Chapter 2
Understanding the Basics of WPF
IN THIS CHAPTER
Laying out applications
Using layout panels
Working with the grid
Implementing display-only, input, and list-based controls
As Chapter 1 of this minibook explains, Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) not only brings a dramatic shift to the look and feel of Windows applications but also changes the manner of development. The days of dragging and dropping controls from the toolbox onto a form are long gone. Even though you can still drag and drop in WPF, you will find yourself better off and much happier if you work in XAML directly.
What was once difficult is now relatively simple. For example, in traditional Windows applications, when the user changes the size of the form, the controls typically stay huddled in their corner, and a large area of empty canvas is displayed. The only cure for this was a lot of custom code or expensive third-party controls. WPF brings the concept of flow layout from the web into the Windows world.
In the GDI/GDI+ world of WinForms, modifying a control's style or building complex looks was a Herculean ...
Get C# 7.0 All-in-One For Dummies now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
