Posts on July 27, 2014

Windows Phone: Universal app template with about page, settings, first-run tutorial
Posted on 2014-07-27 19:20:00
Tags: windowsphone wpdev
Words: 314

It's tough to start with a blank app - I always want an About page and some other things. Since Universal apps are all the rage for Windows and Windows Phone, I made a universal app template to help get you started!

This template provides:
- About pages that are shared between Windows and Windows Phone, including links to other apps, to contact the author, to review the app, etc.
- Settings that are persisted and the user can set (in an about page)
- A first-run tutorial

Downloads:
- WinUniversalTemplate.zip - universal app template

Instructions:
Create the directory <My Documents>\Visual Studio 2013\Templates\ProjectTemplates\Visual C# and download the template to that directory. Next time you start Visual Studio 2013, you should have a "Hub About App (Universal Apps)" entry under Templates/Visual C#.

Notes:
- The template is based on the Universal Hub template - right now that seemed like the best choice since the Universal empty template doesn't have support for navigation, etc.
- I constructed the various About pages so they could be shared between Windows and Windows Phone. That was a bit more awkward than I had expected - if it becomes a burden for you, feel free to split them up. (if you have any questions, feel free to contact me!)
- There are instructions in the README.txt file on how to customize or disable the first-run tutorial.

Screenshots:
- UserSettings class and settings page

- About page with contact info and review button

- Page for linking to other apps

- First-run tutorial



Problems? Feedback? More things you'd like to see in the template? Let me know at @gregstoll or ext-greg.stoll@microsoft.com!

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See all my Windows Phone development posts.

I'm planning on writing more posts about Windows Phone development - what would you like to hear about? Reply here, on twitter at @gregstoll, or by email at ext-greg.stoll@microsoft.com.

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Interested in developing for Windows Phone? I'm the Windows Phone Developer Ambassador for Austin - drop me a line at ext-greg.stoll@microsoft.com!

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pictures from our quick New Orleans trip
Mood: tired
Posted on 2014-07-27 22:59:00
Tags: health pictures travel
Words: 223

<- click for full album!


The short version is - we had a good time! Got to wander the French Quarter a bit, take a steamboat up and down the Mississippi, and even have afternoon tea. Foodwise, I managed to have red beans and rice, jambalaya, beignets, and something like "Creole sausage" (is that a thing?), so I feel like I did pretty well.

Oh, and I had a root canal last week which I have apparently survived. I would like to dedicate the trip to David (it's our 5 year anniversary!) and Advil.

<- We stayed at the Windsor Court Hotel, which was extremely nice. Here's a view of (one of) their restaurants, which is where we ate breakfast every morning.

<- Colorful coral (at the aquarium)

<- David in front of the Steamboat Natchez after our trip. It was fun and informative!

<- This artwork at Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro felt very New Orleanian to me.

<- David and me in our carriage.

<- Our hotel was fancy enough to serve afternoon tea with ample tea sandwiches and scones! (sidenote: there were 20 other women there and no other men...)

<- Before we left we stopped by the National WWII Museum. Honestly, this picture looks a bit creepier than I had anticipated.

<- A sobering picture of the relative sizes of the military forces of Japan, the US, and Germany in 1939.

<- Recruitment posters from WWII.

<- Rationing, etc. posters from WWII.

<- More miscellaneous posters from WWII.

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