Design To BlendDale G. JonesDirector of Creative DesignIdentityMine, Inc.

Session Prerequisites

Microsoft Expression Design http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/overview.aspx?key=design

Microsoft Expression Blend http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/overview.aspx?key=blend

Adobe Fireworks http://www.adobe.com/products/fireworks/

FW to XAML Exporter http://www.adobe.com/devnet/fireworks/articles/fw_xaml_panel.html

Session Objectives and Agenda• Reduce fear about designing for WPF.• Show real world workflow from concept to XAML.• Provide a brief overview of the tools I use.• Get Creative Designers excited about WPF &

Silverlight.

Who Am I?

• Dale JonesDirector of Creative DesignIdentityMine, Inc.

I lead a team of Creative Designers that build exciting solutions on new Microsoft UX Platforms (WPF & Silverlight).

• Designing for the web (8 years)• Designing for WPF (2.5 years)

Where I Work

Why Do We Need Designers?

• Users are expecting better application experiences.

• Developers are excellent at making it work, but tend to overlook the visual details of an application.

• The best applications are developed when there is collaboration between Designers & Developers.

What’s In It For You?

• With WPF, it is possible to maintain design integrity throughout the application development process.

• Your applications can be taken further than in past technologies.

• Developers are now a Designer’s best friend!

Lets Talk Process

New Process Ideas

It Starts With The Team

Designer

graphics, media,

color, UX, UI

Developerdata, logic, code

But Wait A Second…

Designer

graphics, media,

color, UX, UI

Developerdata, logic, code

?layout,

animation,events, markup,

integration

The Team With An Integrator

Designer

graphics, media,

color, UX, UI

Developerdata, logic, code

Integratorlayout,

animation,events,

integration

The Team & Tools

What Ties Us Together?

<XAML>

XAM L XAM L

XAM L

These Roles Are Rigid

• I am a designer and love to play with markup, where do I fit in?

• Our company is small, we can’t staff this way. What do we do?

Roles Reflect Project Responsibilities• The tasks to build a successful application don’t

change based on the people performing the tasks.

• One person may have to share role responsibilities to accomplish all project tasks.

• Defining tasks and roles before project starts gives a better chance of project success.

I Am A Designer

For the purpose of this presentation I am going to be the designer, and show you how Designers work with Integrators and Developers at IdentityMine.

I Am Assuming…

That you have a basic understanding of:- Windows Presentation Foundation- Expression Design- Expression Blend- Adobe Fireworks CS3- Basic XAML

Understanding these tools/technologies are my keys for “Designing To Blend”.

What This Session Is Not

• A complete discussion about the WPF Platform• Extensive XAML Overview

• Custom controls• Resource Dictionaries• Styles• Templates

Expression Design

• Prototyping and Composition Design.• A few nice features that other design programs

don’t have.• Very nice XAML exporter.

• Lets go take a look.

Expression Design Examples

• Roxio Central Vista Technology Preview• Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step• LSTV

Expression Design Walkthrough• Creating a new file• Finding Palettes• Setting up preferences• Working with the tools• Open file and export some XAML

Adobe Design Tools

• Adobe Photoshop – Great design tool, however no way to export XAML.

• Adobe Illustrator – Has a XAML exporter, but I don’t use Illustrator for application design.

• Adobe Fireworks CS3 – We have a winner!

Adobe Fireworks CS3

• Fireworks has its roots in web and RIA design.• It is an outstanding tool to develop vector based

graphics.• Fireworks integrates bitmap graphics very well

into its design surface.• Easy transition for existing Photoshop users.

Building Design Comps in Fireworks• Fireworks is an outstanding tool to design

application UI for client approval.• It allows for designer to separate UI design into

“Pages”.• Pages contain their own layers set.• This allows designers to design exact “states” of

the applications and export for client approval.• Once that approval has been given, Fireworks

exports XAML assets.

• This is a great time saver over other tools/platforms.

Adobe Fireworks CS3 Examples• Aspiring Architects• CSS

These examples are ok, but how do I get XAML out of this?

?

Fireworks to XAML Panel

Extension for Fireworks built by Infragistics

Download it here:http://www.adobe.com/devnet/

fireworks/articles/fw_xaml_panel.html

Lets see it in action

Export Something

Export Settings – Output Tab

• Output Tab Settings• Export Images – I don’t export

images from Fireworks here. • Fill Textures (using images) – I

tend to stay away from this.• Pattern Fills (using images) – I

try to stay away from this.• Bitmap Effects – not a good idea,

hurts app performance• Text Options – Exporting Text

works pretty well. Exporting text on a path should be converted to Paths.

Export Settings – XAML Options• XAML Options Tab Settings

• Grid or Canvas – depends on how you need your XAML. Silverlight XAML needs Canvas export.

• Convert Rectangles to Borders – most of the time this is checked.

• Element Names – Good idea to name layered groups.

• Export Fills As Resources – Unchecked - Usually I set up my resource dictionaries before I export from Fireworks.

Expression Blend

• Draw and assemble design assets.• Build up layout structure.• Bind to data.• A whole lot more.

• Lets go take a look.

Expression Blend

• Creating a new project• Finding Palettes• Introduction to layout tools• Working with the built in controls• Bring in Exported XAML

Getting XAML into Blend

• The purpose of compositing design elements in Fireworks/Design is the ability to export XAML pieces.

• Know what to export and what to rebuild in Blend.

XAML Composition in Blend

• Layout First – look at your design comps and decide which panels to use to hold your design elements together.

• Grid, Canvas, StackPanel, etc.

• Once you understand basic layout, start inserting some exported XAML.

Can I Just Use Blend?

• Blend is extremely powerful and capable of doing most design tasks.

• My creative process utilizes a Design program first, this allows me to collaborate with clients without thinking too much about the implementation of XAML

• I have found it easier to work in the design tool I am familiar with and then composite XAML in Blend.

• Work with what feels right to you, but still gets the job done.

What Now?

• As a Designer, you should be pretty excited about the possibilities of WPF.

• As a Developer, you should be excited that you don’t have to mess with so many design tasks.

• The next step is to find an equally excited people and start building some beautiful applications!

Looking For More Info?

• Visit the TechEd Sessions of my co-workers.• Josh Wagoner

• WPF : Beyond Styles & TemplatesNext Session in Room 112

• Lessons Learned : Designer/Developer Workflow in WPF and SilverlightThursday at 9am in this room (Tent 1)

• Robby Ingebretson

• ZAP! WHAM! KAPOW! : The Next Generation of Online Comic Book Reading in WPFThursday at 1:30pm in this room (Tent 1)

Got Questions?

• Hopefully I have answers…

Thanks For Coming

Email: dale.jones@identitymine.comMy Site: http://gobigdale.wordpress.comWork Site: www.identitymine.com

Resources

• Microsoft Expression Designhttp://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/overview.aspx?key=design

• Microsoft Expression Blendhttp://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/overview.aspx?key=blend

• Adobe Fireworks CS3http://www.adobe.com/products/fireworks/

• Fireworks to XAML Exporterhttp://www.adobe.com/devnet/fireworks/articles/fw_xaml_panel.html

Resources - Continued

• Technical Communities, Webcasts, Blogs, Chats & User Groupshttp://www.microsoft.com/communities/default.mspx

• Microsoft Learning and Certificationhttp://www.microsoft.com/learning/default.mspx

• Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) & TechNet http://microsoft.com/msdn http://microsoft.com/technet

• Trial Software and Virtual Labshttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/downloads/trials/default.mspx

• New, as a pilot for 2007, the Breakout sessions will be available post event, in the TechEd Video Library, via the My Event page of the website

MSDN Library

Knowledge Base

Forums MSDN

Magazine User Groups

Newsgroups

E-learning Product

Evaluations

Videos Webcasts V-labs

Blogs MVPs Certification Chats

learn

support

connect

subscribe

Visit MSDN in the ATE Pavilion and get a FREE 180-day trial of MS Visual Studio Team System!

Complete your evaluation on the My Event pages of the website at the CommNet or the Feedback Terminals to win!

© 2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.This presentation is for informational purposes only.MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.