Intro to Silverlight
Kevin Grossnicklaus
Introductions
• Kevin Grossnicklaus
– SSE - www.SSEinc.com (1998-2009)
• Chief Architect
• Software Development Practice Leader
– CAIT (2003-2009)
• Instructor
• Email: kvgros@SSEinc.com
• Blog: http://geekswithblogs.net/kgrossnicklaus
Agenda
• History
• Silverlight
• Tools
– Expression Blend 3 w/ Sketchflow
– VS.NET 2K8,2010
• Resources
• Questions
Brief History of .NET
•
•
•
•
•
•
2001 - .NET 1.0 (VS.NET)
2003 - .NET 1.1 (VS.NET 2K3)
2005 - .NET 2.0 (VS.NET 2K5)
2006 - .NET 3.0 (WPF/WCF/WF)
2008 - .NET 3.5 (VS.NET 2K8)
2010 - .NET 4.0 (VS.NET 2010)
History of Silverlight
• WPF/E (Everywhere) released in 2006
shortly after .NET 3.0
• MIX 2007 – Announcement that WPF/E was
renamed “Silverlight” and Silverlight 1.0
was released
• MIX 2008 – Release of Silverlight 2.0
• MIX 2009 – Announcement of Silverlight
3.0
What is Silverlight?
• Browser Plug-in with a compact version of
the .NET framework and the ability to render
UI elements via XAML/WPF
Silverlight vs. Flash
Flash
Silverlight
• Small deployment footprint via
Browser Plug-in
• Support for Windows, Mac, and
Linux
• Code in ActionScript
• Integrates with JavaScript
• Adobe Flash as Dev Tool
• Heavy animation and multimedia support
• Rich set of existing UI
components
• HUGE existing adoption
• Many other features
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Larger than Flash but still small and
much easier to install than full .NET
framework
Runs on Windows and Mac OSX
(plus Linux w/ Moonlight)
Code in C# or VB.NET
Integrates easily with JavaScript
Easily call any services
VS.NET as Dev Tool
Brings plug-in development to the
.NET development community
Heavy animation and multi-media
support
Rich set of existing UI components
Many other features
UI Options in .NET
• Installed on Desktop
– WinForms
– WPF
• Browser Based
– ASP.NET (w/ AJAX)
– ASP.NET MVC
– Silverlight
– (Mix of the above)
Silverlight Platform Support
• Windows
• Mac OSX
• Linux support provided by the Moonlight
plug-in developed as part of the Mono project
Silverlight Terminology
•
•
•
•
•
•
WPF
WCF
XAML
XAP
AJAX
RIA
Silverlight Development Tools
Primary Tools
• VS.NET 2008 SP1, 2010
• Silverlight SDK
• Expression Blend 2/3
Helpful Tools
• Kaxaml
(www.Kaxaml.com)
• Fiddler
(www.fiddler2.com)
Silverlight Resources
Primary Links
• www.Silverlight.net
• www.Asp.net
• www.CodePlex.com/SilverL
ight
• go-mono.com/moonlight/
Misc Links
• www.silverlight.net/showca
se
• http://karlshifflett.wordpre
ss.com/xaml-power-toys/
• www.codeplex.com/composit
ewpf
Silverlight Showcase
• www.Silverlight.net/ShowCase
How does Silverlight work?
• Plug-In Installation
• Deployment
– What is XAP?
• Plug-In Hosting
– Server does not require .NET
The Silverlight BCL (CoreCLR)
•
OUT:
–
–
–
System.Data
System.Deployment
Traditional XML manipulation using System.Xml
•
–
Non-Generic collections
•
–
–
No COM support
IN:
–
–
All native types with full functionality
Full LINQ Support
•
–
–
–
–
–
•
Use Generic’s instead
System.Runtime.Remoting
System.Runtime.InteropServices
•
•
LINQ to XML instead
Including LINQ to XML
Full support calling services (either ASMX or WCF)
Powerful XAML with rich Silverlight Controls
Same garbage collection, memory management, and assembly management as full runtime
Threading Support
Generics
DIFFERENT:
–
Security Model
WPF vs. Silverlight
• WPF
–
–
–
–
–
–
Requires full .NET Framework (3.0+) be installed on client
Only supports Windows
Full access to all local resources
Full rights to local resource due to .NET code access security model
More powerful UI components and flexible UI composition model
More ability to take advantage of local audio/video resources
• i.e. Video and sound cards
• Silverlight
–
–
–
–
–
–
Supported by Plug-In
Supported on other platforms
Same XAML languages for declaring UI
Subset of WPF controls
Subset of .NET framework functionality
Limited access to local resources and constrained to browser sandbox
Key Components of a Silverlight 2.0
Application
•
•
•
•
•
UI = XAML
Logic = C#/VB.NET
Data = Classes
Data Access = WCF Services
Navigation = User Controls
Silverlight Controls
• Out of the Box Controls (Ship w/ framework)
• Silverlight Control Toolkit
– Silverlight.Codeplex.com
– Similar to AJAX Control Toolkit
– Microsoft and Community Supported
Data in Silverlight
• Data Classes
– INotifyPropertyChanged
• Generics
– i.e. List<Person>
• ObservableCollection
– Raises events on change
• XAML Data Binding
Databinding in Silverlight
• Can be declared via Mark-Up extensions in
XAML or via code
• Key Code Properties:
– DataContext
– ItemsSource
• Basic Binding in XAML:
– Using “Binding” Markup-Extension
Text=“{Binding NameFirst}”
Silverlight Demo
• Silverlight 3.0 features
• Silverlight LOB Application
Expression Blend 3
Expression Blend 3
•
•
•
•
•
•
Componentized UX behaviors – no coding
Designing with data
Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator import
XAML, C# and VB code intellisense
Source code control integration
SketchFlow
SketchFlow
• Breakthrough design prototyping
• Visually explore composition and navigation
• Communicate design alternatives to
stakeholders
• Solicit their feedback
Visual Studio 2010
Visual Studio 2010
• Modern, enhanced user experience
• Democratizing application lifecycle
management
• Inspiring developer delight
• Great web development experience
• Silverlight designer support
• Cloud development and deployment
• More database support – DB2 & Oracle
DEMO
Visual Studio 2010
Available today
•
•
•
•
Silverlight 3 & IIS Media Services
Silverlight 3 Tools for Visual Studio 2008
Expression Blend 3
Visual Studio 2010 Beta
Bueller?