Microsoft Expression Blend 4 Step By Step

Description

The smart way to learn Microsoft(R) Expression Blend(R) 4-one step at a time!

Experience learning made easy-and quickly teach yourself how to design rich user interfaces (UI) for Microsoft Silverlight(R)-based applications using Expression Blend 4. With Step by Step, you set the pace-building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them!

* Master the Expression Blend 4 core tools and features
* Use SketchFlow to design a UI prototype
* Create reusable skins for Silverlight 4 controls
* Implement interactive elements without writing code
* Add XAML and C# basics to your design skill set
* Design custom UI art with tools in Expression(R) Design 4

Your Step by Step digital content includes:

* All the book’s practice files-ready to download and put to work.
* Fully searchable online edition of this book-with unlimited access on the Web.

 The print version of this book includes free digital content online. To download, please visit O'Reilly's web site, search for the title of this book to find its catalog page, and click on the link below the cover image (Examples, Companion Content, or Practice Files). Note that while we provide as much of the media content as we are able via free download, we are sometimes limited by licensing restrictions. Please direct any questions or concerns to booktech@oreilly.com.

CONTENTS:

; Acknowledgements; Introduction; How to Access Your Online Edition Hosted by Safari; How to Download the Online Edition to Your Computer; System Requirements; Who Should Read This Book?; Assumptions; What’s New in Expression Blend 4; Acquiring Expression Blend 4; Sample Projects; Organization of This Book; Conventions and Features in This Book; Errata & Book Support; We Want to Hear from You; Stay in Touch; Chapter 1: Welcome to the Silverlight and WPF World; 1.1 Introducing Silverlight and WPF; 1.2 The Designer/Developer Workflow; 1.3 Expression Studio: The Designer’s World; 1.4 Visual Studio: The Developer’s World; 1.5 Key Points; Chapter 2: Exploring the Expression Blend 4 IDE; 2.1 Downloading and Installing Expression Blend 4 and Supporting Tools; 2.2 Opening and Testing Your First Silverlight Project; 2.3 Exploring the User Interface; 2.4 Customizing the User Interface; 2.5 Key Points; Chapter 3: Designing an Interface; 3.1 Visual Elements; 3.2 Creating a New Project; 3.3 Using Basic Shapes; 3.4 Drawing Paths; 3.5 Using Custom Shapes; 3.6 Using Controls; 3.7 Using Layout Panels; 3.8 Arranging Objects; 3.9 Using Images and Video; 3.10 Key Points; Chapter 4: XAML and C#; 4.1 XAML - What Is It?; 4.2 Introducing C# for Designers; 4.3 Key Points; Chapter 5: Animations and Transformations; 5.1 Transformation; 5.2 Animation; 5.3 Key Points; Chapter 6: Adding Interactivity; 6.1 Behaviors; 6.2 The Basics of Behaviors; 6.3 Using Default Behaviors; 6.4 Using the ToggleButton Control to Change Properties; 6.5 Switching Visual States; 6.6 Key Points; Chapter 7: Creating Design Assets; 7.1 Using Expression Design; 7.2 Exploring the Expression Design Toolbox; 7.3 The Properties Panel; 7.4 The Layers Panel; 7.5 The Action Bar; 7.6 Preparing Assets; 7.7 Exporting to XAML from Expression Design; 7.8 Importing Design Assets from Adobe Applications; 7.9 Key Points; Chapter 8: Resources; 8.1 Color Resources; 8.2 Brush Resources; 8.3 Other Resources; 8.4 Modifying Resources; 8.5 Working with External Resource Dictionaries; 8.6 Key Points; Chapter 9: Skinning Controls; 9.1 Structure of Common Silverlight Controls; 9.2 Creating and Using Styles; 9.3 Templates; 9.4 Creating Silverlight Themes; 9.5 Optimizing an Output Theme; 9.6 Key Points; Chapter 10: Working with Data; 10.1 Sample Data; 10.2 Data Binding; 10.3 Element Property Binding; 10.4 Using a Master/Details Scenario to Display Data; 10.5 Key Points; Chapter 11: Using SketchFlow; 11.1 Sketching; 11.2 Creating and Running a SketchFlow Project; 11.3 Creating an Application Flow; 11.4 Adding Controls and Data; 11.5 Adding Interactivity to a SketchFlow Project; 11.6 Changing SketchFlow Player Settings; 11.7 Packaging a Prototype; 11.8 Getting Feedback; 11.9 Generating Documentation; 11.10 Key Points; Chapter 12: Designer/Developer Collaboration; 12.1 A Typical Design Workflow; 12.2 The Designer’s Role; 12.3 The Developer’s Role; 12.4 Key Points; Author Bios; Elena Kosinska; Chris Leeds;