[Intro]Windows Presentation Foundation
Hi !!
This thread is an introduction to Windows Presentation Foundation to those who unaware of it. I am a big fan of this new and wonderful technology, and I am using it for more than 4 months now. Here's a quick tour of WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) collected from multiple sites:
What is WPF ?
WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation), a component of Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, is a new platform for building rich user experiences on Windows. WPF supports UI, media, documents, hardware acceleration, vector graphics, scalability to different form factors, interactive data visualization, and superior content readability. It is the new strategic graphics subsystem in Windows that provides a unified approach to user interface, 2D and 3D graphics, documents and media. Built on the .NET Framework foundation and utilizing Direct3D for vector-based rendering, it provides a powerful solution for building immersive applications of all kinds. Furthermore, Windows Presentation Foundation enables designers to be an integral part of the development process by providing declarative programming models for "tool-ability" and flexibility.
A new sleek look:
One of the most nice and decent features of WPF includes its new rendered controls. Controls are now rendered using vector-based technology. This means that they can be zoomed to a great level without distorting pixels. Here are a few screen shots of the applications developed in WPF:
Advantages and Disadvantages:
Advantages of WPF:
1. Broad Integration: Prior to WPF, it was very difficult to use 3D, Video, Speech, and rich document viewing in addition to normal 2D Graphics and controls would have to learn several independent technologies. WPF covers all these with consisting programming model as well as tight integration when each type of media gets composited and rendered.
2. Resolution Independence: WPF applications are device independent i.e., smart client applications. Like normal applications it won’t get decrease the size as the resolution gets increase. This is possible because WPF e***asis on vector graphics.
3. Hardware Acceleration: WPF is built on top of Direct 3D, content in a WPF application whether 2D or 3D, Graphics or text is converted to 3D triangles, textures and other Direct 3D objects and then rendered by hardware. WPF applications can get the benefit of hardware acceleration for smoother graphics and all round better performance.
4. Declerative Programming: WPF takes the declarative programming to the next level with the introduction of Extensible Application Markup Language(XAML), pronounced as “Zammel”.
XAML is like HTML in web used for creating the interface, resulting graphical designers are empowered to contribute directly to the look and feel of applications.
5. Rich Composition and Customization: WPF controls are extremely compostable.
Eg: we can create combo box with animated buttons.
6. Easy Deployment: WPF build on top of ClickOnce for supporting direct integration with web browser and it’s navigation system.
Disadvantages of WPF:
1. WPF's in-box control suite is far more limited than that of WinForms.
2. There's greater support in the 3rd-party control space for WinForms. (That's changing, but for now by advantage of time, WinForms has greater support in the community.)
3. Most developers already know WinForms; WPF provides a new learning curve
4. WPF will not run on windows 2000 or lower.
Finally, bear in mind that you can create great, attractive and engaging UIs if you are willing to do so. The new learning curve can be a bit frustrating but if you are an enthusiastic learner than you should learn it.
So what do you think about this new technology ? Should tutorials be written on this, so that MPGH users can learn it ?
This thread is an introduction to Windows Presentation Foundation to those who unaware of it. I am a big fan of this new and wonderful technology, and I am using it for more than 4 months now. Here's a quick tour of WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) collected from multiple sites:
What is WPF ?
WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation), a component of Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, is a new platform for building rich user experiences on Windows. WPF supports UI, media, documents, hardware acceleration, vector graphics, scalability to different form factors, interactive data visualization, and superior content readability. It is the new strategic graphics subsystem in Windows that provides a unified approach to user interface, 2D and 3D graphics, documents and media. Built on the .NET Framework foundation and utilizing Direct3D for vector-based rendering, it provides a powerful solution for building immersive applications of all kinds. Furthermore, Windows Presentation Foundation enables designers to be an integral part of the development process by providing declarative programming models for "tool-ability" and flexibility.
A new sleek look:
One of the most nice and decent features of WPF includes its new rendered controls. Controls are now rendered using vector-based technology. This means that they can be zoomed to a great level without distorting pixels. Here are a few screen shots of the applications developed in WPF:
Advantages and Disadvantages:
Advantages of WPF:
1. Broad Integration: Prior to WPF, it was very difficult to use 3D, Video, Speech, and rich document viewing in addition to normal 2D Graphics and controls would have to learn several independent technologies. WPF covers all these with consisting programming model as well as tight integration when each type of media gets composited and rendered.
2. Resolution Independence: WPF applications are device independent i.e., smart client applications. Like normal applications it won’t get decrease the size as the resolution gets increase. This is possible because WPF e***asis on vector graphics.
3. Hardware Acceleration: WPF is built on top of Direct 3D, content in a WPF application whether 2D or 3D, Graphics or text is converted to 3D triangles, textures and other Direct 3D objects and then rendered by hardware. WPF applications can get the benefit of hardware acceleration for smoother graphics and all round better performance.
4. Declerative Programming: WPF takes the declarative programming to the next level with the introduction of Extensible Application Markup Language(XAML), pronounced as “Zammel”.
XAML is like HTML in web used for creating the interface, resulting graphical designers are empowered to contribute directly to the look and feel of applications.
5. Rich Composition and Customization: WPF controls are extremely compostable.
Eg: we can create combo box with animated buttons.
6. Easy Deployment: WPF build on top of ClickOnce for supporting direct integration with web browser and it’s navigation system.
Disadvantages of WPF:
1. WPF's in-box control suite is far more limited than that of WinForms.
2. There's greater support in the 3rd-party control space for WinForms. (That's changing, but for now by advantage of time, WinForms has greater support in the community.)
3. Most developers already know WinForms; WPF provides a new learning curve
4. WPF will not run on windows 2000 or lower.
Finally, bear in mind that you can create great, attractive and engaging UIs if you are willing to do so. The new learning curve can be a bit frustrating but if you are an enthusiastic learner than you should learn it.
So what do you think about this new technology ? Should tutorials be written on this, so that MPGH users can learn it ?
Originally Posted by /b/oss
allright then 