NOTE: This book is based on Windows 8 Release Preview; its content and publication date will be updated for final Windows 8 software.

Reimagined for full-screen and touch-optimized apps, Windows 8 provides a platform for reaching new users in new ways. In response, programming legend Charles Petzold is rewriting his classic Programming Windows—one of the most popular programming books of all time—to show developers how to use existing skills and tools to build Windows 8 apps.

Programming Windows, Sixth Edition will focus on creating Windows 8 apps accessing the Windows Runtime with XAML and C#. The book will also provide C++ code samples. The Sixth Edition will be organized in two parts:

• Part I, “Elementals,” begins with the interrelationship between code and XAML, basic event handling, dynamic layout, controls, templates, asynchronous processing, the application bar, control customization, and collections. You should emerge from Part I ready to create sophisticated page-oriented collection-based user interfaces using the powerful ListView and GridView controls.
• Part II, “Specialties,” explores topics you might not need for every program but are essential to a well-rounded education in Windows 8. These include multitouch, bitmap graphics, interfacing with share and search facilities, printing, working with the sensors (GPS and orientation), text, obtaining input from the stylus (including handwriting recognition), accessing web services, calling Win32 and DirectX functions, and bringing your application to the Windows 8 app store.