Pro WPF in VB 2010: Windows Presentation Foundation in .Net 4

For years .NET developers have been creating Windows applications with the Windows Forms toolkit. And though Windows Forms is reasonably full-featured, it's hardwired to essential bits of Windows plumbing that haven't changed much in the past ten years.

The Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) changes all this. Although WPF includes the standard controls you're familiar with, it draws every detail itself, using the high-performance DirectX engine. As a result, WPF can provide a whole host of eye-popping features. For example, you can give common controls such as buttons a slick, customized look without writing a line of code. Similarly, you can craft animated effects that rotate, stretch, scale, and skew anything in your use interface right before the user's eyes. Tasks that would have been difficult or nearly impossible in Windows Forms---such as playing media files or creating texture-mapped 3-D shapes---are finally possible.

WPF 4 is the most exciting version of WPF yet. It adds new controls (including a professional DataGrid) and adds support for Windows 7 features (such as multitouch screens and the revamped taskbar). It also includes better text rendering, more natural animations, and pixel shaders that can apply Photoshop-style effects.

In Pro WPF in VB 2010, you'll get a comprehensive overview of the entire WPF platform. No WPF experience is required, although new features are highlighted for readers who are already familiar with previous versions. By the time you finish this book, you'll have the expertise to design, build, and refine your own WPF masterpiece.

Matthew MacDonald is an author,educator, and MCSD developer who has a passion for emerging technologies. He isthe author of more than a dozen books about .NET programming. In a dimly-remembered past life, he studied English literature and theoretical physics.