Expression Blend training: Building WPF Applications with Expression Blend 3

Course Number: EXP-200
GSA/Previous Course Number: 164
Duration: 4 days
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Expression Blend Training Overview

Accelebrate's Introduction to WPF Development with Expression Blend 3 training teaches attendees how to develop rich multimedia experiences and applications using Microsoft Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) with Microsoft Expression Blend 3. The Advanced Desktop Applications portion teaches attendees advanced skills, including LINQ, XLinq, securing WPF applications, WPF application deployment including ClickOnce deployment and team development, and multithreading.

Location and Pricing

Most Accelebrate courses are taught on-site at our clients' locations worldwide for groups of 3 or more attendees and are customized to their specific needs. Please visit our client list to see organizations for whom we have recently delivered training. These courses can also be delivered as live, private online classes for groups that are geographically dispersed or wish to save on the instructor's or students' travel expenses. To receive a customized proposal and price quote private training at your site or online, please contact us.

In addition, some courses are available as live, online classes for individuals. To see a schedule of online courses, please visit http://www.accelebrate.com/online_training/?action=category&page=expression.

Expression Blend Training Prerequisites

Prior programming experience is beneficial, but not required. The course presents code examples that can be developed during the course, or integrated as if provided by a developer to a designer. Prior experience with any of the following technologies is also beneficial, but not required: XML, Visual Studio, the .NET Framework and relational databases. No prior Microsoft Expression Blend experience is presumed.

Hands-on/Lecture Ratio

This Microsoft Expression Blend training class is 70% hands-on, 30% lecture, with the longest lecture segments lasting for 20 minutes.

Expression Blend Training Materials

All attendees receive courseware and a copy of Dynamic Prototyping with SketchFlow in Expression Blend: Sketch Your Ideas...And Bring Them To Life.

Software Needed on Each Student PC

Windows XP. Vista, or 7 with at least 2GB RAM
Microsoft Expression Blend 3 with the latest service packs installed
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 with the latest service packs installed
Microsoft .NET Framework 3 with the latest service packs installed
Internet Explorer 6 or later

Expression Blend Training Objectives

All attendees will learn how to use Microsoft Expression Blend to:

Learn to build WPF applications in Expression Blend 3 and Visual Studio 2008
Become familiar with the .NET Framework and WPF
Learn to generate XAML for rich user interfaces using Expression Blend 3
Learn to define new user interface elements with styles and templates
Learn to integrate multimedia content to enhance the user experience
Learn to use different controls and layouts panels to provide dynamic, responsive user interfaces
Learn to create dynamic, data-driven WPF applications in a team environment
Edit XAML directly within Expression Blend 3
Connect to .NET language code to extend the behavior of WPF elements
Learn to prototype WPF applications using SketchFlow
Learn to create Behaviors, Triggers and Actions in Visual Studio 2008 to extend Expression Blend 3
Learn to interoperate between Windows Forms and WPF.

Expression Blend Training Outline

Introducing Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)

What's new in WPF
Comparing Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) to Silverlight 3
Using WPF with Windows Communication Foundation (WCF)
Creating WPF Desktop Applications

The WPF Framework

Using XAML to describe the UI
Connecting with Visual C# / Visual Basic code
Designing Applications with vector graphics
Designing with classes and partial classes
Incorporating animation in the UI

Creating Innovative User Interfaces

WPF Architecture
Choosing and customizing WPF controls
Routed events

Choosing Layout Panels

Canvas
StackPanel
WrapPanel
DockPanel
Grid
Nesting panels and controls for a hierarchical design

WPF Controls

Text Controls
UI Controls
Item Controls

Customizing WPF Controls

Using Styles and Templates
Linking to Data
Applying Themes

Navigation-Based Windows Applications

Networking In WPF

WCF
Sockets
Enabling cross-domain communication

Working with Data in WPF

Data Binding
XML processing
Using LINQ

Animating WPF

Vector graphics
3D Graphics
Video and Audio media

Extending the UI

2D Graphics
Transforming Objects

Manipulating Color, Fills, Gradients, and Transparency

Brushes
Creating and Using color resources and brush resources
Creating and Applying Gradients

Creating Styles and Using Templates

Creating, applying, and editing a style
Using Templates to Customize Control UI
Importing components from 3rd party editors

Using Animation

Keyframe animation
StoryBoards
Timelines
Animating in Expression Blend

Interoperability with Legacy Applications

Working with Win32 Controls in WPF
Embedding WPF Controls in Win32 Applications
Interoperating with Windows Forms Applications

Testing and Debugging

Unit testing
Conditional compilation
Debugging WPF applications
Exception Handling

Packaging and deploying WPF applications

ClickOnce WPF Application
XAML Browser Applications
Windows Installer WPF applications

Multithreading in WPF

Creating and managing threads
Using timers

Using SketchFlow

Prototyping application flow
Screen prototyping
Creating a component
Navigation support
Generating documentation

Extending Expression Blend

Creating Behaviors
Creating Triggers

Conclusion