We hope you enjoy the deals! We’ll be adding new posts with the daily discount code throughout the week, so stay tuned.
My favorite feature of XAML is data binding: just bind a XAML property to a property of your model of view-model objects, and they will keep synchronized. That works wonderfully. No code involved – at least if your classes implement INotifyPropertyChanged. And this is where the fairy tale turns into a horror story.
If your object model has anything more than a dozen of classes with trivial dependencies, implementing INotifyPropertyChanged is daunting task that will only result in a large amount of boilerplate code. As any boilerplate code, it will be full of bugs and omissions, and will rarely be subject to systematic unit testing. You may think that this code is a necessary evil, but it is not: it can be reduced to zero – or almost.
PostSharp Model Pattern Library includes a ready-made implementation of the NotifyPropertyChanged pattern. Just add the [NotifyPropertyChanged] custom attribute to your class and you can forget the rest. Designed to cover 90% of all cases, the feature covers properties backed by any number of fields/properties of the current object or of another object, without any boilerplate. The default implementation can be customized by custom code to cover the remaining 10%.
You can use our NotifyPropertyChanged aspect with or without XAML and on any platform as long as you’re using C# or Visual Basic. We’re proposing two books today: Windows App Store Development: C# and XAML and Windows 8 Apps with HTML5 and JavaScript. If you’re going the first way, you can count PostSharp in. But with the second, you’ll be on your own to implement change notification.
Today, we're recommending the following books that you can purchase with a 50% discount - but hurry, the offering is valid only until August 25th, 12 midnight EST:
Windows Store App Development introduces the Windows 8.x app model to readers familiar with traditional desktop development. You'll explore dozens of carefully crafted examples as you master Windows features, the Windows Runtime, and the best practices of app design. Along the way, you'll pick up tips for deploying apps, including selling through the Windows Store.
Download Free Chapter (PDF) | Purchase with 50% discount using the following code: pswkd6
Windows 8 Apps with HTML5 and JavaScript provides a comprehensive tutorial for web developers who want to build Windows 8 apps using development tools familiar to them. It's also a great way for a C#/XAML developer to add a few new tools to his or her belt. This practical book provides expert guidance on application design, so you'll learn the emerging patterns and practices for making apps that will work equally well on phones, tablets, and standard screens. Along the way you'll pick up tips for monetizing your apps and deploying to the Windows Store.
Download Free Chapter (PDF) | Purchase with 50% discount using the following code: pswkd6