April 7, 2023

Developing for Windows 8

© Copyright Dimension Data 27 April 2023© Copyright Dimension Data 27 April 2023

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 AppA sandboxed Modern UI app built op top of WinRT, deployed using .appx package

• Desktop ApplicationAny application that is not in full screen Modern UI

• Sideloaded AppWindows Store Apps deployed to enterprise devices without using the Windows Store

© Copyright Dimension Data 47 April 2023

Windows 8 Device Comparison

Windows RT Tablet

Windows 8 Tablet

Windows 8 Pro Tablet

Windows 8 ProLaptop

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+

© Copyright Dimension Data 57 April 2023© Copyright Dimension Data 57 April 2023

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

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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

© Copyright Dimension Data 97 April 2023

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

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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…

CX !

© Copyright Dimension Data 117 April 2023© Copyright Dimension Data 117 April 2023

Windows Store