An overview of development for Windows 8

1. 18 June 2014
Developing for Windows 8

2. © Copyright Dimension Data 218 June 2014© Copyright Dimension Data 218 June 2014
Agenda
• What’s what in Windows 8
• Windows 8 Device Comparison
• Windows 8 Platform Overview
• Windows Store UX
• Windows 8 Platform & Tools
• WinRT with C#/XAML and JS/HTML
• WinRT with C++
• Windows Store

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What’s what?
• Windows Runtime (WinRT)
A brand new COM-based wrapper for the Windows 8 OS API
• Windows RT (Codename “Windows on ARM”)
A version of the Windows 8 OS built for ARM-architecture that only supports WinRT
applications
• Windows Store UX / Modern UI (Codename “Metro”)
Full screen immersive content-centric application adhering to the Microsoft design guides
• Windows Store App
A sandboxed Modern UI app built op top of WinRT, deployed using .appx package
• Desktop Application
Any application that is not in full screen Modern UI
• Sideloaded App
Windows Store Apps deployed to enterprise devices without using the Windows Store

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Windows 8 Device Comparison
Windows RT
Tablet
Windows 8
Tablet
Windows 8 Pro
Tablet
Windows 8 Pro
Laptop
Windows 8
Enterprise
Windows Store
Apps
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Sideload Store
Apps
Yes(*) - Yes(*) Yes(*) Yes(*)
Desktop
Applications
Office 2013 only Yes Yes Yes Yes
Bitlocker Yes - Yes Yes Yes
Office 2013
Student
Yes - - - -
Remote Desktop Client Client Yes Yes Yes
Domain Join - - Yes Yes Yes
Hyper-V - - Yes Yes Yes
Windows-To-Go - - - - Yes
Architecture ARM Atom x64 x64 x64
Price point $500+ $500+ $900+ $700+ $700+

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Windows 8 Platform Overview

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XAML
Subsystem
COM / CX
Subsystem
Windows Store UX
HTML/JS
Subsystem
.NET 4.5 CLR
Subsystem
HTML UI XAML UI
Windows Store UX
Windows Runtime
DirectX

7. © Copyright Dimension Data 718 June 2014
Windows 8 Platform and Tools

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Windows Runtime (WinRT with HTML5/JS or XAML/C#)
Windows Runtime
COM
Windows Native API
Sandbox
HTML5/JS Windows
Store Application
.NET 4.5 CLR
.NET Desktop application
Sandbox
XAML/C# Windows
Store Application

9. © Copyright Dimension Data 918 June 2014
Windows Runtime (WinRT with C++)
Windows Runtime
COM
.NET 4.5 CLR
C++ Desktop Application
MFC / ATL
Windows Native API
C++/CX C++/CLI C++/MFC/ATL
C++ Store App

10. © Copyright Dimension Data 1018 June 2014
C++ Component Extensions (C++/CX)
• CX is Native
• CX is Unmanaged
• CX is COM under the covers
BUT:
• You get namespaces for all CX objects
• Does not require extensive knowledge of COM
• CX objects are reference counted automatically (not GC)
• You do not have to maintain COM interfaces manually
• You do not get HResult back from calls, but Exceptions on errors
• Return values are not output parameters like in old school COM
• You get a handle to objects, not a pointer nor a reference
Foo^ foo = ref new Foo();
foo->MyMethod();
And lots more…

11. © Copyright Dimension Data 1118 June 2014© Copyright Dimension Data 1118 June 2014
Windows Store