Rob Relyea

Requests for xaml:blog should be forwarded to spaces.msn.com/rrelyea

2006-04-29T16:43:00Z

I moving over to msn spaces......(read more)

Beyond data visualization

2006-04-27T03:55:00Z

WPF has some great Data Visualization features. I'm working with Kevin Moore, other WPF teammates and people around the company to think about how we might be able to do even more with data. We think we are on to something very nice...

Hope to have more to share on this in a little while...we are having fun.

WPF General Manager on Channel 9

2006-04-27T03:50:00Z

Just finished watching my boss' boss Michael Wallent talk about the forming of the Avalon team, the journey to shipping our v1, and some of the places we know we want to go in the future...Many of you will enjoy some of the history behind the forming of the Avalon team.

He talks about some of our early bets: managed code, xaml, etc...

Check out the video: http://channel9.msdn.com/Showpost.aspx?postid=185468

I've been in Michael's org ever since I joined as a PM in the IE5 team...he is very passionate about technology and our customers. Fun to work with.

We'll watch for your comments on Channel 9, feel free to ask questions/post comments here as well...

Early notice of a change to WPF templates: "MyApp.xaml" to "App.xaml"

2006-04-14T00:50:00Z

Just a quick note to book authors, users, and anybody else who cares.

I'm communicating early because...well, why wait?

Microsoft Tools and MyApp.xaml
The VS "Orcas" team and Expression Interactive Designer team plan to change a few things about the default files created when you create a new WPF project. You'll likely see the change in VS next CTP...EID will come the release after that.

Today's Model
Today, VS "Orcas" creates a MyApp.xaml file with the following root element:
<Application x:Class="ProjectName.MyApp" ...>

Today, EID ("Sparkle") creates an Application.xaml file with the following root element:
<Application x:Class="ProjectName.MainApplication" ... >

Next CTP's model
Those teams have decided to move to a consistent model. The file will be called App.xaml and will look like this:
<Application x:Class="ProjectName.App" ... >
</Application>

What should you do?

Tool authors - you likely want to be consistent with this change.
Book authors - you probably want to update your examples.
Users - you can rename your files and x:Class attribute value if you like...although there is no need.

Manual steps to Change an existing project (if you want to)

To change your project in EID:

1) right click on Application.xaml, rename to App.xaml
2) right click on Application.xaml.cs or Application.xaml.vb, rename to App.xaml.cs or App.xaml.vb
3) in App.xaml, change x:Class="UntitledProject1.MainApplication" to x:Class="UntitledProject1.App"
4) if C# project, in App.xaml.cs:
    change from:
public partial class MainApplication: System.Windows.Application
   change to:
public partial class App: System.Windows.Application
5) if VB project, in App.xaml.vb:
    change from:
Partial Public Class MainApplication
    Inherits System.Windows.Application

change to:

Partial Public Class App
Inherits System.Windows.Application

To change your project in VS "Orcas":

1) right click on MyApp.xaml, rename to App.xaml
2) right click on Application.xaml.cs or Application.xaml.vb, rename to App.xaml.cs or App.xaml.vb
3) in App.xaml, change x:Class="ProjectName.MyApp" to x:Class="ProjectName.App"
4) if C# project, in App.xaml.cs:
change from:
public partial class MyApp : Application

change to:
public partial class App : Application

5) if VB project, in App.xaml.vb:
change from:
Partial Public Class MyApp
Inherits Application

change to:

Partial Public Class App
Inherits Application

Please let us know if you have questions/issues.

WPF application update w/ Petzold

2006-04-13T14:54:00Z

Charles Petzold has been generating many interesting blog posts dealing with WPF/XAML.

As part of his book writing effort (Applications = Markup +Code), he even created a XAMLPad like application called XAML Cruncher. It added a number of interesting features over XAMLPad (open, save as, etc...).

He just made his first updates to the application, and when I ran it I was prompted to see if I wanted to install the update. Nice way to keep software up to date.

If you want to try XAML Cruncher, install it from this page. (It requires the FebCTP of WinFX).

Charles - I'm looking forward to your book.

IE7 Search Bar + OpenSearch

2006-04-07T15:17:00Z

I'm loving the work many of my former teammates (I was an IE PM working on DHTML's programmibility from IE5 to IE6) are doing over on IE7.

Keyboard (or mouse) shortcuts I like:
ctrl-t - opens a new tab
ctrl-click on a link (opens in a new tab in the background)
ctrl-e, moves keyboard focus to the search box, type your term, then:
1) enter to navigate the current tab
2) alt-enter to navigate a new tab
See more at the Keyboard Lover's Guide to IE7.

Search Providers
Adding search providers is nice: http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/09/14/466186.aspx

Search on this site

Navigate to a site with a <link /> tag pointing to information about their search, and it shows up in the drop down box next to search...

For instance...go to live.com and see how the drop down changes. (it changes color and adds some choices in the drop down...)

Install IE7 Preview?
If you haven't tried IE7, now may be a good time:
Internet Explorer 7 Beta 2 Preview - released on March 20th.

Check out Fil's Thailand demo app on C9

2006-04-05T00:42:00Z

Fil is on Channel9 doing a demo of building an application in WPF.

This is based on the demo he did at Mix06 for developers...

XAML and IL

2006-03-28T13:42:00Z

Tim Anderson asked a question on the MSDN forum for WPF.

I'm not 100% clear about the relationship between XAML and IL. As far as I can tell, you can compile XAML but it ends up as BAML rather than IL. Equally, my understanding is that anything you can do in XAML you can also do in C# (declarative vs procedural).

If so, presumably it would be possible to compile XAML to IL, even if this is not what happens. Another interesting question: if C# compiles to IL, but XAML does not, then what are the pros and cons - eg. performance?

In WPF, XAML can be used a few ways.

A) Compiled into the assembly
Use <Page Include="Page1.xaml" /> in a .csproj/.vbproj file to get it compiled into the assembly. (It will be stored as a .baml file...and it will have a corresponding .g.cs/.g.vb file).

B) Included in the assembly
Use <Resource Include="Page1.xaml" /> in a .csproj/.vbproj file to get it included in the assembly, but left as a XAML text file.

C) Distributed with the app, but not in the assembly.
Use <Content Include="Page.xaml" /> in a .csproj/.vbproj file to make sure click-once knows about the file (it is listed in the .exe.manifest) and will be distributed with the exe.

D) Loose in the world
Don't put it in your .csproj/.vbproj...put it up on some server or in the file system.

In WPF, we only support event wiring/code with A.

A few blog posts that go into more details about this include:

A) 3 Coding Styles for Avalon Applications
B) MarkupCompilation: XAML, BAML, .g.cs Details

Yes, XAML could be compiled into all code instead of half BAML and .g.cs (in fact we used to do it that way).

XPS has chosen to distribute XAML in text form in an XPS file. XPS doesn't support having IL in the XPS file.
Most WPF applications will use compiled XAML.
WPF/E will likely use an approach similar to XPS (storing XAML in text form), but will have to solve the addition of IL.

XPS chose to keep XAML as an XML file because it was easier for different devices/printers to consume or create.
WPF chose to compile XAML for the perf benefit.
WPF/E plans to keep XAML as an XML file. They will get smaller download sizes than WPF since they will be in a .zip file. Parsing performance can be faster if you do work ahead of time (like we do with BAML).

XAML Language and XAML Formats

2006-03-27T19:55:00Z

There are several ways that people use the term XAML:

1) XAML Language - the core language. This defines how a XamlReader treats elements, attributes and content in an XML file to represent a tree of objects. One mapping is to CLR based objects.

We haven't yet published the XAML Language spec. Chuck's XAML posts (in reverse order) provide a good start.

2) WPF XAML - the set of elements which describe Windows Presentation Foundation based content - Vector Graphics, Controls, 3D, Documents, etc...

The best reference on WPF XAML is the Windows SDK.

3) XPS XAML - a subset of WPF XAML which has been published as part of independent specification, the open XML Paper Specification (XPS), which describes the architecture of the XPS Document file format—a paginated representation of electronic paper that is based on XML.

Note that the XPS spec uses a subset of WPF XAML elements and also constrains the use of some of the XAML Language features (for example, XPS specifies some property values must be set via attribute syntax or property element syntax...while normally XAML allows either to be used.)

Xml Paper Specification. Overview. Spec Download.

4) "WPF/E" XAML - WPF/Everywhere - a subset of WPF XAML which will be release for cross platform use. For example, current plans call for no 3D and fewer Controls in WPF/E XAML.

WPF/E XAML has been talked about in some detail in this blog post and at Joe Stegman's presentation at Mix06.

5) WF XAML - the series of elements which describe Windows Workflow based content - Activities, etc...

More Info.

[I plan to keep growing this list and the detail on each of topics.]

C++ applications using XAML

2006-03-27T03:34:00Z

Nish is starting to use WPF with C++.
He posts about using C++ and XamlReader.Load together.

There are 3 main ways that an application can use XAML. Nish referred to one of them (code + compiled markup) and shows off another (code + markup using XamlReader at runtime).
See 3 Coding Styles of an Avalon Application (note, some syntax may have changed...)

Short Video showing basic XAML and Databinding

2006-03-27T03:21:00Z

David Betz posts a nice video demo of some basic Databinding in XAML.

Few notes that I took about the demo:

1) The color capture of the video didn't make the gradient look very good. Very banded. Yes, it wasn't going to look much prettier...but at least the gradient will look a bit smoother.

2) David was using a build previous to the Feb CTP...one major difference in Feb CTP would be that you wouldn't need the Mapping PI that he used...instead you would just use:

xmlns:nwcollection="clr-namespace:Northwind.DAL.CollectionClasses;assembly=Northwind.DAL"

3) David hacks on his object to make it available declaratively. He adds a property. (note, he could have used attribute syntax for that property...instead of Property Element syntax like he does). In order to make an object be expressable in XAML, do the following:

a) make it have a default constructor.
b) make its state settable via properties only.

For more on WPF databinding, I can recommend:

Namita Gupta's PDC talk (September 2005)
Beatriz Costa - a WPF team member blogging on Databinding.

Enjoy!

XAML used for Windows Workflow

2006-03-27T02:41:00Z

The WPF and WF teams have worked together to make sure our markup formats are both XAML.

See a bit about using XAML for Workflow in this article. Comments on the article should go on this post from K. Scott Allen.

Only one (very minor) problem I saw in the article...Grid.Row and Grid.Column start at 0, not 1. WPF should have thrown an exception, I would think in that case...not sure why we don't. I'll check why we aren't throwing now...

What other declarative formats would work well being described in XAML? Would love to hear your thoughts/feelings on that...

IBloks.com interview/demo from Mix06

2006-03-20T23:50:00Z

Just watched a short interview with IBloks showing off their new WPF application. I like Dancing man. I'm going to sign up for the beta...looking at their site it looks like they will sell backgrounds for $.99 and a game for $9.99 and media. Interesting...

(updated link to interview...was broken...)

Watching Mix06 from Redmond

2006-03-20T15:48:00Z

This morning I'm looking forward to watching the Mix06 online.
I'm keeping my head down on work I have on my plate for a while, so I'm not attending. :-(

I'll be following as much of the content as I can at VirtualMix. I'm back to subscribing to blog feeds using IE7's interface...just subscribed to the RSS feed. Rumor has it that a new build of IE7 may be coming out with Mix. Haven't checked internally to see if that is true...but I'll be upgrading if it is.

Update: Bill just said it is available today...get it.

I just upgraded my wife's computer to it last week. We went away for a ski weekend so she hasn't put much time in on it yet...

Bill's keynote: (9am PST)

• 56K

• 100K

• 300K

Dean's keynote: (after Bill)

56K
100K

Michael Wallent, Fil Fortes and Robert Ingebretsen have WPF focused talks. More on that when I find links...

If you are there...would love to hear what you think about the conference, keynotes, sessions.

Windows Vista DWM (Desktop Window Manager) Details

2006-03-06T17:58:00Z

Greg Schechter rejoins us after a lengthy blogging pause to describe profound changes how Windows Applications render to the screen.

Greg has contributed a lot to the architecture of WPF. You may have seen Greg, Chris Anderson, and Jeff Bogdan's talk at the October 2005 PDC. I don't think the session will be available online past April...so catch it soon if you desire.

PRS435: Going under the Hood to Understand the Architecture

(link stolen from Fil's list of WPF PDC talks)