Windows Store Apps For Absolute Beginners With C#

Here, in this application, I will show you how to develop Windows store apps in Windows 8 and how to test them using the local machine and a simulator. To create a project, open your Visual Studio and create a new project of the type shown below:

 

 

Choose a blank app(XAML) and press the OK button and it will add the following things in the Solution Explorer.

 

Here, I am briefly describing everything added in this Solution Explorer.

 

App.Xaml

When your Application starts,  first the App.xaml file is loaded and it contains all the app-level resources and settings. This file is like Global.asax file in ASP.NET, which is first to run. The App.Xaml will look as shown below:

<Application
x:Class="Myapp.App"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:local="using:Myapp">

</Application>

Assets- This is a folder which mainly contains the splash screen and a different logo used in the Application.

MainPage.xaml- It is similar to a .aspx page or a view in ASP.NET, where you have to design your UI. It uses XAML to design the UI.

 

MainPage.xaml.cs- This is similar to aspx.cs page in ASP.NET, where the main logic will be written.

 

Myapp_TemporaryKey.pfx- This is the certificate for your Windows app. When you first create a new project in Visual Studio, it will create a new test certificate automatically.

 

Now, I designed my UI, as shown below:

 

 

Here, the source code(XAML) for this design is as follows:

<Grid Background="BlanchedAlmond" Width="963" Height="396" >
     <StackPanel Margin="151,99,0,0">
         <TextBlock Text=" Windows Apps Tutorial Part-1" FontSize="36" Foreground="Red" Margin="0,0,24,0"  />
         <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" Margin="0,20,0,20">
             <TextBox Name="txt_name" Width="421" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Height="46" FontSize="24" Background="DeepPink"/>
             <Button Content="READ" Height="50" Background="Black" Click="Button_Click"/>
         </StackPanel>

     </StackPanel>
 </Grid>
;/Page>

On the button, click and write the code, given below, to open a message box to show the text entered in the textbox by the user. 

private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
        {

            //Creating instance for the MessageDialog Class

            MessageDialog msgbox = new MessageDialog("Good Morning" + " "+ txt_name.Text);

             msgbox.ShowAsync();

        }

W can check in two ways i.e- Local Device and in Simulator. Let's check the result in Local Device and Simulator. Press F5 to run the project and check the output.



Enter a name in the textbox and click the Read button.

 

Click the Read button and it will show the message box, as depicted below:

 

Here, the output comes as expected.

Let's check with the simulator.

Choose the simulator option as follows.

 

 

Now, run the project.

 

 

Now, check the result by putting a name on the textbox.

In this way, we can check the app in the simulator. This tutorial is  basic, as far as Windows store apps are concerned. I hope  this will help you.