Hilo: Developing C++ Applications for Windows 7

"Hilo" is a series of articles and sample applications that show how you can leverage the power of Windows 7, using the Visual Studio 2010 and Visual C++ development systems to build high performance, responsive rich client applications. Hilo provides both source code and written guidance to help you design and develop Windows applications of your own.

The series covers many topics, including the key capabilities and features of Windows 7, the design process for the user experience, and application design and architecture. Source code is provided so that you can see firsthand how the accompanying sample applications were designed and implemented. You can also use the source code in your own projects to produce your own rich, compelling applications for Windows 7. The Hilo sample applications are designed for high performance and responsiveness and are written entirely in C++ using Visual C++.

These articles describe the design and implementation of a set of touch-enabled applications that allow you to browse, select, and work with images. They will illustrate how to write applications that leverage some of the powerful capabilities that Windows 7 provides. You will see how the various technologies for Windows 7 can be used together to create a compelling user experience.

In This Section

Topic	Description
Chapter 1: Introducing Hilo	The first Hilo sample application—the Hilo Browser—implements a touch-enabled user interface for browsing and selecting photos and images.
Chapter 2: Setting up the Hilo Development Environment	This article outlines how to set up a workstation for the development environment so that you can compile and run the Hilo Browser sample application.
Chapter 3: Choosing Windows Development Technologies.	This article describes the rationale for the choice of the development technologies used to implement the Hilo applications.
Chapter 4: Designing the Hilo User Experience.	This article describes the process and thoughts when developing the Hilo User Experience.

 

Additional Resources

This series is targeted at C++ developers. If you are a C++ developer but are not familiar with Windows development, you may want to check out the Learn to Program for Windows in C++ series of articles.