We are evaluating Xamarin Forms for our next project to develop the same application for the three major platforms: Android, iOS and Windows Phone.
As we mostly work with WP and Windows apps within the company, we have a well working base setup for work environment. It consists of a Windows 8.1 Pro/Enterprise install, Visual Studio 2013 Update 4 with both WP 8.0 and 8.1 emulators and targets, and all the rest of the packages (e.g. Office Development packages, etc.).
So I grabbed such a laptop, and installed Xamarin on it, using the official download URL on their site. It installed fine, but when I tried to create a new Forms project, it only created the Android part of it, no WP or iOS projects were created.
After checking the settings and all, it turns out that Xamarin Studio won't load the iOS and WP parts which would make it possible to create the projects.
How could I make it see those extensions?
You will need to download the Windows phone SDK update and that will create Windows phone project for you
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I've built a C# VS 2015 Forms App for Win10 but the customer would like version(s) for Win7 and Win8. I can download VS 2013 which should take care of Win8 but I am unsure what to so with for Win7. Apparently plenty of people till use Win7 in the music App world.
don't create windows universal app or windows metro app, just create windows Form application or WPF application using don.net framework 3.5. That will run every platform you have mentioned
I am creating a Xamarin project, and I made it working with Android and iOS, but I can't figure out how to start the Windows Phone 8.1 emulator.
Windows Phone 8.1 is created as a project just like the other platforms.
I am running Visual Studio 2015 Community and Xamarin Business.
EDIT
I made it running by setting it as startup project, but are there others way by e.g. changing the project (where you choose if it is debug or release)?
I also want to know, how I can create the application to Windows store
To create app package go to
Project->Store->Create App Package - It will open wizard for creating app package that You are able to send to store (reference: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh975357.aspx)
As for the other ways:
In Visual Studio 2015 You can choose in taskbar: debug/release, CPU architecture, startup project and where to deploy an app - eg. emulator or device
I've got a small app that was built and shipped for Windows Phone 8.0. I need to publish a small update and I'm encountering all sorts of IDE bugs & missing classes/types when upgrading to VS2015/WP8.1 platform.
So, I'd like simply to keep the app at WP 8.0 but:
Question 1: Will this app run on WP 8.1 and Windows 10 phones?
Question 2: Will Microsoft's app store let me publish this update despite target platform being 8.0?
Firstly, Microsoft provides awesome backward compatibility when it comes to running your old OS apps on new devices. As per your question,
Yes, all your apps that were built to target windowsphone 8.0 OS will run successfully with no issues on all latest windows supported MOBILE devices.
I have tested my old Windowsphone 8.0 OS apps on latest windows 10 preview without any issues.
You can easily support your app with new updates based on windowsphone 8.0 OS. You will have no problem submitting your ( .xap ) packages on the new Windows 10 dashboard.
A large portion of windowsphone mobile devices ,the old lumias still don't have windows 10 yet so there is still a market for your apps. You don't have to consider your apps dead just because you belong to an older OS version.
You're encountering these missing types because Windows Phone 8.0 apps are written in Silverlight and Windows Phone 8.1 (on VS 2015) and Windows 10 are Windows Runtime apps. This is a different API, so some types are moved to other namespaces (most likely for small apps) or completely missing.
Your app should still run on WP 8.1/10 devices, although they might not scale perfectly to the newest screen ratios and will miss access to the newest features of these platforms.
For extra help on getting your app packaged and published, check this reply on another SO question.
The app is live on the Windows Store and has a 8.0 version. If I re-target to Windows Phone 8.1 and publish with new features, will it be available for Windows Phone 8.0 users?
Most of our users are still on 8.0.
The user (OS/Store) downloads the most suitable package of the app. If user has WP8.1 and your app has a 8.1 package, then this will be installed, otherwise 8.0 app package will be downloaded.
From what you have written, you already have a working WP8.0 version of the app, now if you want to add some new features from 8.1 then, once you retarget the app, you have to add new package to your app when you are updating it. Do not replace the old working 8.0 package. Once you have added new package and it has passed certification, all users that have 8.0 version of your app and 8.1 OS version, will be prompted that there is an update available.
What is important:
you can retarget to both 8.1 Silverlight and Runtime (of course the second option needs some more changes and some things to be rewritten),
IsolatedStorage is preserved,
when you retarget to Runtime, you will have to parse IsoalatedStorageSettings from file in LocalStorage.
I've done similar thing with WP8.0 -> WP8.1 Runtime, I also recommend to test it on beta app, so you will be sure how it works.
If you re-target the app to Windows Phone 8.1, it'll be available to only Windows Phone 8.1 users. If you submit such an app to Store, it'll be displayed only in devices running Windows Phone 8.1.
However, you can submit two packages for same app in Windows Phone Store. So while submitting an update for your app, instead of replacing the existing Windows Phone 8.0 package, you can add another package for the Windows Phone 8.1 version which will have new features. The Windows Phone Store will ensure that it shows the correct XAP to correct OS version. This way, Windows Phone 8.1 users will be able take advantage of the new features, while Windows Phone 8.0 users will still be able to access the old app.
Going forward, if you want to support both OS versions, I'll suggest to keep a copy of Windows Phone 8.0 project before re-targeting to Windows Phone 8.1.
Yes, if you just re-target the project! But make sure you aren't using native WP 8.1 features, as they wouldn't work on WP8.
I've downloaded the Windows Phone 8.1 SDK Update and I'm attempting to make a Windows Phone 8.1 project. I've updated visual studio with the latest patches but the only template options I have for 8.1 is the standard Windows Store apps as seen in the screenshot below:
Windows Store
Any idea how I can get "Windows Phone" to appear with the appropriate OS target?
I think you didn't install everything. Because i've got actually another screenshot. Following this link you must install Visual Studio 2013 Update 2 - everything needed for WP8.1 is there. Also if you wish to develop Windows Store apps (universal or something) you should install Windows 8.1 SDK from here
Look a bit bown in the list on your screenshot. On the same level the 2nd last option is Windows Phone. That should be it.