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Symbian Developer Network

Symbian OS: UI Essentials

Language :	C++
Level :	Intermediate
Upcoming Dates & Locations : (next six months)	No confirmed dates available during the next six months - please check back soon!

Overview:

This is a “hands-on” course aimed at developers/architects who already have the basics of developing for Symbian OS, and who want to know the details of how to write an application GUI using the components provided by Symbian itself. It covers the following areas:

• how to use the Symbian OS UI Framework to create simple applications;
• how to write a GUI application based on generic technologies from Symbian itself.

Objective:

For developers to learn how to write a GUI application appropriately structured so that it targets generic Symbian OS UI framework technologies. The course content is designed to be independent of any commercial phone manufacturer’s UI system, and as such is aimed at internal Symbian developers, who can individually select to try out the practicals on TechView, S60 or UIQ kits.
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Create a simple application
• Create a graphics view
• Handle events
• Use basic & custom resources
• Register an application
• Deploy an application
• Create complex views
• Write re-usable zoomable views
• Create dialogs
• Persist data
• Reuse views via MVC
• Understand view-switching concepts
• Structure asynchronous applications
• Write context sensitive help

The audience is Symbian OS developers who already know the basics of developing on Symbian OS and now want to know the essential facilities that support the development of GUI applications, but who do not need to know the specifics of using the commercial UI systems provided in S60, UIQ and MOAP(s).
The course consists of approximately 50% practical sessions and 50% lectures.

Pre-requisites:

The course is designed for developers who already understand the essential techniques for Symbian OS development who have a good understanding of OO and C++ in particular.  Familiarity with an IDE is required, preferably “Carbide.C++” on which the course is based.
The course attendee should be familiar with the operating principles and organisation of Symbian OS to a level provided by training covered in the Symbian OS Essentials Course. Prior attendance on the Symbian OS Application Engine and System Programming Course is not a requirement but would be advantageous.
There is substantial overlap of content with parts of the Symbian OS v9-based Application UI Development Courses listed below. Details of these courses are available on request. Details of these courses are available on request.

Content:

Introduce course

Objective: You will understand the purpose of the course and its content.
Topics covered include:

• introduce briefly the essentials of using Symbian OS on TechView.

Create simple application

Objective: You will be able to create a very simple application and get it running.
Topics covered include:

• MVC design paradigm
• roles of Uikon, CONE and APPARC
• basic application classes
• start-up sequence of an application
• write a skeleton app* launch help.

Create graphics view

Objective: You will be able to create a graphical main view based on a control.
Topics covered include:

• understand the role of GDI, Window Server
• understand relationships between view and control
• how to draw and avoid flicker.

Handle events

Objective: You will be able to handle user-initiated events.
Topics covered include:

• understand the relationship between CONE and the control stack
• different standard events
• how to support hand-writing recognition.

Use basic & custom resources

Objective: You will be able to use strings and other common types of resources.
Topics covered include:

• role of resources
• build resources
• resource syntax
• resources readers
• main resources.

Register application

Objective: You will be able to create files for registering an application.
Topics covered include:

• role of APPARC
• content of registration resource file
• prior use of AIFs and colour depths.

Deploy application

Objective: You will be able to create package file for deploying an application on development environment board/emulator/phone.
Topics covered include:

• package files
• elements for successful deployment
• tools
• UIDs
• signing.

Create complex views

Objective: You will be able to create complex compound controls.
Topics covered include

• composite pattern and controls
• observer pattern and controls
• relationship to window server
• parent-child relationships
• control-arrays
• background drawing
• invalidating screen areas.

Write re-usable zoomable views

Objective: You will be able to write a re-usable view which supports zooming.
Topics covered include:

• * size-independence
• device-independence
• zoom factors
• zoom accumulation.

Create dialogs

Objective: You will be able to write a simple generic dialog.
Topics covered include:

• dialog terminology
• write a dialog class and resource
• types of dialog classes and resources.

Persist data

Objective: You will be able to write document/model data out to store and read it in.
Topics covered include:

• stream and store fundamentals
• utilities
• roles of document and model as well as process, app UI and CEikonEnv.

Reuse views via MVC

Objective: You will be able to describe how MVC is used in control architectures (e.g. edit and list controls).
Topics covered include:

• designing for re-use
• MVC paradigm and patterns
• overview of editable view patterns
• overview of list view patterns.

Understand view-switching concepts

Objective: You will be able to describe the role of the View Server and concepts of tasks and role of view-switching.
Topics covered include:

• roles and concepts only

Structure asynchronous applications

Objective: You will be able to write asynchronous GUI applications.
Topics covered include:

• structure app with controller and active objects
• start up app in stages
• display interim app state.

Write context-sensitive help

Objective: You will be able to write context sensitive help.
Topics covered include

• generate .hlp files
• write help text using RTF or XML
• specify a help context and add to an application.

Review objectives

Objective: You will recap the course and be able to locate other places for further information.
Topics covered include:

• objective review
• further information sources.

Follow-on courses:

• Symbian OS Application Engine and System Programming Course
• How to use advanced UI frameworks for Symbian OS
  Alternative courses that include the contents listed above and are specialised to particular UI systems, and are more suitable for non-Symbian staff are:
  • Symbian OS application UI development for S60
  • Symbian OS application UI development for UIQ
  • How to develop multi-platform UIs for Symbian OS
• A course for updating your existing UI development skills to Symbian OS v9 is:
• Find out what’s new in the Symbian OS v9 GUI

Further Information

If you require further information about this training course, please contact us via the details below:

Kay Ferris Training Business Manager Symbian Ltd 2 - 6 Boundary Row London SE1 8HP UK +44 20 7154 1846 technical.training@symbian.com