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Karl On WPF - .Net

The Home of Mole and Karl's BLOG on WPF & VB.NET. (Karl speaks VB, learning C#)

Learning WPF M-V-VMNovember 8

For the last few months I’ve been studying M-V-VM and other WPF UI design patterns.

I have selected M-V-VM as my UI design pattern of choice for the soon to be released Ocean framework and code generation system.

I have read much of what Microsoft Partner Architect John Gossman, members of the WPF Disciples have published and specifically what my great friend and Microsoft & Code Project MVP Josh Smith has written on the UI design patterns.

Without any doubt, the best and clearest example of WPF M-V-VM I’ve seen is in Josh’s latest achievement, Crack.NET.  If you want to learn M-V-VM from an expert, download Crack.NET source and study Josh’s masterpiece.

Applied

I’m sitting here at the Silicon Valley Code Camp having just taught a M-V-VM for WPF LOB session.   The applications I presented were all 100% testable.  The main application that has all the unit tests, can be run without ever displaying any UI.  It is amazing the power that M-V-VM delivers with such simplicity.   

I need to make a few videos and write up a blog post and I’ll share the code with you after next weekend.

I’m finishing up Ocean’s UI and it u

WPF Sample Series - Solution for the Obsolete BitmapEffect Property and Rendering an OuterGlowBitmapEffectNovember 4

Since the release of .NET 3.5 SP1, I have been getting a new Visual Studio warning in my code where I have assigned a BitmapEffect to a UIElement.  Specifically I was using the OuterGlowBitmapEffect.

Warning 1 ‘Public Property BitmapEffect() As System.Windows.Media.Effects.BitmapEffect’ is obsolete: ‘Avoid using BitmapEffects as they have very poor performance characteristics.  They will be deprecated in a future version.  Consider using the UIElement.Effect property and ShaderEffects where appropriate instead.’

Problem

I needed an outer glow effect in my application so I read up on the new Effects property and the new Effect and ShaderEffects classes.  However, I could not find a replacement for the OuterGlowBitmapEffect that would work with the new UIElement.Effects property.

UIElement.BitmapEffect property is obsolete, making those bitmap effects we have been using obsolete also.

On the surface it seems the new UIElement.Effect property does not have an OuterGlowEffect class we can use to replace the OuterGlowBitmapEffect we have been using.

Solution

Today I was reading a WPF thread and

Support our Marines OverseasNovember 2

Many of you know I served in the Marine Corps after graduating from high school.  The training and experience of the Corps molded me for life.  I was blessed to have seen so much while in.  From carrying a rifle though the jungles in the Pacific to crewing a KC-130 on flights around the globe to molding Marine Recruits on the grinder at MCRD Parris Island, South Carolina.

The Marine Corps is an environment, a lifestyle where words like honor, commitment, loyalty, dedication, courage and faithfulness are core values that are lived out each day.  I love the Corps and miss it everyday.

Today I received an email from a retired Marine friend of mine, Gene Hetzel.  He passed along some information on supporting our Marines overseas this Christmas.

I emailed the unit Chaplain, Lt. Cullen and he sent me the following letter I want to share with you.

How to Support our Marines

Greetings from Iraq! We are the men of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion,

WPF CheckListBox - Two Versions XAML Only & Custom ControlNovember 1

Article and Code

Read the WPF CheckListBox article here: 

Background

In October of 2007 I wrote an article on Code Project entitled, A WPF Problem Solved Two Very Different Ways - Using XAML Only - Using A Custom Control.

I was at work yesterday and was replying to a forum post requesting information on a WPF CheckListBox.  I actually had trouble finding my article on my blog.  After finding it, I realize the title I selected was not a good “long term” blog post title.

At the time I was showing off the power of WPF and created two solutions to a problem Josh Smith was writing about in his article, The WPF Thought Process.

However, a year goes by, the title no longer makes sense and does not aid search engines in returning my article or blog post that is REALLY about WPF CheckListBoxes!

Moral of the Story

Name blog posts with titles that a year later will enable Internet users to find your awesome content.

So, this is a repeat blog post with the correct title to help others find the poorly named article.

Ocean’s BirthplaceOctober 30

I’ve been blogging and speaking about Ocean and wanted to share the birthplace of Ocean with you.  Ocean was born in the beautiful waters off the Alaskan coast.

The middle two images were shot from my suite at sea.  For me, it was very relaxing to sit and hear the sounds of the ocean and view the breath taking scenery while writing the code for Ocean.

When we got in port, we took the time to do the normal cruise thing which is to go on excursions.

Humpback Whales Bubble Net Feeding

On our whale watching excursion we were very lucky to view humpback whales bubble net feeding.  I was able to capture this spectacular event of nature 4 times.  The whales just keep repeating the tactic for feeding themselves.  Thought I would share the first episode with you.

  Silverlight Video - Humpback Whales Bubble Net Feeding (1:30)