Windows^® Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Silverlight Introduction: Hands-On

What is Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)?

Windows Presentation Foundation is the next-generation toolkit for developing sophisticated user interfaces (UIs) from Microsoft. UIs are developed in an XML-based language called XAML, and UI behaviors are programmed using a .NET language such as C# or Visual Basic. WPF UIs can be deployed as stand-alone Windows programs (similar to Windows Forms applications) or Internet Explorer applications. XAML UIs can even run on other platforms such as the Macintosh OS X by using a new browser plug-in called Silverlight. WPF applications can be used in conjunction with Windows Forms for desktop development and can also be added to ASP.NET Web sites.

What is this course about?

This course covers how to build Windows Presentation Foundation user interfaces with Visual Studio, XAML and a .NET programming language such as C# or Visual Basic. You learn to program a compelling application while integrating the major components of WPF. You also learn how to target your WPF applications for multiple platforms with Silverlight and integrate Silverlight applications into HTML pages and ASP.NET Web applications.

Throughout this course, you create user interfaces that utilize XAML controls, containers and data binding. You embed images and video features to modernize displays; control visual appeal through styles, templates, resources, themes and skins; and target WPF applications for Silverlight.

Who will benefit from this course?

Any experienced .NET developer who needs to understand and build modern user interfaces will benefit from this course. Web designers and UI designers who need to understand WPF and/or Silverlight and building WPF user interfaces will also benefit.

What background do I need?

.NET programming experience at the level of Course 502, Programming with .NET: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction, is assumed. For example, you should be able to

• Program in Visual Basic or C#
• Create Windows Forms or ASP.NET user interfaces
• Build projects using Visual Studio
• Construct classes
• Program event handlers

What is XAML and will this course cover it?

XAML stands for eXtensible Application Markup Language and is an XML-based language that is used to create WPF and Silverlight user interfaces with markup. This course covers XAML basics, and each WPF UI is created using XAML.

What is Silverlight and how is it used in this course?

Silverlight is a cross-platform, cross-browser plug-in for running .NET applications on Windows and Mac using Internet Explorer, Safari and Firefox browsers. This course provides an introduction to Silverlight and also a foundational knowledge of XAML, styles, resources, controls, layout, databinding, animations and transformations. Because they are so similar, much of this material applies equally to both Silverlight and WPF.

This course covers using JavaScript to access Silverlight applications from the browser and integrating Silverlight applications into existing Web sites. This course also covers how Silverlight 4 allows UIs to run outside of the browser and be installed on both Windows and Mac OS X.

I want to create Silverlight applications. Will this course help me?

Yes. Understanding XAML is essential to creating Silverlight applications because Silverlight UIs are programmed in it. This course also covers creating Silverlight applications with that access HTML content from Silverlight, and targeting Silverlight content using JavaScript.

Which versions of Visual Studio, .NET and Silverlight are used in this course?

This course uses Visual Studio 2010, .NET 4 and Silverlight 4.

How much time is spent on each topic?

How much of this course is hands-on?

Approximately 50 percent of this course is spent participating in hands-on exercises. The majority of the coding in this class is done in XAML. However, there is some coding done in C# and Visual Basic. In those cases, students have their choice of which of those languages to use. Exercises include:

• Creating WPF stand-alone, browser-based and Silverlight projects using Visual Studio 2010
• Programming XAML applications and user interfaces with WPF containers and controls
• Styling WPF controls using resource, named and extended styles
• Synchronizing user interfaces with bindable data sources
• Adding images, video, drawings and animation to applications
• Targeting WPF applications for Silverlight
• Integrating Silverlight with ASP.NET, HTML and JavaScript

Will this course prepare me for any Microsoft certification exams?

Yes. This course helps you prepare for the Microsoft Exam 70-502: .NET Framework 3.5 - Windows Presentation Foundation Application Development, which is a credit towards the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS): .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Presentation Foundation Applications certification.

Due to the difficulty of Microsoft certification exams, those who take Course 975 would also need to study before taking this exam.

How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses?

In addition to the aforementioned Course 502, Programming with .NET: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction, the following courses may also be of interest:

• 976, .NET 3.0/3.5 Overview: Hands-On offers an understanding of LINQ, WPF, WCF, WF and other .NET 3.5 technologies, and how they can be used to build sophisticated modern applications.
• 2620, .NET 4 Programming for Existing .NET Developers: Hands-On provides the skills to enhance applications using .NET 4 features, including ASP.NET 4, Entity Framework and Silverlight.
• 973, Programming C# Extended Features: Hands-On offers advanced coverage of the C# extended features to streamline data-centric applications

Additional courses that may be of interest include:

• 933, Software Engineering Best Practices: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction 
• 511, .NET Best Practices and Design Patterns: Hands-On 
• 2615, Programming SharePoint® 2010 Applications with .NET: Hands-On 

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