Windows 8.1 In-App Search Control AND Search Pane (Search Charm)? - windows-8

I'm trying to use the new 8.1 SearchBox Control in WinJS, but if I already have a Search Contract bound to my app for the Search Charm, I get an access denied error:
Can't hide this app in the search pane because the app has already accessed the search pane.
Can I not use both the new Search Control and the Search Pane at the same time?

According to MSDN documentation, no you can't:
An app can't use both the search box (Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.SearchBox for Windows Store apps using C++, C#, or Visual Basic, WinJS.UI.SearchBox for Windows Store apps using JavaScript) and the SearchPane
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/dn301949.aspx

Related

How to create a XAML Basic Page item in Visual Studio 2015 Ultimate?

In multiple Windows Store App tutorials i have come across, where Visual Studio 2012 is used, the user is told to delete MainPage.xaml and replace it with a new item called Basic Page.
Since Windows Store Apps is not available in the version I'm using (Visual Studio 2015 Ultimate), when creating a new project, I went with Windows Universal Blank App. The problem is I can't find the Basic Page item in the version I'm using.
Is there an equivalent item I can use instead?
Edit: YouTube tutorial link
I know absolutely nothing about Windows Store Apps and Universal Apps, but was told by my CS teacher that I should use Windows Universal App, when creating the project. The tutorial was his recommendation, and he expects that I finish it during the weekend, so I can't ask him about it. I'm guessing there must be some difference between WSA and WUA. I can't see any item that looks like Basic Page, and I don't really know why the guy is replacing the MainPage.xaml with a Basic Page, so i'm clueless about what to do now.
You should use Blank Page option instead.
Difference between Basic Page and Blank Page
Basic Page- This on addition also adds some boilerplate code related to navigation inside your app along with back button and Appname header in XAML code.
Blank Page- Only adds a default page with basic navigation.
Make sure you have installed app development SDK's, since under C# you are supposed to get Universal option which I am not seeing in your current screenshot.
If you install Windows 8.1 SDK then you might get Basic Page template option. But for windows 10 SDK you can use Template10 add it as nuget package which already contains these navigation related boilerplate codes.

running an (html/javascript) webpage from inside a visual basic.net program

i wrote a (visual basic.net-2008) desktop app that allows ham radio operators to enter a call,
such as WA0H, and the program gives the ham's location (springfield, mo.).
you can download the program free from my website .. www.wa0h.com
i want the program to display the ham's location on a google map using google's api-v3.
i have created an (html/javascript) webpage, where you enter the location in a form box,
click a (find) button, and the app displays the map ok, including a marker pin on the map.
??? how do i run the (webpage) from inside my (vb.net) program ???
my vb.net program needs to:
1 .. pass the address to the webpage
2 .. click the webpage (find) button
according to the google maps (developers) website, they want questions posted to stackoverflow.
thanks for your time.
1-First you need to create pin on the map
i suggest using Google Static Maps API as in hear : https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/static-maps/intro#quick_example
for the example use this
https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=Brooklyn+Bridge,New+York,NY&zoom=13&size=600x300&maptype=roadmap&markers=color:blue%7Clabel:S%7C40.702147,-74.015794&key=YOUR_API_KEY
then you get something like this
https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=Brooklyn+Bridge,New+York,NY&zoom=13&size=600x300&maptype=roadmap&markers=color:blue%7Clabel:S%7C40.702147,-74.015794&key=AIzaSyDnw6k3UjE2qZ5nLnI8cKghaEEdCXV0PUI&signature=5xiF2jgoXwFonsjew0PmtZdSTHU=
2-you need to open this page using web browser.
to use "WebBrowser" inside of toolbox, drag and drop it then set ScriptErrorsSuppressed to true
to set webbrowser url you can use webbrowser1.navigate("your url as string")

Windows Store app - Grid app with different items

I have to do a Windows Store application in XAML and C#, and the "Grid app" template is almost exactly what I need...
The problem is that this template displays same items, divided in groups.
For my app, I would like to do exactly the same thing but for different type of items instead and have a different details page for each type of item...
This is my first app and I don't manage to do it... How can I do it easily ?
The new "Hub" control of Windows 8.1 would be really perfect, But I can't work with Visual studio 2013 and Windows 8.1... :
http://mikaelkoskinen.net/winrt-xaml-hub-control-getting-started-tutorial-semanticzoom/
Thanks
I finally found the solution.
I had to use a TemplateSelector :
http://channel9.msdn.com/Series/Migrating-apps-from-Windows-Phone-to-Windows-8/Custom-Styling-in-Windows-Store-Apps

Code for custom taskbar hover-over buttons?

Windows Vista, 7 and 8 all display a preview of the application; when the application icon of an open application is hovered over in the taskbar.
Some developers have added custom options in this tooltip, like Windows Media Player:
Given an application written in C++ which uses the Windows Template Library, how would I code in a custom button to an application tooltip preview?
The feature is known as Taskbar Extensions - Thumbnail Toolbars. WTL does not provide any helper/wrapper classes to implement support for thumbnail toolbars, so you have to use the API directly, using ITaskbarList3 interface.

Windows 8, Metro app: About dialog box guidelines or suggestions

Are About dialog boxes "dead" in Windows 8 Metro apps? I looked over quite a few apps and screenshots of apps in the Windows store, and did not find any "inspiration".
Is there any guidelines from Microsoft or any article that discusses this issue?
What do you think is the best way to show a dialog box/popup that shows the app name, version, author and a link to the app's home page?
I am thinking of a icon button in the bottom appbar, something like "About Appname", that opens a popup with this information. I am using C# and XAML.
You would place the About into the Settings pane via the Settings Charm using the Setting Contract. You can see the About in almost all of the apps in the Store today. Quick start on adding Settings can be found here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/xaml/hh872190.aspx
Guidelines for app settings here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh770544.aspx
Take a look here.
It lets you create dialogs/flyouts very easily from a UserControl. A few lines of boiler plate and you are done. Takes care of animation, UI management etc.