Framework 3.0 and Graphics

[Guest]

Hello:

I have appl with a LOT of graphics developed in GDI+
It runs on XP( SP 2 ) and tablet PC.

Q:
Does 3.0 have more efficient graphics API
that will work on XP(SP2) and Tablet PC ?

Thank you,
dave.

 

[Morten Wennevik]

No,

Framework 3.0 is exactly the same as Framework 2.0. There are no
differences in the framework itself. The only differences are a few new
libraris.

 

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

No,

Framework 3.0 is exactly the same as Framework 2.0. There are no
differences in the framework itself. The only differences are a few new
libraris.

On the other hand, one of those new libraries is Windows Presentation
Foundation. That may well be a more efficient way of displaying
graphics than using Windows Forms. In other words, current code won't
run any better under 3.0, but there are alternatives available which
may improve things.

Jon

 

[Laurent Bugnion]

Hi,

Hello:

I have appl with a LOT of graphics developed in GDI+
It runs on XP( SP 2 ) and tablet PC.

Q:
Does 3.0 have more efficient graphics API
that will work on XP(SP2) and Tablet PC ?

Thank you,
dave.

Contrarily to what Morten says, the answer to your question is "yes",
3.0 comes with a whole new graphics API, which is WPF. The graphics
rendering engine has been wholly rewritten. If you liked GDI+, you'll be
blown away by WPF's graphic abilities. It's a whole new world.

It's not "just a few new libraries". It's a whole set of new libraries
(and namespaces) which build on a 2.0 foundation.

Eventually, Microsoft's strategy is to abandon Windows Forms and to
replace it with WPF (or its successor) for thick client development. WPF
also allows web development, though I don't think that it will replace
ASP.NET eventually.

You should really check it out.

HTH,
Laurent

PS: BTW 3.0 is more than "just" WPF, it also includes WCF (Windows
Communication Foundation) which is the successor of .NET remoting,
Windows Workflow Foundation (which I don't know well) and Cardspace,
which is a new way to handle security (log ons...)

 

[Chris Dunaway]

Contrarily to what Morten says, the answer to your question is "yes",
3.0 comes with a whole new graphics API, which is WPF. The graphics
rendering engine has been wholly rewritten. If you liked GDI+, you'll be
blown away by WPF's graphic abilities. It's a whole new world.

I understand that under Windows Vista, WPF will be accelerated by the
graphics card since under the hood it uses Direct3D for rendering.

Can anyone confirm whether or not that same acceleration will exist
under Windows XP?

 

[Guest]

Thank all of you very much.

Just last Q:

What is the best way to start with new features of 3.0 ?
I mostly interested in graphics.

Thank you all,

dave

 

[jm]

There are some free e-learning courses avaialble at Microsoft. I have
been using them and I hope I can make things as great as the
prensentation one day. The wpf web stuff looked amazing.

 

[Laurent Bugnion]

Hi Dave,

Thank all of you very much.

Just last Q:

What is the best way to start with new features of 3.0 ?
I mostly interested in graphics.

Thank you all,

dave

If you like books, Charles Petzold's "Applications = Code + Markup" is
really recommended.
http://www.charlespetzold.com/wpf/

Also, you might want to check my small tutorial about animations in WPF:
http://www.galasoft-lb.ch/mydotnet/articles/article-2006102701.aspx

And here is a list of blogs. Check the WPF section
http://geekswithblogs.net/lbugnion/archive/2006/09/16/91338.aspx

It's just a start ;-)

Laurent