Windows 8 Metro apps using AutoIT?

[Tripredacus]

I didn't want to highjack the thread in Chat about Windows 8, but this question is brought up and will likely continue for a bit. So I'd like to put a head-start on the subject.

While MS has said you can use regular apps like usual, they do say that Metro apps can only come from the Microsoft App Store. It will only be a matter of time before someone figures out how to get an app into Metro without going through the store.

As far as development is concerned, there are two vectors to do:

- XML/HTML/JS/CSS

- C++, C# or VB

Seeing how close AutoIT is to VB, you would think it would eventually be possible to create a Metro app using AutoIT. Unfortunately, all of the apps that come in the Dev Preview are of the HTML/Jscript variety. You can see these apps by taking owership of "C:\program files\applications" where all the default Metro apps are kept. One thing you will notice right away is the "AppxSignature.p7x" file for each app which is a Digitally Signed file. The preview (if you got the larger Dev version) does come with a "Windows App Cert Kit" that shows up on the Metro screen.

Concerning the Metro screen itself, there are links to the Metro apps as well as "normal" programs like CMD or Expression. This would make me believe it would be possible to create shortcuts in there to regular programs.

For anyone wanting to get started on building a Metro app (especially those more skilled at those languages and AutoIT) can check this tutorial posted by MS:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/br211380

Anyone who ends up making a "Builder" for Metro apps will likely have a very popular program!

[Richard Robertson]

It'll just be jailbroken (or even emulated).

[jvanegmond]

Edit: I took some time to read some notes from BUILD and realized that most of what I had posted previously no longer applies to post-Win7 era. So have this edit.

While MS has said you can use regular apps like usual, they do say that Metro apps can only come from the Microsoft App Store. It will only be a matter of time before someone figures out how to get an app into Metro without going through the store.

http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2011/09/only-enterprise-and-developers-can-bypass-windows-store-for-metro-apps.ars and also "jailbroken" as Richard said.

Seeing how close AutoIT is to VB, you would think it would eventually be possible to create a Metro app using AutoIT.

Actually, with all the changes to the development model, it's much more likely that a COM interface will be exposed that can be accessed by AutoIt directly. AutoIt is not close to VB.NET at all, apart from its syntax resembling ye olde BASIC.

Anyone who ends up making a "Builder" for Metro apps will likely have a very popular program!

I'm sure there will be a new version of Expression Blend coming out which supports that. Just wait a while until building Metro apps gains more mainstream usefulness (for example, Win8 release). Edited September 20, 2011 by Manadar

[Tripredacus]

As far as the VB, I meant specifically VBScript. :\

Anyways, there is an Expression Blend that is in the Dev Preview. I didn't try using it yet.

I did read that ArsTechnica article, but it was mostly about the Cell phones. In fact, it was my inspiration for this post.

[GEOSoft]

So far I haven't seen anything that would inspire me to write Metro apps anyway. As a matter of fact one of the first things I did was play with Metro for a bit and then disable it.

AFIAC, metro is just more of the same old glitz and glamor routine. Give me improved accessories and performance but don't waste your time with giving me more eye candy. Notepad for example is just as bad as ever and has seen very little improvement in 30 years. I must admit though, once Metro is disabled the performance of Win 8 (so far) has been much better. That of course is a variable so I can't make a final decision there until I've had the opportunity to really load it up with programs and test it that way for a while. If it survives the abuse test then it will be a good OS.