Professional Windows Vista Gadgets Programming
As an easy-to-use application that provides information at a
glance, a gadget basically takes the concept of portal dashboards
and moves them to the more accessible Windows desktop where users
can quickly and easily obtain weather information, RSS news feeds,
and much more. In Windows Vista, there are two types of
gadgets-Sidebar and SideShow gadgets. Sidebar gadgets are mini
applications hosted in the Sidebar pane located on the Windows
desktop, and SideShow gadgets are applications that send
information to SideShow-enabled devices, such as an external LCD
display, or even a remote control. With this hands-on guide,
you''ll discover the simplicity of developing Vista Sidebar and
SideShow gadgets that can run onthe Windows desktop as well as send
information to SideShow-enabled devices.
This book contains two parts. The first covers Sidebar gadgets
and the second part covers SideShow gadgets. In each part,
Microsoft MVP author Wei-Meng Lee begins by walking you through the
development of a simple gadget, introducing you to the key concepts
in the process. Each chapter breaks down the specific APIs that are
relevant to enhancing a gadget, and helpful code samples throughout
every chapter detail the step-by-step progression of how a gadget
is built. By the end of the book, you will beconfidently
programming Vista gadgets.
What you will learn from this book
-
Components of a Sidebar gadget
-
Detailed description and code samples for using the Sidebar
APIs
-
Tips on using .NET Interop to enhance Sidebar gadgets
-
How to Interface Sidebar gadgets with SideShow-enabled
devices
-
Tips on localizing Sidebar gadgets
-
How to debug Sidebar gadgets
-
Details of a Sidebar gadget project
-
SideShow architecture
-
How to use the SideShow managed class for .NET development
-
Tips on understanding the Simple Content Format (SCF) content
format for sending SideShow data
-
Interacting with SideShow-enabled devices
-
Step by step instruction on how to develop a SideShow gadget
project
Who this book is for
This book is for developers who want to build Windows
Vista gadgets that target both the desktop as well as
SideShow-enabled devices.
Wrox Professional guides are planned and
written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of
programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and
relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face
every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert
education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do
a better job.