Creating .NET TV Applications

The Tizen .NET framework allows you to easily and efficiently create applications for Tizen. This topic describes the basic steps for creating and running a .NET TV application. It also describes how you can create a Tizen project as part of a cross-platform solution.

Related Info

Study the following instructions to help familiarize yourself with the Tizen .NET application development process. With the instructions, you can create and run a basic .NET application, which displays some text on the screen with no user interaction.

  1. Before you start developing Tizen applications, set up the development environment.

  2. Create a project using Visual Studio.
    This step shows how you can use a predesigned project template that creates all the basic files and folders required for your project.

  3. Build the application.
    After you have implemented code for the features you want, this step shows how you can build the application to validate and compile the code.

  4. Deploy and run the application.
    This step shows how you can deploy and run the application on the emulator or a real device. You can also debug the application.

Creating a Project

The following example shows you how to create and configure a basic Tizen .NET TV application project in Visual Studio. An application project contains all the files that make up an application.

To create a new Tizen .NET project:

  1. Launch Visual Studio.
  2. In the Visual Studio menu, select "File > New > Project".
    Figure 1. New project creation
    The "New Project" dialog opens.
  3. Select "Templates > Visual C# > Tizen Samsung TV", and select the "Blank App (Xamarin.Forms)" template.
    Define the project properties and click "OK". You can enter the name, location, and solution name.
    Figure 2. "New Project" dialog

A solution with 2 projects is created and shown in the "Solution Explorer" view:

  • The <projectname> project contains the Xamarin.Forms code shared across platforms.
  • The <projectname>.Tizen.TV" project contains code to instantiate your TV application within the Tizen framework.

Figure 3. Solution with TV project

If you are already familiar with Xamarin.Forms, this project has the same structure as a Xamarin.Forms portable application. The <projectname> project is the portable class library and the other is a platform-specific project; in Tizen .NET, only a Tizen platform-specific project is generated.

The ".cs" file in the portable project already contains simple Xamarin.Forms code that makes a basic UI.

Building the Application

After you have created the application project, you can implement the required features. In this example, only the default features from the project template are used, and no code changes are required.

When your application code is ready, build the application. The building process performs a validation check and compiles your files. You must sign the application package with an author certificate when building the application. If you have not yet registered a Tizen certificate in Visual Studio, see Certificate Manager.

There are 2 different ways to build the application:

  • In the Visual Studio menu, select "Build > Build Solution".
  • In the "Solution Explorer" view, right-click the solution name and select "Build".

Tizen .NET applications are always deployed as installed packages. The package files have the ".tpk" file extension, and the package generation is controlled by the manifest file. The Visual Studio template generates the manifest file ("tizen-manifest.xml") to the top level of the <projectname>.Tizen project (if you create a project with both mobile and TV profiles, a separate manifest file is generated for each profile).

After you have built the application, deploy and run it.

Deploying and Running the Application

To run the application, you must first deploy it to the target: either an emulator or a device. Deploying means transferring the package file (".tpk") to the target and invoking the Tizen package manager to install it.

To deploy and run the application on the emulator:

  1. In the Visual Studio menu, select "Tools > Tizen > Tizen Emulator Manager".
  2. In the Emulator Manager, select an emulator from the list, and click "Launch".
    If no applicable emulator exists, create one.
    Figure 4. Tizen Emulator Manager
    When the emulator is successfully launched, you can see it on the Visual Studio toolbar.
    Figure 5. Emulator in Visual Studio toolbar
  3. To change the deployment target in the Visual Studio toolbar, select the target from the drop-down list.
    Figure 6. Deployment target selection
  4. To launch the application, in the Visual Studio menu, select "Debug > Start Without Debugging", or press "Ctrl+F5".
    If deployment is successful, the application launches on the TV emulator.
    Figure 7. Application running on the TV emulator
  5. To debug the application:
    1. To create a breakpoint in the source code, click the left margin next to the code line.
      Figure 8. Source code with breakpoint
    2. To launch the application with the debugger enabled, select "Debug > Start Debugging", or press "F5".

To deploy and run the application on an actual TV:

  1. Connect your computer and the TV to the same network.
  2. Enable Developer Mode on the TV.
  3. In the Visual Studio toolbar, click "Remote Device Manager" ().
    If you do not see the "Remote Device Manager" button, open the Tizen toolbar by selecting "View > Toolbars > Tizen".
    The Remote Device Manager launches.
  4. If the TV is not in the list, you must add it:
    1. To add a TV, click "New".
      Figure 9. Remote Device Manager
    2. Enter the TV name, IP address, and port number, and click "Save".
      Figure 10. Enter device information
  5. To connect to the TV, select it from the list and click "Connect".
    Figure 11. Connect to the TV
    When the TV is successfully connected, you can see it on the Visual Studio toolbar.
    Figure 12. Connected TV in Visual Studio toolbar
  6. To launch the application on the TV, in the Visual Studio menu, select "Debug > Start Without Debugging", or press "Ctrl+F5".
    If deployment is successful, the application launches on the TV.

Creating Tizen Projects as Cross-platform Solutions

The Xamarin cross-platform template consists of a shared PCL (Portable Class Library) and multiple platform-dependent application projects. If you create your Tizen project as a cross-platform solution, you can easily add other platform-dependent project versions, such as iOS and Android™, to the same solution later.

To create a cross-platform solution and add a Tizen project to it:

  1. In the Visual Studio menu, go to "File > New > Project".
  2. Select "Visual C# > Cross-Platform > Cross Platform App (Xamarin)", and click "OK".
    Figure 13. Cross-platform project creation
  3. Select "Blank App" and the "Portable Class Library (PCL)" code sharing strategy, and click "OK".
    Figure 14. Template selection
  4. In the "Solution Explorer" view, right-click the new solution and select "Add > New Project".
    Figure 15. Adding project to solution
  5. Select "Visual C# > Tizen > Cross-Platform > Blank App (Xamarin.Forms)" and click "OK".
    Figure 16. Tizen application project creation
  6. In the Tizen Project Wizard, define the Tizen application package name and profile, and click "OK".
    The Solution Explorer view shows the 1 or 2 Tizen projects (depending on the selected profiles) that are added to the existing cross-platform Xamarin.Forms solution. The Tizen project is set as the startup project.

    Figure 17. Tizen project added to solution