Windows 8 XAML Controls Are Here!

Read further updates to this blog post here:

Get access to the first version of our new WinRT XAML controls for Windows 8. The CTP release includes 18 controls for writing Windows 8 Metro (or Modern UI-style) applications in C# or VB. These controls give you powerful and unique functionality for your marketplace apps and enterprise dashboards. The focus of the first release is data visualization and date input - two of the biggest gaps in the standard control set.

>>Download CTP<<

Download Instructions

  1. Download and extract the contents of the zip. Inside you will see binaries, samples and online help link.
  2. Double-click the VSIX file within /bin directory to install the controls in Visual Studio 2012 RC or RTM.

Open Visual Studio 2012 and create a new Metro-style (or Modern UI-style) application and you will then see the C1 XAML Controls in your toolbox.

NOTE: There is a small issue in VS2012 RC that can be ignored. When you first drop any C1 control to your page you will likely see this error message if you are using the RC version. This issue should be fixed in VS2012 RTM. To workaround this simply save, close and re-open your page. It only happens the first time a control is added.

Control Overview

If you're familiar with our Silverlight, WPF and Windows Phone controls then the WinRT controls will look very familiar. As I described back in June, our goal is to have one universal XAML control library. We will also have a JavaScript library for Windows 8 and that will be available soon.

Calendar

The C1Calendar control is a simple calendar used for date navigation and selection. It can be used to display a single month and select any number of days. Highlight days with simple formatting or custom content.

Chart

The C1Chart control supports over 30 popular 2D chart types including bar, column, line, area, pie, scatter, radar, polar, step, hi-lo-open-close, candle, bubble, polygon and Gantt. Features

  • 30+ Chart Types
  • 22 Palettes
  • Flexible Data Binding
  • Data Labels and Markers
  • Gesture-based Zoom and Pan Interactions
  • Stacked Series and Plot Areas
  • Multiple Axes
  • Aggregate Summaries
  • Chart Legend

DateTime Editors

Get six fundamental date and time editors including both classic and Modern UI-inspired designs. The C1DateSelector, C1TimeSelector and C1DateTimeSelector controls provide a series of drop-downs to collect DateTime input. The C1DatePicker control provides a drop-down calendar in the most familiar fashion. The C1DateTimePicker control combines C1DatePicker and C1TimeEditor into one colossal control.

Gauges

Gauges for XAML includes several gauge controls to enhance your data visualizations and dashboards. Provide an attractive way to display your data on a tablet. Collect user input with interactive gauges. Gauge controls include C1LinearGauge, C1RadialGauge, C1SpeedometerGauge, C1VolumeGauge, C1Knob, C1RegionKnob and C1RulerGauge. Features

  • Tick Marks and Labels
  • Range Indicators
  • Pointer and Scale Customization
  • Knob Interactions

MaskedTextBox

Provide input mask validation with MaskedTextBox for XAML. The C1MaskedTextBox control provides a text box with a mask that prevents users from entering invalid characters. Features

  • Mask Formatting
  • Include Prompts and Literals
  • Watermarks

NumericBox

NumericBox for XAML provides a text box for displaying and editing formatted numeric values such as currencies and percentages. The control comes complete with smart input and increment buttons. Features

  • Format Strings (n2, p0, g2)
  • Numeric Range (min, max)
  • Modern UI-style Increment/Decrement Buttons

TileView

Interactively browse through your data with ComponentOne TileView for XAML. Expand and collapse tiles to view more or less information. Show off the true power of the XAML platform with this highly visual and interactive control. Create dashboards, detail views, photo galleries and more! Features

  • Expand and Collapse Tiles
  • Fast and Fluid Animation
  • Set Minimize Position
  • Flexible Data Binding
  • Drag-and-drop Interface

Resources

This first release is CTP, which basically means there are no licensing or distribution restrictions until we release the first official version later this year. We appreciate all feedback which you can provide on our forums. We've also put together some quick-starts to get you started with each control. Also, the name "Studio for Metro XAML" everywhere is only temporary. We will likely change the product name to better describe the product in a future update.

ComponentOne Product Manager Greg Lutz

Greg Lutz

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