- If my app must support primarely touch input or many screen sizes (tablet, desktop, TV, XBox, VR), I clearly use UWP (its framework code + its UI styleguide)
- If my application is for mouse input only or is a legacy app, I have to live with the documentation Microsoft provides me under the section "Win32"
- Official Win32 styleguide (which in fact is the Windows Vista style guide, no joke)
- Modernize your app is the most interesting page that enables me to apply the UWP styleguide to legacy applications that are based on WPF, WindowsForms, MFC, C++
- I watch all videos of their build and .NET conferences regarding UI and UWP, because Microsoft is actively working on fixing that mess.
- At the build2018 they said "We received feedback that UWP UI looks too big/not suitable for desktop/"toy like"/not professional." So, they began to focus on UWP for desktop apps. They decreased the amount of white space. Now there is normal and compact mode of white space. In 2017/18 they started working on Modernize your app
- At the build2019 they started saying "It was a mistake to force developers into UWP". Consequently they are now providing more UWP controls for legacy frameworks and opened the Microsoft Store for apps not coded in UWP (which lead to Modernize your app and to rumours saying "UWP is dead")
- Many changes are about to come, that's for sure.
- I try to find serious showcase apps (which is the hardest part). I'd like to add to your list
- UWP file explorer by Yair A
- I try to fill the gaps of the incomplete UWP styleguide with other style guides
- Material Specification e.g. is very helpful and specific on the usage of color
- Win32 styleguide e.g. is still helpful on how to use text
- Congratulations, you are one of the few that want to integrate both touch and mouse input. UWP should be the best matching framework for you... But as we go deeper we see UWP was designed to consume data ;(
Congratulations, you are one of the few that want to integrate both touch and mouse input. UWP should be the best matching framework for you... But as we go deeper we see UWP was designed to consume data ;(
- Your "Classic like win32" MenuBar screenshot shows many items. On a mouse pointer focussed UI they are best organized in a ribbon.
Your "Classic like win32" MenuBar screenshot shows many items. On a mouse pointer focussed UI they are best organized in a ribbon.
- Check the app of Yair A. He integrated tabs and something that looks like a ribbon in UWP style. But, I'm not sure if he exactly followed UWP guidelines.
- The showcase app for an UWP ribbon control should be Office UWP. (But guess what, Office UWP is dead ;) ). However, there is a company that offers a product to use the Office Mobile UWP ribbon control in any project.
- Make a market research on how your app is going to be used. How many people actually use windows touch enabled devices?
Make a market research on how your app is going to be used. How many people actually use windows touch enabled devices?
- If the answer is "90% mouse input": Make sure to follow Fitt's law! Maybe drop the requirement for touch input? Maybe Android or iOS is the more serious platform for touch?
If the answer is "90% mouse input"
- Make sure to follow Fitt's law! The UWP ribbon control I just proposed above certainly performs weaker compared to the Office ribbon we know since Office 2007. Reason: The UWP ribbon has just one line of icons. It doesn't group them as nicely as the old ribbon does.
- Maybe drop the requirement for touch input?
- Maybe Android or iOS is the more serious platform for touch?
- If the answer is 50/50: You've got to code two UIs. Sorry...
If the answer is 50/50: You've got to code two UIs. Sorry...