Pro WPF in C# 2010: Windows Presentation Foundation in .NET 4

Chapter 4. Dependency Properties

Every .NET programmer is familiar with properties and events, which are core parts of .NET's object abstraction. Few would expect WPF, a user interface technology, to change either of these fundamentals. But surprisingly enough, that's exactly what WPF does.

In this chapter, you'll learn how WPF replaces ordinary .NET properties with a higher-level dependency property feature. Dependency properties use more efficient storage and support additional features such as change notification and property value inheritance (the ability to propagate default values down the element tree). Dependency properties are also the basis for a number of key WPF features, including animation, data binding, and styles. Fortunately, ...