Blog Posts

Updates, Code Snippets, Demos, and a whole lot of random stuff

PerfecTile for Windows Store, Windows Phone Apps (Updated)

November 20, 2012 • 2 min read

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Developing Windows Store Apps is easy, creating its assets like Tile Icons, Store Logo, Splash Screen is easier because there are only 4 images that you need. But if you want to use Wide Tile Icons, Badge Logo Icons and App images that scale according to pixel density, you’ll need as many as 21 images of different sizes. That is a tough job. If you’re developing a Windows Store App and you want a Minimal Icon like the Native and Bing Apps, PerfecTile is here to help you with all the images!

It takes Xaml for the Icon where you can use Path, Rectangles, Ellipses etc. or even SVGs converted to Xaml. The App uses the XamlReader to load your Icon Xaml and Viewbox to scale it.

Here’s a demo video

This is the Icon Xaml input

And this is the output

Tile Icons, Badge Icons, Splash Screens – Quick, Clean, Pixel Perfect for your Awesome App!
Download the tool Now!

Update

v 1.5
– Added Windows Phone 8, 7.x support

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I Unlocked some Joy!

May 31, 2012 • 3 min read

I recently shared a picture of my new Nokia Lumia 800.

Here’s the mini story about how I got it.
Back in September, 2011 “I Unlock Joy” (IUJ) for Developers was announced after “I Unlock Joy” for Student got some great response. So what was the program all about?

 

 

This program is about unlocking the potential of developers in India, like you. Register, build and submit one or more Windows Phone Apps on App Hub. If they get certified and published at the Windows Phone Marketplace by 31st March, 2012, you are entitled to receive a Windows Phone device to test your future apps.

Tl;dr version “Submit 3 Windows Phone Apps, get a brand new Windows Phone“. Now, this is where I made a mistake and was disqualified from the Program ;). As soon as the “Claim Goodies” link went live on the IUJ site on October 1st, I had 6 Apps in the Windows Phone Marketplace, and out of excitement, I filled the form to claim a Windows Phone without reading the detailed T&Cs.

Soon (in Feb, 2012) I discovered that the 3 Apps to get a new Windows Phone from IUJ needs to released in the Program period 1st Oct, 2011 to 31st Mar, 2012. 2 out of 3 Apps I used in the claim form were released before Program period. I re-filled the claim form with 3 Apps that were released in the Program Period (I had 9 Apps in the marketplace by that time).

The Program ended in March and one of my friend who participated was contacted by the IUJ team with the further formalities required to get the phone. So I too was expecting a mail from the team in the Inbox anytime soon. I didn’t receive any mail for a month. I mailed the team about the issue but didn’t receive any reply probably because I was a month late after the program ended. So I tweeted to Harish Vaidyanathan about the issue. He helped me find the status of my claim and said that I was disqualified for the 1st claim (for the obvious reason) and 2nd claim wasn’t considered. Then I requested him if he can get me the IUJ team in the loop. IUJ team mailed me asking for the issue.

I replied with the whole situation, explained them I am a committed Windows Phone developer and asked them to reconsider my 2nd claim. Sarvashrestha Paliwal got back with some good news and said that they’ll make an exception for me =D. So, here I am with a new Lumia 800 from the IUJ.

Harish Vaidyanathan, Sarvashrestha Paliwal, IUJ team, and Microsoft – Thank You for the awesome phone!

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Forward Contact for Windows Phone

October 12, 2011 • 2 min read

Forward Contact is a streamlined App for forwarding Contact from your Windows Phone. You can send the contact details as SMS, E-Mail or create a QR code and scan it to easily save it.

Forwarding a Windows Live contact with this App takes just 3 steps. Open the App and select the Contact you want to forward. Now, choose if you want to send it via Messaging or via E-Mail, add the recipient & send. Or you can create a QR code and scan it via QR scanner & save. Done!

The App is Free and Windows Phone Mango only.




Here is the App video review  by Andrew Bares from WMPowerUser.com

If you want to send a contact’s information, Forward Contact is the perfect FREE app for you.





Update History
v1.0
Initial Release
v1.5
Added QR encoding feature
v1.6
Bug Fix

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Twitter and Facebook app authorization process

July 27, 2011 • 3 min read

Hi there,

I recently added Facebook integration to my app NowPlaying (was released with Twitter only). So now the users can share the music they are listening to on Twitter as well as facebook. But, before they start sharing things on their Twitter and/or Facebook accounts via the app, they need to authorize the app to access their accounts. Both the networks use different process in authorization and i’ll be explaining the process below. I’ll be using the app NowPlaying, but process will be similar for any other apps.

Twitter

1 Getting Started

Most of the app will have similar interface for Twitter Authorization. When you press “get started”, you will be given Twitter log-in page.

2 Logging-In

Log-In to Twitter and authorize the app, you will now be presented with a 7 digit code. Copy that code and go back to the app NowPlaying

3 Authorize

Now paste the code in the given textbox and press “authorize” and you’re done with Twitter authorization.

Facebook

1 Getting Started

Again you’ll be presented with similar interface during Facebook authorization for apps. When you press “get started”, you will be given Facebook log-in page.

2 Logging-In

Log-In to Facebook and grant the app for the required permissions. So, you’re done with Facebook Authorization (No copy-paste of code required here).

 Now you can share the music you’re listening to with your followers and friends :)

Go, get NowPlaying for Windows Phone:

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Preview of Forward Contacts (Beta) for Windows Phone Mango

July 17, 2011 • 2 min read

The first Major Update release of Windows Phone codenamed Mango will be available for download this fall (2011) as well as new Devices pre-loaded with Mango will be available. Windows Phone Developers are provided with a beta version of Windows Phone Mango as well as new Developer Tools to create and test Mango compatible apps. I have installed Windows Phone Mango on my device and I am very much impressed with the OS! It’s really awesome :).

Now coming to the point, Forward Contacts for Windows Phone is able to forward only E-Mail addresses or Phone numbers of Contacts while many users requested to pull out addresses too from the Contact to forward them. Well in Windows Phone Mango, third party apps are no more restricted to access only the E-Mail addresses and Phone numbers. So here I am with the Forward Contacts Windows Phone Mango version preview video!


As you can see in the video, the app gives the list of details available from contact you selected. You can select the details to forward or click one button to select all details and forward them as a Message or E-Mail. The other feature like saving the details for use in future remains there and is very handy.

So, what are you waiting for? If you have a Windows Phone, go grab your copy of Forward Contacts now (just $0.99 with trial) and when you’ll have Mango, you’ll also have the best app to Forward Contacts from your phone

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