Summary
In this chapter, you learned how to work with several different user input devices, including pointer-based devices such as touch inputs, mouse devices, stylus devices, and keyboards. You saw how the Windows Runtime provides the capability to determine which devices are connected, as well as how adding the capability to interact with the various different kinds of pointer devices has coalesced into a set of APIs that are differentiated more by the level of abstraction than the characteristics of a specific device type.
You also saw how the Windows Runtime provides the capability to work with sensors that supply information about how the device is interacting with its physical environment. This includes working with the geolocation APIs to obtain device position information. It also includes the related geofencing APIs for defining geographic boundaries that can result in app notifications when a device either enters or exits those boundaries. You also worked with the motion and orientation sensor APIs that provide insight into the device’s physical position and movement.
In the next chapter, you learn about the support the Windows Runtime offers for working with these peripheral devices. This includes a discussion about how you can add the capability to scan from your Windows Store apps. You also see how you can print from your app, including how to generate content and layouts specifically for printing, as well as how to customize and interact with the Print Settings and Print Preview experiences.