Quickstart on Windows 8 tablet

Question

I want to develop application for windows 8 tablet. I now have:

1. Windows 8 consumer preview machine
2. VS studio 2011

And I'd like to know:

• Where do I start?
• Do the applications developed for windows 8 desktop will be used as it is in windows 8 tablets?
• Where can I get emulater kind of thing to test them?
• Can I have some hello world sample for windows 8 tablet application. I did it for windows 8 desktop but will it work as it is on tab?
• What is the difference in development environment I need to use WInRT where this WINRT comes in picture?
• When I select new metrostyle application, will it automatically switch to winrt instead of .net?

There is lot of confusion for winrt vs .net (when we actually start working on VS 2011 on consumer preview)

Answer 1

There is no difference between desktop and tablet Windows 8 machines other than the form factor and available features. Well that and the fact that some of these tablets will be running on ARM hardware (the Windows RT SKU of Windows), so if you use any native code you need to factor in another platform to what you may want to support (x86, x64, ARM).

To start - just create a blank Metro Style App project in Visual Studio 11 and run it with F5. The Metro Style Apps use Windows Runtime (WinRT for short) instead of WinAPI/Win32 that the "desktop apps" use. Desktop apps that use WinAPI can still be used on non-ARM devices, but can't be sold in the Windows Store (though you can sell it yourself on your website and get it featured in the Store).

Here are some learning resources that you can start with. I recommend beginning with the Build conference videos.

• http://dev.windows.com – Windows Dev Center Home
• http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/Build2011?sort=sequential&direction=desc&term=&t=windows%2Bruntime – Build 2011 conference videos on Windows Runtime
• http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/br211377.aspx – Windows Runtime reference
• http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/windowsapps – Metro style app samples
• http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/windowsapps – MSDN Forums – Windows Metro style apps
• http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winappswithcsharp – MSDN Forums – Building Metro style apps with C# or VB