Expression Blend vs VS2008

[Lamont Sanford]

Could someone please explain why I as a Visual Studio 2008 user (WPF) would
want the Expression Blend product? What does Blend offer that VS2008 does
not? As far as I can tell, both products can be used to design WPF
applications -- but the former seems geared toward designers rather than
programmers. Would I, as the C# programmer, give Blend to my designer to
construct the user interface?

...just trying to figure out the division of labor here.

Thanks,

Jules

 

[RobertW]

My understand is Visual Studio 2008 has the tools required to build a basic
WPF application. However, for example, if you want your button controls to
be fish, it would be a lot easier (and otherwise, possibly impractical) to
draw your buttons as fish without Expression Blend.

Honestly, I'm very upset about the fact that I paid for a subscription which
included the developer tools and didn't get expression blend which seems to
be an important developer tool. I would really like my "ok" buttons to look
like fish.

But in all sincerity, if your application just needs to be functional, and
not necessarily pretty, you may or may not need Blend or even those employees
you'd call 'designers'.

-Rob

 

[Jules Winfield]

Thanks for the information.

Honestly, I'm very upset about the fact that I paid for a subscription
which
included the developer tools and didn't get expression blend which seems
to
be an important developer tool. I would really like my "ok" buttons to
look
like fish.

You should be able to download Expression Blend from MSDN. I just logged on
and I see that it's available for download under the Developer Tools node.

There's yet another program called Expression Designer and that one is NOT
available on MSDN. Could that be the program you're thinking of?

Jules

 

[RobertW]

Thanks for the information.


You should be able to download Expression Blend from MSDN. I just logged on
and I see that it's available for download under the Developer Tools node.

There's yet another program called Expression Designer and that one is NOT
available on MSDN. Could that be the program you're thinking of?

Jules

Interesting.

Neither are avialable to me, but I only have the subscription that includes
Visual Studio Professional Edition. I would probably have to upgrade to a
more complete subscription to get that. My guess is that it may be cheaper
to just buy the expression product myself. I might just do that, now that
I'm getting involved in some WPF development, if the price is right. While I
am _not_ a visual designer, as an independent developer working on contract,
I have many hats to fill.

-Rob

 

[RobertW]

You should be able to download Expression Blend from MSDN. I just logged on
and I see that it's available for download under the Developer Tools node.

There's yet another program called Expression Designer and that one is NOT
available on MSDN. Could that be the program you're thinking of?

Jules

Jules,

Like I said, I just double-checked and my subscription didn't come with any
expression tools.

However, I had to share that I did buy the 'studio' today which comes with
'designer', 'blend' and two other tools I think. It was about $300 on Amazon
(and they say I should have it tomorrow with standard shipping, I think they
ship from north jersey and I'm on long island, based on previous experience I
usually get shipments in about 1 day). Apparently, I'm eligible for the
upgrade price as an MSDN subscriber, it would've probably been twice that
price otherwise, so I don't feel totally ripped off w/ the MSDN subscription
not including it.

I hope these newsgroups don't get that much more expensive

-Rob