Using Windows Store App Resource Libraries in C# / XAML

Introduction Given there is a Windows Store app. Some of the resources that this app needs are part of a library. This library contains a XAML file (ApplicationStyles.xaml) for application specific styles and the StandardStyles.xaml that is generated when a new Windows Store App (XAML) project is created. ApplicationStyles.xaml uses …

Change Color of ToggleSwitch

Given you implement an app using the dark theme. This app contains some configuration values, which can be changed using a settings flyout. According to the design guidelines, the background of the settings flyout should be white. Unfortunately, the default color theme for all controls is dark. So they are …

SCC Removal Tool for TFS / Visual Studio

Preface Publishing sample code to the blog requires some manual tasks to remove all the source control configurations and files as well as the user specific files of Visual Studio. After publishing a few code samples, having to do the same changes manually again and again, I thought it was …

Handling of Out-Parameters with .NET Reflection

Since Microsoft decided to remove the creation of private accessors for unit tests in Visual Studio 2012, one have to get familiar with the usage of Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting.PrivateObject. This class offers an easy way to call methods, independent from their visibility, via reflection. The method is PrivateObject.Invoke. This method saves you …

MDI / Multiple Tabs Flat Navigation App Bar in Windows Store Apps

Summary The Windows 8 User Experience Guidelines mentions two different navigation designs: the hierarchical and the flat system. As said in the guidelines, most Windows Store apps use the hierarchical system. But I needed a flat navigation. And in addition, I needed a way to implement a Multiple Document Interface …

Microsoft Advertising Services AdControl Error Handling in XAML/C#

Preface The Do’s + Don’ts of the Advertising SDK say “DO plan for times when no ads are available.” The links of that item leads to the ErrorCode enumeration and a rudimentarily error handling sample, writing text to debug output. In this post, I will show an error handling where …