• Implement culture-specific formatting.

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the purpose and functionality of branding.
• Customize a splash screen for a Windows Store app.
• Brand 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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Use file storage in a Windows Store app.
• Explain what data caching is, and how to use it in a Windows Store app.
• Implement advanced file functionality by setting up file extensions and associations and compressing files in an app.

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Create and use custom controls.
• Use custom WinRT components.

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Implement the Print contract.
• Implement the Play To contract.
• Display PDF documents in your app.
• Create snapshots of your app.

This module describes and explains Windows Push Notifications design concepts.

Lessons

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Explain how Windows Push Notifications work.
• Use Windows Push Notifications in a Windows Store app.

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Use the CameraCaptureUI API to capture pictures, videos and audio.
• Use the MediaCapture API to capture pictures, videos and audio.

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Create background tasks for your Windows Store app.
• Use background tasks in your Windows Store app.

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Discover and access sensors and act upon sensor data from a Windows Store app.
• Discover and interact with devices from a Windows Store 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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Implement trial functionality in your Windows Store app.
• Implement in-app purchases in your Windows Store app.
• Incorporate advertising in your Windows Store app.

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Manage Windows authentication.
• Manage web authentication.
• Encrypt data.

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Trace the run time flow of your Windows Store app.
• Diagnose CPU and memory performance problems in your Windows Store app.