I'm currently developing an app which has single sign on via Windows Azure Access Control Service. I am using the Access Control Service for Windows Phone NUGET package (the same control can also be found in the Windows Azure for Windows Phone toolkit).
I am just wondering if there is a new way of doing this in Windows Phone 8?
These current controls haven't been updated for about a year and a lot seems to have changed since then. I have searched but search engines still seem to be returning Windows Phone 7 results mostly.
Azure Mobile Services (still currently in preview) has new functionality designed to help make user authentication easier. See http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/develop/mobile/tutorials/get-started-with-users-dotnet/
Related
I have a Win32 application written in VB6 that uses an MS Access database as its data file.
I have about 30 clients who use this application. Each currently has it setup in their local network. Some clients have a Terminal Server for staff to access their network remotely.
A number of my clients are inquiring about the possibility of using the application in the cloud.
I am considering the possibility of ultimately making the application web based in some form, however that will take many months to do. So, in the meantime, I am looking for suggestions as to how clients could run this application in the "cloud".
Would it be possible to run it using Microsoft Azure in some way?
I am also wondering whether I could rent a Virtual Private Server myself, and then set it up to allow multiple clients to connect to it (with each using their own individual data file). My main question around this option is whether there would be additional license costs for users who need to connect (eg. like the old Terminal Services "Client Access Licenses").
One function of the application is that users are able to "attach" electronic files (word documents, pdf's etc) to file notes. These "attachments" are stored in a subfolder of the data file location (ie they are not stored in the data file). So the solution must be able to support uploading local documents to the "cloud" service.
Any ideas would be most welcome.
Many thanks,
Rohan
You could try it with "Virtual Machine" feature of MS Azure.
Acces portal.azure.com
In the left navigation bar, choose "Virtual Machine"
Click "Add", type "windows" into the search field & press
Enter
Choose the Windows VM you want
Connect, upload your VB6 app & test it...
Please be inform that some Windows VMs require MSDN subscription or cost very much.
The Azure feature you are looking for is likely Azure RemoteApp. It allows for desktop applications to be installed in the Azure "cloud" and then used by users from any device using Remote Desktop Services functionality. This way you can control the environment where the application is installed, and not have to configure every users device; which is especially helpful with older legacy applications like VB6 apps.
https://www.remoteapp.windowsazure.com/en/
EDIT: Unfortunately on August 12, 2016 Microsoft announced they are discontinuing Azure Remote App. New purchases of RemoteApp will be discontinued October 1, 2016, and the service will be replaced with an offering from Citrix called Citrix XenApp Express.
I think you should simply create a virtual server for each of your clients. Do not create 1 virtual server for everyone, that will be a nightmare and very insecure for client data.
The clients would still just access over terminal services or Remote Desktop as they have before, just the server is now in the cloud.
Then you can bill each client for the what you are charged for their server.
RUN EXCEL/ACCESS DATABASE ON THE CLOUD WITHOUT PROGRAMMING!
I can solve your problem without using Azure or similar. We would first convert your Excel/Access database to a Progen4GL-based applications, which will then run on the cloud. See downloads on www.progencloud.com.
If you can, send us a similar Access/Excel file. We will convert it to a Progen4GL database that you can run the on the cloud with full read/write access. As Progen4GL reads in Access/Excel files without programming, we can do it for your for nothing. It takes only a few minutes for the to conversion to a Progen4GL Database. We will return it to you as a Cloud application. See Progen DataOWL on www.progencloud.com and try it yourself. You will need some help from us to run it on the Cloud as the website doesn't have full details.
Ravi Raizada raviraiz#aol.com
www.progencloud.com
I tried get access to azure blob sotage form my windows 8 app. I see this example, but in him used Windows Azure Storage Client Library for Windows 8, i can' find this library on github, google ect. How can i get an access to blob storagw from my windows 8 app&
Windows Azure Storage Client Library for Windows 8 is the part of Windows Azure Storage Client library for .Net (https://github.com/WindowsAzure/azure-sdk-for-net). Direct link for RT version: https://github.com/WindowsAzure/azure-sdk-for-net/tree/master/microsoft-azure-api/Services/Storage/Lib/RT.
What you would need to do is download the entire source code using the 1st link, open the solution in VS 2012 and build just the RT project. You'll then get the necessary winmd files.
UPDATE:
Actually I downloaded the source code of project from the link you mentioned above and what I found that it does not uses Storage Client Library for Windows 8. It actually uses Windows Azure Mobile Client SDK for Windows 8 which you can download from here: http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/downloads/ (Mobile --> Windows Store). Once you do that, then your code should compile. In order to run the application, you would need to create a mobile service first which you can do by visiting Windows Azure Portal and while you're there, get the application key as well (bottom button bar --> Manage Keys). You would need the mobile service URL and the application key so that you can paste them in app.xaml.cs file.
If any one need older Windows Azure Storage Client Library for Windows 8, then you can download from here. Then also I would suggest to download source and compile it.
In all, this is all I want to do: I have a Windows Store app which makes use of Azure MobileService to store data. Here is the app. Authentication is provided by Live SDK's Single Sign On Feature. The App was coded by following instructions here. Now, all I want is the data to be accessible via a Windows Phone 8 app. Here is what I have done. Lot's of issues seem to be involved here.
Changed API setting to support Mobile Client Authentication on the Live Connect Portal.
The app secret was compromised. So, I generated a new secret.
Changed the app secret value in Azure Mobile Service portal to reflect the new secret.
Now, the Windows Store app stops working and error returned says that The authentication signature was malformed or signed by a different key. If I use old (and discarded) app secret in Azure portal, the Windows Store app works fine.
Second weird thing: I have coded a primary Windows Phone 8 app to make use of the same Mobile Service. This app works only when the new app secret is present in Azure portal. With old key, error returned is same as above: The authentication signature was malformed or signed by a different key.
How do I make both the apps work?
I tried to reproduce this but both W8 and WP8 worked fine with me. I started with this guide: http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/develop/mobile/tutorials/single-sign-on-windows-8-dotnet/
I did everything else same except on step 10. I did check "Mobile Client Apps: Yes ". After that I followed this guide to create WP8 project:
http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/develop/mobile/tutorials/single-sign-on-wp8/
So in your case you should just put the new clientid and clientsecret into Windows Azure and then to fix the problems with Windows 8 you should redo the step 4 of Windows 8 tutorial (Associate App with the Store....)
You might be running into a little bump because in Windows 8 you need to initialize the LiveAuthClient with the URL for your Windows Azure Mobile Service (yourproject.azure-mobile.net), but in Windows Phone 8, you have to initialize the same LiveAuthClient with the ClientID provided by the Live Connect Developer Center.
If you're still having trouble email the team: mobileservices (at) microsoft (dot) com.
When you want to create both Windows Store and Windows Phone apps from the same mobile service instance and have both use Live Connect single sign-on, you must register the Windows Store app first. Also, keep in mind that Windows Store and Windows Phone both instantiate the Live client differently (for some reason), which I keep forgetting about.
Glenn.
I have a Windows .Net application integrated successfully with libspotify.dll (Version 11). I would like it to operate in offline mode, i.e. when login responds with UnableToContactServer? If this is possible (Premium Account) how is it best done?
Is there (or will there be) a distribution channel with Windows 8 that allows Metro apps to be built for internal company use only, or for a select group of partners? Or is the app-store the only possible route?
The Primer for current Windows Developers on Microsoft's site indicates that for Metro apps,
Side-loading is available for enterprises and developers.
So, yes, you can side load applications, but it's currently limited to individual developers and enterprise customers.
The TechNet article on Managing the Windows Store provides more details:
Sideloading, which is available in both Windows 8 Consumer Preview and
Windows Server “8” Beta, refers to installing apps directly to a
device without going through the Windows Store. LOB apps do not need
to be certified by Microsoft and cannot be installed through the
Windows Store but they must be signed with a certificate chained to a
trusted root certificate. It is recommended that IT administrators use
the same technical certification that is done by the Windows Store on
LOB apps.
The TechNet Article on How to Add and Remove Apps provides the specifics on how to sign and side load applications on Windows 8 and Windows Server 8.