Windows Phone User Login - windows-phone-8

I am wanting to start programming games on the Windows Phone and wondering what the best way is to log a user in a session on the Windows Phone. Is it possible to do it with XBOX LIVE? Or do I have to hand-craft my own Login system?

You can have a look at Windows Azure Mobile Services (http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/develop/mobile/) to help you out in authentication mechanisms, enabling you to have out-of-the-box support for Microsoft accounts, facebook, google and twitter (it's currently free and you can also use it for more things than just this).
If you don't want to use any external support, then you'll have to have your own hand-crafted login system and somewhere to hold it in (you could also use Mobile Services for that).
If you need any sample code, just drop me a line and I'll try to gather something up. :)

Related

How to highly recommend a user to launch an app when the app is not up?

I have the need to have an application always active in windows phone 8. All users have to use this application. More precisely, all users will have a background agent inside this application which will receive and send informations.
Note : I'm talking here about a private application use by a limited number of users.
During my research, I became aware that i couldn't paramater my application in order to launch it at startup. This isn't possible with Windows phone 8. So, i start looking for others options.
In my understanding, the only way to do that in the Microsoft way is to use the notifications. If the phone don't have the application launched, a notification is send periodically to invite the user to launch the application.
My question, did I miss some functionnalites in Windows Phone 8 whiches propose the same functionnality in a better way ?
Thank you very much

Close Windows Phone 8 App Programmatically

I've a Windows Phone 8 Application and with a button click, I want to ask user something like "Are you sure?" and if answer is yes(ok) then application will be closed.
I've searched a lot but couldn't find anything except "Application.Terminate()" but seems this is not the right way how to do it.
Though it is possible to do this using System.Windows.Application.Current.Terminate() as Nikita says it is not recommended to offer such a functionality. Here's an excerpt from the Windows Phone Guidelines on MSDN:
Don't include Close buttons or offer users other ways to terminate
your app in its UI. Users should feel confident that the system is
managing their apps for them. The system can terminate apps
automatically to ensure the best system performance and reliability,
and users can choose to close apps using gestures on Windows or
through the Task Switcher on Windows Phone.
The user should only be able to Close an app using the home or back-button.

Is there a Common Sharing UI in Windows Phone 8?

I know how to use the various tasks/launchers in Windows Phone to share a link or status on twitter, etc. However, is there anything built into the Windows Phone 8.x API to create a sharing screen like the one shown in the image below?
I've seen this same screen in both native Windows Phone apps (e.g. when tap-n-hold to share an app in the app list) as well as 3rd party apps (e.g. IMDB). Seeing this, I'd like to think this is available to be used by custom apps
Can anyone tell me if this exists as a shared component/API? If not, does anyone have some sample code for creating the page dynamically?
Ok, it turns out there is an API (via the Share Contract) in Windows Phone for this. It is called DataTransferManager.ShowShareUI and you can find out more information about it here.
Unfortunately, there is not others shared component/API (I also try to find it).
But by using Launchers you help provide a consistent user experience throughout the Windows Phone platform, so users already know "how to share".

How to deploy private apps to Windows Phone?

I'm looking to buy a Windows Phone smartphone, and am looking into the possibility for 'deploying' private apps. I currently own an Android system, and it's a simple as building an APK file, and adding it to the filesystem of any phone I want to install it on.
I realize there have been some questions around this subject 1, 2, 3. They seem to say you either need a developers account, or an enterprise edition. These questions are old, and possibly outdated. I've tried to find more information on the topic, but all I could find was related to enterprise, or beta testing.
I have no interests in getting a developer's account, because I don't intend to develop or sell larger applications on the marketplace. It's mostly for private use.
If there is no way to do this by default (without paying any fees), are that alternatives that don't involve losing warranty?
You can register yourself in Windows App Studio and you will get to unlock one phone for development and side load up to 2 apps.
Currently that is the only way to put custom apps in your Windows Phone for free and without losing warranty.
If you, however register for a developer accout (which as you know has costs) you will be able to side load up to 10 apps in 3 different devices.

Adhoc distribution of Windows Phone 8 apps

I am in process of developing app for windows phone 8. I need the adhoc distribution of my app to all devices within the organization. I don't want to publish it on the market instead i want the installation of app on the devices within the organization.
Do i need to buy another account for adhoc distribution or i can use the same $99 account for adhoc distribution of app.
Thanks in advance.
Well there are multiple ways to distribute apps,
Directly via Visual Studio or XAPDeploy (however the device must be developer unlocked, and connected via usb)
Via the normal Store/Marketplace
Via Store/Marketplace, with "Hide from users browsing or searching the Store" so that only users with the direct link to the store can find the app
Via Beta app distribution
edit: beta apps now do not have a 3 month limit anymore. Only restriction is, that you can "only" have 10000 users and each users email must be manually added for them to be able to download the beta
Company app distribution, which is likely what you are looking for. (However this seems to be relatively difficult) More information here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsphone/develop/jj206943(v=vs.105).aspx
Edit: I missed this one: Using "Windows Intune Direct Management for Windows Phone 8 Mobile Devices"
There are no other ways I know of.