TouchDevelop v2.3 for Mango: Pin to start for scripts

Today, the TouchDevelop team is excited to announce the first version of TouchDevelop that was customized for the new Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango). TouchDevelop v2.3 cannot be installed on earlier, not-yet-updated Windows Phone 7.0 devices. You can find all the latest TouchDevelop scripts written and submitted by users like you on www.touchdevelop.com.

With this TouchDevelop update, we have now implemented the feature that has been requested most often by all of our users: The ability to “pin to start”, to the main phone start screen, any script actions! The update also packs a number of other new features, including new APIs to access more phone sensors and data. Read the release notes to find a list of all new features.

You can install the latest version directly via Zune.

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Pin to start – really

You can now "pin to start" individual actions of script to the main phone start screen. There are many different ways you can do this: You can tap-and-hold on an action, and then select “pin to start” in the context menu. After you have run an action, you can also tap on new “pin” button in the application bar. You can pin as many actions you want. The pinned actions appear on your main phone start screen.

After you pinned an action, a new state variable called “(action name) tile” will appear in the script. By setting properties of this tile in your code, you can change the way the tile on the phone start screen looks. Take a look at the tiles tutorial script to learn more, or just install and run it.

As a consequence of the new tiles on the phone start screen, we have removed the old separate tiles screen that existed in earlier TouchDevelop versions.

Access to compass, gyroscope, appointments, contacts, clipboard, and more

We added many new APIs in this version. Take a look at these new tutorials to see how you can use them:

• senses: compass
• senses: gyroscope
• directions
• maps
• calendar
• contacts
• clipboard
• connection settings
• board: full screen

Comments

• Anonymous
  October 07, 2011
  Very cool. Is HTTPS support in plans?

• Anonymous
  October 12, 2011
  @shoniko: We support https in many places. All communication with the TouchDevelop cloud server is via https. Can you give an example where you are missing HTTPS support today?

• Anonymous
  December 05, 2011
  Would love to see the ability to attach a script to an alarm or schedule a script in some way.  Tiles are cool but self updating live tiles would be awesome!