Layout
Layout is an application for creating interaction designs for Metro-style apps.
This app can be used to create a visual representation of a real world app without having to write any code. Interaction designs can be quickly prototyped, tested, discarded and redone without long development cycles.
Current status
The second beta of Layout has been released to the Store.
We've fixed a lot of bugs form the first beta.
While still not v1.0 ready, this version already demonstrates most of the functionality of the first "real" version.
The beta can be downloaded for free from the Store: http://apps.microsoft.com/webpdp/app/layout/ff9ae06a-fa5a-44d2-a056-d8a244dc5e56
Features
- Create projects with multiple screens
- Link controls on a screen to different screens
- Use "run mode" to click through an application to get a feel for the flow of the app
- Design apps for multiple screen sizes
- Get a perspective on your project via sementic zoom
- Support for Windows 8 controls
- Duplicate projects/screens to quickly create variations
- Pin a project on the Start screen to test your project via "Run mode"
Future work
Some ideas we have for future features:
- A better editing experience, especially with dragging and resizing controls
- A "hub" control, instead of manually positioning tiles, have them be positioned automatically
- More screen sizes, design the 'snapped mode' version of your app
These are just ideas, we don't know when we'll get around to these. If you have other requests for features, let us know!
Windows 8 features
The app is written in C# and XAML, we use a bunch of Windows 8 features, including:
- Semantic Zoom
see all screens of your project at once - Secondary tiles
pin your projects to the Start Screen to test out a design in "run mode" - Share contract
share your projects with other Layout users - Search contract
find stuff in your projects - File association
open a.layout
file in Layout! - Snapped mode
navigate projects while doing something else...
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