Azure QuickStarts Projects

A collection of quickstart projects demonstrating core Microsoft Azure services and their APIs.

Download from Visual Studio Extension Gallery

Development Environment

In order to contribute to the Azure QuickStarts you will need the following tools install on your machine.

• Visual Studio 2013
• Visual Studio 2013 SDK
• Azure SDK & Tools
• SideWaffle Template Pack
• NuGet
• Microsoft Azure Management Libraries (MAML)

Getting Started

I'm glad that you're interested in providing a sample for the Azure QuickStarts, here are some quick notes to help you along your way.

What is a Sample?

A sample is meant to be the simplest possible example of the use of a service. Essentially the point is to exercise the API/SDK for a particular Service or if needed provide a link to a more advanced sample.

Example

Blob Storage Sample

• Create Storage Account
• Create Container
• Create Blob
• Modify Blob Properties/Metadata
• Read Blob
• Delete Blob
• Delete Container
• Delete Storage Account

Where do I put things? (aka Directory Structure)

This provides a general reference as to where a sample should be placed. If in doubt see the Documentation under Documentation by Service section.

App Services

• Samples for services which provide support an application accomplish a given task.

Compute

• Samples for services which provide an endpoint for an application.

Data Services

• Samples for services which provide storage for an application.

Deployment and Management

• Samples for Automating the creation and management of services using an API/SDK.

Network Services

• Samples for services which connect Compute Services using Network or DNS.

How do I build a sample?

App Services

• Console Application which shows service functionality
• Reference Online Documentation

Compute

• Reference Online Documentation

Data Services

• Console Application which shows service functionality
• Reference Online Documentation

Deployment and Management

• Console Application which uses:
  • MAML
  • Azure Resource Management API (only if not defined in previous)
  • Service Management API (only if not defined in previous)

Network Services

• Reference Online Documentation

How to prepare my sample for inclusion

I can write a simple sample

1. Right click on the sample project, select Add > New Item > SideWaffle Project Template Files
2. Provide the _Definitions/_project.vstemplate.xml file with an appropriate Name and Description for the project template
   • Be sure to include the <WizardExtension> xml snippet (below) as a child of the <VSTemplate> element.

       <WizardExtension>
         <Assembly>ProjectWizard, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=Neutral, PublicKeyToken=f30ae472f039a534</Assembly>
         <FullClassName>ProjectWizard.Wizard</FullClassName>
     	</WizardExtension>
       

3. Update _Preprocess.xml as needed (generally not)
   • Ensure the attribute Path in the TemplateInfo element describes where the Project Template should show in the File > New Project dialog
   • Add a key value pair (replacement token) to the Replacements element if the project contains code.
     • Key value pairs can be removed from the Replacements element if it provides a link to some documentation.
4. Update sw-file-icon.png with the appropriate azure service logo which will be used for the template.

I need to create a Multi-Project Template!

See How to create a multi-project temlate. If you get stuck you can contact Sayed Ibrahim Hashimi.

I can't prepare a simple sample

If there isn't a public API surface which is easy to explore via a QuickStart, it's still valuable to add a template which provides a redirect to an online sample (maybe from azure.microsoft.com).

This is valuable because the service will still be discover-able by Developers from within Visual Studio.

Follow the steps from above with these additional steps:

1. Add a WizardData element as a child of the <VSTemplate> element.

    <WizardData>
      <navigation>
        <navigate path="[path-to-tutorial]" generateProject="false" />
      </navigation>
    </WizardData>
    

2. Delete the AssemblyInfo.cs file from the Properties folder.

3. Delete the Program.cs file from the project.

4. Delete the app.config file from the project.