How to simulate a reminder for Windows Phone 8

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[ This article is for Windows Phone 8 developers. If you’re developing for Windows 10, see the latest documentation. ]

This topic describes how you can simulate a reminder while you’re running your app on the emulator or a connected device to test how your app responds when it is interrupted and partially obscured.

For example, if the user is scrolling through content in your app, you can design the app to pause the scrolling when an interruption occurs, and then return to the same location in the content after the user dismisses or handles the interruption.

You can only trigger a reminder immediately; you cannot schedule a reminder for later. You cannot customize the reminder. Each time you click the Trigger reminder button in the Simulation Dashboard, one reminder is queued. You have to snooze or dismiss each reminder.

This topic contains the following sections.

Reminder options

The following illustration shows the options that are available in the Simulation Dashboard in Visual Studio for triggering a reminder.

Events that occur when an app is interrupted

The following types of notifications can interrupt and partially obscure your app while the user is using the app:

  • Alarm or reminder. The Obscured event occurs when the alarm or reminder is raised. The Unobscured event occurs when the alarm or reminder is snoozed or dismissed.

  • Phone call. The Obscured event occurs when the phone rings. The Unobscured event occurs when the user ignores the call or ends the call.

  • Text message or other toast notification. By default, no event is raised. If the user clicks the notification, the app associated with the notification starts, and the Deactivated event occurs for the current app.

Simulating a reminder

To simulate a reminder

  1. Run your app on the emulator or a connected device, with or without debugging.

    Or, run your app with app monitoring and profiling to measure its quality and performance. For more information about app monitoring and profiling, see Windows Phone Application Analysis for Windows Phone 8.

  2. In Visual Studio, on the Tools menu, open Simulation Dashboard. Find the Reminders section of the dashboard.

  3. To trigger a reminder immediately, click the Trigger reminder button.

  4. Test how your app handles the interruption.