XAML Unleashed

Full Color: Figures and code appear as they do in Visual Studio. If you want to write Windows apps with XAML, one person can help you more than anyone else: Adam Nathan. He has built a well-deserved reputation as the world’s #1 expert on putting it to work. Now, he’s written the definitive, practical XAML tutorial and reference: XAML Unleashed. Nathan answers the questions you’re most likely to ask, walks through the tasks you’re sure to perform, and helps you avoid problems as you use XAML. You’ll learn how to create effective user interfaces for line-of-business apps, consumer apps, reusable controls, or anything else. These techniques will be invaluable whether you’re creating universal Windows apps or working with Silverlight or WPF. XAML Unleashed is packed with C# and XAML code examples that are fully color-coded to match their appearance in Visual Studio--the same approach that has made Nathan’s previous Unleashed books so popular. Detailed information on how to... Understand and apply XAML’s syntax, namespaces, and keywords Organize controls and other elements in a smooth and intuitive user interface Make the most of XAML’s rich controls for content, items, images, text, and media Build exceptionally powerful user and custom controls Master reliable and efficient ways to mix XAML with procedural code Extend XAML with type converters, markup extensions, and other third-party desktop classes Use data binding to link and synchronize controls with in-memory representations of data Leverage XAML’s support for binary and logical resources Use styles, templates, and visual states to radically redesign controls without sacrificing their built-in functionality Access the Windows animation library to create stunning theme transitions and animations Build custom panels to enforce consistency in unusual user interfaces Understand subtle changes in XAML’s behavior across different Microsoft UI frameworks

Table of Contents:
Introduction   1 Who Should Read This Book?    2 Code Examples   2 How This Book Is Organized   2 Conventions Used in This Book   4 Part I: The XAML Language Chapter 1: What Is XAML?    5 Elements and Attributes   6 Namespaces   9 Property Elements   11 Summary   13 Chapter 2: Child Elements and Keywords   15 Children of Object Elements   15 XAML Keywords   19 Summary   22 Chapter 3: Mixing XAML with Code   23 Loading and Parsing XAML at Runtime   23 Compiling XAML   26 Summary   30 Chapter 4: Extending XAML   31 Type Converters   31 Using Arbitrary Types in XAML   34 Markup Extensions   38 Some Notes About XAML2009   40 Summary   45 Part II: Graphics Chapter 5: Arranging Elements   47 Controlling Size   48 Controlling Position   52 Applying 2D Transforms   55 Applying 3D Transforms   63 Summary   66 Chapter 6: Automatic Layout   67 Canvas   68 StackPanel   71 DockPanel   72 Grid   75 VariableSizedWrapGrid and WrapPanel   84 Primitive Panels   87 Handling Content Overflow   89 Summary   97 Chapter 7: 2D Graphics   99 Shapes   99 Geometries   107 Brushes   115 Summary   129 Chapter 8: 3D Graphics   131 Getting Started with 3D Graphics   131 Cameras and Coordinate Systems   135 Transform3D   147 Model3D   157 Visual3D   181 Viewport3D   186 2D and 3D Coordinate System Transformation   187 Summary   195 Part III: Controls Chapter 9: Content Controls   197 Button   198 HyperlinkButton   199 RepeatButton   200 ToggleButton   201 CheckBox   201 RadioButton   202 ToolTip   203 Summary   205 Chapter 10: Items Controls   207 Items in the Control   208 Items Panels   209 ComboBox   212 ListBox   214 ListView   215 GridView   219 Summary   220 Chapter 11: Images   221 The Image Element   222 Multiple Files for Multiple Environments   231 Decoding Images   236 Encoding Images   244 Summary   252 Chapter 12: Text   253 TextBlock   253 RichTextBlock   265 TextBox   270 RichEditBox   276 PasswordBox   279 Summary   279 Chapter 13: Audio and Video   281 Playback   281 Capture   292 Transcoding   303 Summary   308 Chapter 14: Other Controls   311 Range Controls   311 Popup   314 Hub   316 DatePicker   322 TimePicker   323 ProgressRing   324 ToggleSwitch   325 Summary   326 Chapter 15: User Controls and Custom Controls   327 Creating a User Control   328 Creating a Custom Control   331 Summary   340 Part IV: Exploring XAML Features Chapter 16: Resources   341 Binary Resources   341 Logical Resources   348 Summary   355 Chapter 17: Data Binding   357 Introducing Binding   357 Controlling Rendering   366 Customizing the View of a Collection   374 Summary   378 Chapter 18: Styles, Templates, and Visual States   379 Styles   380 Templates   386 Visual States   395 Summary   404 Chapter 19: Animation   405 Theme Transitions   406 Theme Animations   417 Custom Animations   422 Custom Keyframe Animations   435 Easing Functions   439 Manual Animations   444 Summary   446 Part V: Advanced Features Chapter 20: Layout with Custom Panels   447 Communication Between Parents and Children   448 Creating a SimpleCanvas   451 Creating a SimpleStackPanel   455 Creating a UniformGrid   458 Summary   463 Chapter 21: Fun with XAML Readers and Writers   465 System.Xaml Overview   465 The Node Loop   468 Reading XAML   469 Writing to Live Objects   473 Writing to XML   475 XamlServices   476 Summary   478 Index   479