What WCF bindings to use with Windows Phone 8

If like me you are using .NET 4, you are limited in options for bindings you can use with Windows Phone 8 client. There are only 3 default bindings available and out of these NetHttpBinding is only available on .Net 4.5. Hence you are only left with basicHttpBinding and NetTcpBinding. If you are looking for reliable messaging and session support, NetTcpBinding is only one which ticks all the boxes.

To modify your basicHttpBinding to netTCPBinding, change the endpoint address to be net.tcp:// (instead of http://)

Moreover make sure that ".NET Features -> WCF Activation -> Non-HTTP activation" feature is installed ("server manager -> add/remove features"). If you are hosting on IIS, also check if net.tcp protocol is allowed for a web site(Web Site -> Advanced Settings -> Enabled Protocols) and "Net.Tcp Listener Adapter" windows service is running.

Using jquery dialog autoOpen instead of open

While working on a dropdown control, I realised that the first time I change the selection in the dropdown, it was calling $(document).ready function.

This was happening because on changing the selection, I was opening a jquery dialog. This dialog had the following structure

$('#name).dialog({

title: 'abc',

height: 200,

width: 600,

modal: true,

open: function (event, ui) {

$(this).css('font-style', 'normal').html(alertmsg);

}

Now open in the dialog was triggering the document.ready. I change removed that, and added autoOpen: true.

This fixed the problem!






           

           
  


           

               




},

PostbackUrl vs NavigateUrl

While creating menu items, I was reminded of the difference between the HyperLink.NavigateUrl and LinkButton.PostbackUrl.

HyperLink.NavigateUrl  submits a GET request, whereas PostbackUrl submits a post. Since I wanted the menu item to navigate user to a page created from ASP MVC action method, I needed a GET request; hence HyperLink.NavigateUrl !

Develop Windows Phone 8 app on Windows 7 OS

Till recently, in order to build Windows Phone 8 apps, user needed Windows 8 OS. Not any longer!!

Now with Visual Studio 2013 Update 2, you can build WP8 apps on Windows 7. So no need to upgrade your computer.

You will still not be able to debug using emulator, as Emulator requires Hyper-V which can only be found on Windows 8. However if you have an unlocked Windows 8 phone, there is no need for emulator. Just connect your phone to PC. Visual Studio will only show "Device" option for debugging. Select Debug and the debug version of your app will be deployed to your phone.

Feel free to ask me if you have any questions!.

Otherwise happy apping! :)