Anyone else unhappy with the WPF XAML designer tool in VS.NET?

[JDeats]

So I have bugs in my application that stem from the VS.NET 2008 WPF
desinger. The XML/XAML has gotten corrupted a few times (aparently due
to drag and drop operations executed by the designer from toolbox to
window in drop) and it consistently requires reloading, etc...

What's more: when the XAML does get corrupted, often times my
applications appear to compile bug free and the problems only reveal
themselves as nasty fatal run-time errors and yet this has been a
"released" product for almost a year now....

I really want to dig more into WPF, but until the tools stabilize I
have a very hard time justifying that action and in fact see WPF
development through VS.NET a high risk I would rather not introduce to
my team. Professional Team leads and Architects I recommend
youinvestigate the stability of the WPF/XAML visual design tool for
yourselves and not assume it's a product of Microsoft's past
standards. Even post SP1 It feels like a late beta/technology preview
and that it's very, very upsetting.

In fact (I might as well go on) If you look into what Adobe is doing
with Flex builder, it becomes a obvious answer unless you're needing
the rich Microsoft technology integration that WPF provides.

I love Microsoft technology, I've development with it and recommended
it with pride for years. I also use non-Microsoft development
technologies when I have to, but in the past I have greatly
appreciated that Microsoft tools when on natural selection comparing
WPF to say for solutions that do not require integration any company
that's building a WPF solution instead of a Flex solution is probably
not providing the best value to their customers.

Why can't Microsoft build a better WPF tool? Why did they realize such
a substandard product? I'm sorry if that last comment about "best
value" upsets a few of you.. I'm irate that I'm I have to turn my back
on Microsoft technology because the company has failed me as a
professional developer with this tool.

Don't misunderstand I still highly recommend Visual Studio.NET 2008.
LINQ has incredible potential to boost productivity, WCF... finally! I
even like WPF, my compliant is solely around the WPF design tool and
it's problems.

 

[not_a_commie]

Designers use MS Blend. Coders edit the XAML directly in text. The WPF
designer was thrown in as a crutch for QA people who were used to the
buggy WinForms designer. (That's my theory anyway...)

 

[Alun Harford]

So I have bugs in my application that stem from the VS.NET 2008 WPF
desinger. The XML/XAML has gotten corrupted a few times (aparently due
to drag and drop operations executed by the designer from toolbox to
window in drop) and it consistently requires reloading, etc...

What's more: when the XAML does get corrupted, often times my
applications appear to compile bug free and the problems only reveal
themselves as nasty fatal run-time errors and yet this has been a
"released" product for almost a year now....

I really want to dig more into WPF, but until the tools stabilize I
have a very hard time justifying that action and in fact see WPF
development through VS.NET a high risk I would rather not introduce to
my team. Professional Team leads and Architects I recommend
youinvestigate the stability of the WPF/XAML visual design tool for
yourselves and not assume it's a product of Microsoft's past
standards. Even post SP1 It feels like a late beta/technology preview
and that it's very, very upsetting.

The WPF designer is pretty useless. The even more serious issue is that
it pushes developers towards User Controls, which are just wrong in WPF.

My theory is that somebody at MSFT made a commercial decision that they
couldn't ship without a designer (changing the programming model for
Windows developers is apparently bad, so they decided to hide the fact
that they changed the programming model and by doing so changed a
necessary inconvenience into a major issue) so they rushed the
development of one at the last minute.

That said, WPF is fantastic - I'd never willingly use WinForms again.
Just don't use the VS designer.

Alun Harford

 

[raylopez99]

Designers use MS Blend. Coders edit the XAML directly in text. The WPF
designer was thrown in as a crutch for QA people who were used to the
buggy WinForms designer. (That's my theory anyway...)

OK, so WinForms designer (I guess you mean the Wizard, drag-and-drop)
is buggy--would you say then that the WPF designer is as buggy as
WinForms designer?

If so, I can live with WPF designer, since I'm getting better at
knowing when to drag and drop and when to backup before drag-and-
dropping a control onto WinForms (which is hard to 'undo' changes
sometimes, especially with status bars and the like).

RL

 

[Crile Carvey]

it pushes developers towards User Controls, which are just wrong in WPF.

please explain, or point us to a resource...