Ranorex and Windows 8 Metro Apps
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 2:24 pm
As revealed at the recent Microsoft BUILD conference, Windows 8 will include a major, major departure from Windows application development as we know it. An entirely new set of system APIs (WinRT) is set to become the replacement for Win32, and an entirely new UI platform (Metro) has been created for modern Windows apps (ultimately replacing WPF, Silverlight, and any other of the myriad of UI technologies Microsoft has released).
Now, I realize that Windows 8 will continue support for the "old" stuff (Win32, WPF, Silverlight, etc.), but anyone who wants to write a new Metro-style app (and sell within the future Windows App Store) can't use any of it. WinRT and Metro are the future.
So, with such dramatic change in both the underlying subsystems of Windows and the UI controls used in Windows, what will Ranorex's future look like? Will UI automation continue to be possible with new Metro-style apps? And, if so, how does the UI automation story differ for XAML-based and HTML-based Metro apps?
Now, I realize that Windows 8 will continue support for the "old" stuff (Win32, WPF, Silverlight, etc.), but anyone who wants to write a new Metro-style app (and sell within the future Windows App Store) can't use any of it. WinRT and Metro are the future.
So, with such dramatic change in both the underlying subsystems of Windows and the UI controls used in Windows, what will Ranorex's future look like? Will UI automation continue to be possible with new Metro-style apps? And, if so, how does the UI automation story differ for XAML-based and HTML-based Metro apps?