Book Image

Mastering Windows Presentation Foundation - Second Edition

By : Sheridan Yuen
Book Image

Mastering Windows Presentation Foundation - Second Edition

By: Sheridan Yuen

Overview of this book

Microsoft Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) provides a rich set of libraries and APIs for developers to create engaging user experiences. This book features a wide range of examples, from simple to complex, to demonstrate how to develop enterprise-grade applications with WPF. This updated second edition of Mastering Windows Presentation Foundation starts by introducing the benefits of using the Model-View-View Model (MVVM) software architectural pattern with WPF, then moves on, to explain how best to debug our WPF applications. It explores application architecture, and we learn how to build the foundation layer of our applications. It then demonstrates data binding in detail, and examines the various built-in WPF controls and a variety of ways in which we can customize them to suit our requirements. We then investigate how to create custom controls, for when the built-in functionality in WPF cannot be adapted for our needs. The latter half of the book deals with polishing our applications, using practical animations, stunning visuals and responsive data validation. It then moves on, to look at improving application performance, and ends with tutorials on several methods of deploying our applications.

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Table of Contents (15 chapters)
Preface
Preface
Who this book is for
What this book covers
To get the most out of this book
Get in touch
1
A Smarter Way of Working with WPF
A Smarter Way of Working with WPF
What is MVVM and how does it help?
Debunking the myth about code behind
Learning how to communicate again
Structuring the application code base
Summary
Free Chapter
2
Debugging WPF Applications
Debugging WPF Applications
Utilizing the Output window
Putting Presentation Trace Sources to work
Discovering inner exceptions
Debugging data bound values
Summary
3
Writing Custom Application Frameworks
Writing Custom Application Frameworks
What is an application framework?
Encapsulating common functionality
Constructing a custom application framework
Separating the data access layer
Providing services
Summary
4
Becoming Proficient with Data Binding
Becoming Proficient with Data Binding
Data binding basics
Dependency Properties
Data templates
Data binding to enumeration collections
Summary
5
Using the Right Controls for the Job
Using the Right Controls for the Job
Investigating the built-in controls
Modifying existing controls
Combining controls
Creating custom controls
Summary
6
Adapting the Built-In Controls
Adapting the Built-In Controls
Inspecting protected methods
Altering default behavior
Tailoring to attain our requirements
Summary
7
Mastering Practical Animations
Mastering Practical Animations
Investigating timelines
Introducing key-frames
Telling stories
Easing functions
Animating along a path
Creating everyday animations
Summary
8
Creating Visually Appealing User Interfaces
Creating Visually Appealing User Interfaces
Styling applications consistently
Layering visuals
Moving away from the ordinary
Summary
9
Implementing Responsive Data Validation
Implementing Responsive Data Validation
Using validation rules – to do or not to do?
Getting to grips with validation interfaces
Annotating data
Varying levels of validation
Incorporating multiple validation techniques
Customizing the error template
Avoiding UI-based validation errors
Keeping synchronized with legacy behavior
Amalgamating validation and visuals
Summary
10
Completing that Great User Experience
Completing that Great User Experience
Providing user feedback
Utilizing multiple threads
Going the extra mile
Summary
11
Improving Application Performance
Improving Application Performance
Leveraging the power of hardware rendering
Making more efficient resources
Using the right controls for performance
Data binding
Shrinking data objects
Virtualizing collections
Handling events
Summary
12
Deploying Your Masterpiece Application
Deploying Your Masterpiece Application
Installing Windows applications
Utilizing ClickOnce functionality
Accessing application versions
Summary
13
What Next?
What Next?
Turning your attention to future projects
14
Other Books You May Enjoy
Other Books You May Enjoy
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A Smarter Way of Working with WPF

When Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) was first released as part of the .NET Framework Version 3.0 in 2006, it was billed as the future of desktop application Graphical User Interface (GUI) languages and supporters claimed that it would put an end to the previous GUI technology, Windows Forms. However, as time passed, it has fallen far short of this claim.

There are three main reasons that WPF has not taken off as widely as previously expected. The first reason has nothing to do with WPF and stems from the recent push to host everything in the cloud and having web interfaces rather than desktop applications. The second reason relates to the very steep learning curve and the very different way of working that is required to master WPF.

The last reason is that it is not a very efficient language and if a WPF application has lots of 'bells...

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