Data Driven WPF and Silverlight ApplicationsData Driven WPF and Silverlight Applications

Dave AllenISV Application ArchitectDeveloper and Platform GroupMicrosoft UK

AgendaAgenda

Windows Presentation FoundationSilverlightEntity FrameworkWCF Data ServicesSilverlight & WCF Data ServicesSilverlight & WCF RIA Services

The Windows Client PlatformThe Windows Client Platform

WPFSilverlight

Silverlight Mobile

.NET

XAMLDesktopWeb

Mobile

Windows Presentation FoundationWindows Presentation Foundation

Now in it’s forth release: 3.0, 3.5, 3.5 SP1, 4.0Highly stable platform for rich client applicationsMany bug fixes and supplemental featuresPerformance optimizations – especially cold start-up

Some mixed messages on it’s initial releaseWinForms is dead, no further development – not true!Backtrack – WPF isn’t really suitable for LOB – was true!Tooling not good enough for RAD of LOB apps – was true!

WPF is moving into mainstream LOBWPF 4.0 primary goal is LOB applicationsWPF Toolkit still available for supplemental features

Silverlight (subset of WPF)Silverlight (subset of WPF)

Now in it’s forth release: 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0Platform for Rich Internet Applications (RIAs)Was originally a browser plug-in – still it’s primary useCross-browser, cross-platforms, cross-deviceIncludes .NET Runtime for C# and VB.NET

Some key featuresFrom SL3 will now run out-of-browserPrimary development platform for Windows Phone 7Includes rich networking stackIntegrates with HTML DOMSupports Isolated StorageSupports Safe File Open Dialog

The user experienceThe user experience

Primary features of WPF/SilverlightPrimary features of WPF/Silverlight

Vector based graphics, resolution-independent DPI Composition engine – allows nesting of all controlsUnified programming model for 2D, 3D, and MediaDeclarative programming model with XAMLHigh degree of control over stylingPowerful text engine and rendering Support different types of layoutAdvanced animation techniquesBuilt-in support for data bindingInterop with COM components

WPF/Silverlight programming modelWPF/Silverlight programming model

Declarative programming with XAMLUI and code easy to separate1:1 matching between XAML and codeEasily toolable

<Button Width="100"> OK <Button.Background> LightBlue </Button.Background></Button>

XAMLButton b1 = new Button();b1.Content = "OK";b1.Background = new SolidColorBrush(Colors.LightBlue);b1.Width = 100;

C#Dim b1 As New Buttonb1.Content = "OK"b1.Background = New _ SolidColorBrush(Colors.LightBlue)b1.Width = 100

VB.NET

DemoDemoWPF applications

WPF/Silverlight UI componentsWPF/Silverlight UI components

ControlsLayout (Canvas, Border, StackPanel, Grid)Button, Calendar, Checkbox, Datagrid, DateTimePicker, GridSplitter, HyperLink, Image, ListBox, MediaElement, MultiScaleImage, Popup, Radio, Slider, TextBox, TextBlock, Toggle, Tooltip, etc.User Control – aggregation of existing controls

StylingReuse of UI properties across multiple controls

TemplatingOverride the way a control displays itselfData templating for customization of how data is displayed

Data BindingAllows binding of DataContext to a DataSource

DemoDemoXAML and Silverlight anatomy

Silverlight behind the scenesSilverlight behind the scenes

Background processing on separate threadSystem.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker

Web ServicesSOAP 1.1 BP + Duplex, JSON, REST, RSS

SocketsOnly ports 4502-4534 are supported

Isolated StoragePer user, per application or per site/domain1Mb quota is the default, can be changed

File Open DialogAllows user to choose file, access the file stream, upload

DemoDemoBehind the scenes

Silverlight 3/4 FeaturesSilverlight 3/4 Features

Silverlight 360+ new controls addedData FormsDeep LinkingMulti-page ApplicationElement to Element bindingOut of Browser

Silverlight 4Printing supportRich text support32 new languages + right to left supportElevated privileges and COM automation (OOB)Webcam/Mic support

WPF and Silverlight applicationsWPF and Silverlight applications

The paradigm shiftWPF not a natural fit for a WinForms, VB6, MFC developer that has grown up on GDI/User32XAML mark-up language more familiar to Web developersVisual Studio 2010 and Expression Blend generate XAML

WPF/Silverlight/XBAP – too many options?Decision is much simpler than you thinkIf you develop and deploy WinForms applications today

WPF is the natural choice – full fidelity .NETIf you develop WinForms applications and deployment is a problem, then XBAP could be the answer

Restricted to browser sandbox – full fidelity .NETAlso consider Out of Browser Silverlight

If you target the browser today and are moving to RIASilverlight is the natural next step

ADO.NET Entity FrameworkADO.NET Entity Framework

Another data access technology!?!Not designed to replace what has gone beforeAddresses the OOP versus Relational problem

OOP very well establishedRelational have been around even longerBridging the gap has mostly been a manual taskSome 3rd party solutions, core problem remains

Objects != Relational DataFundamental problem is that relational data and objects in a programming language are NOT the same!

They have different semantics, languages, etc.But both are still needed in most applications

ADO.NET Entity FrameworkADO.NET Entity Framework

Entity Data ModelModels Entities and relationships between those EntitiesHow does it bridge the gap between OOP and Relational

Common type systemInheritanceComplex types

EDM is scoped to just modeling design of application data

Entity FrameworkProvides services for consuming an EDM

Object ServicesEntity Client (EntityConnection, EntityDataReader, etc.)Entity SQLLINQ To EntitiesProvider model for 3rd party databases

Entity Data ModelEntity Data Model

Application modelMapped to a persistence store

Comprised of three layers:Conceptual (CSDL)Mapping (MSL)Storage (SSDL)

Database agnosticNot compiled

Embed as a resourceStore externally

Conceptual

Mapping

Storage

Entity Data Model

DemoDemoEntity Data Model

Entity FrameworkEntity Framework

EDM consumption options:Entity Client

Entity SQLObject Services

Entity SQLLINQ To Entities

Entity Framework – Service StackEntity Framework – Service Stack

LINQ To Entities

Object Services

Entity SQL

Entity Client

ADO.NET Provider

Entity ClientEntity Client

Familiar ADO.NET object model:EntityCommandEntityConnectionEntityDataReaderEntity ParameterEntityTransaction

Text-based resultsRead-onlyUses Entity SQL

Entity SQLEntity SQL

• SQL-like query language• Targets conceptual model• Database agnostic

T-SQL

Entity SQL

Object ServicesObject Services

Object materialized queriesObjectContextObjectQuery<T>

Built on top of Entity ClientTwo query options:

Entity SQLLINQ

Runtime services:Unit of workIdentity trackingEager/explicit loading

Entity Framework featuresEntity Framework features

Many to many relationshipsJoin tables ignored by designer in EDMSide-effect, relationships cannot contain dataLINQ supports this via the aggregate functions

InheritanceAllows Entities to be specializedMaps to CLR inheritanceFully supported in queries3 types of inheritance

Table per typeTable per hierarchyTable per concrete type

Entity Framework features (2)Entity Framework features (2)

Entity splittingSingle entity split across multiple tables, something you may do with very large tables

Stored proceduresMost asked question about EFFully supported for CUD, map CUD functions to SPsMainly supported for queries, but doesn’t support composable queries, dynamic SQL within SPs

No metadata available at design-timeWorking against principles of EFDon’t use EF if you do this

Consider using TVF instead of SPs

Entity Framework 4.0 new featuresEntity Framework 4.0 new features

Model-first developmentAutomatic pluralizationForeign keys in modelsPOCO class supportLazy loadingT4 Code GenerationTemplate customizationIObjectSetVirtual SaveChangesObjectStateManager control

Self-tracking entitiesSQL generation improvementsMore LINQ operator supportLINQ extensibilityExecuteStoreQueryExecuteStoreCommandSPROC import improvementsModel defined functionsWPF designer integration

DemoDemoEntity Framework

Data Service over HTTPData Service over HTTP

HTML + JavaScript

Data (XML, etc)

DLL + XAML

Data (XML, etc) Data (XML, etc)

Mashup UI

Data Feeds

AJAX Applicatio

ns

Silverlight Applicatio

ns

Online Services

Mashups

Data Services todayData Services today

Web Service (ASMX, WCF)

1) GetCustomer(int id)

2) GetCustomers()

3) GetCustomers(string orderBy)

4) GetCustomers(string orderBy, string sortDirection)

5) GetCustomers(string orderBy, string sortDirection, int offset, int count)

6) GetCustomers(string orderBy, string sortDirection, int offset, int count, string filter, string filterValue)

WCF Data ServicesWCF Data Services

Data publishing service using a RESTful interfaceJust uses HTTP

Therefore is able to use existing authentication mechanisms, and other infrastructure components such as caching and proxies

Uniform URL SyntaxEvery piece of information is addressablePredictable and flexible URL syntax

Multiple representationsATOMJSONPOX

WCF Data Services (2)WCF Data Services (2)

Exposes an object model (not a database) over the web

Entity Data Model – WCF DS designed to work with EDMLINQ To SQL model, read-onlyCustom IQueryable<T> provider

Operation semantics, mapping of HTTP verbs for CRUD operations

GET – retrieve resourcePOST – create a resourcePUT – update a resourceDELETE – delete a resource

URL ConventionsURL Conventions

Addressing entities and sets

Presentation options

Entity-set /Product

Single Entity /Product(324)

Member access /Product(324)/Name

Link traversal /ProductSubcategory(2)/Product

Deep access /ProductSubcategory(2)/Product(789)/Name

Raw value access /Product(324)/Name/$value

Sorting /Product?$orderby=Name

Filtering /Product?$filter=Color%20eq%20'Black'

Paging /Product?4top=10$skip=30

Inline expansion /ProductSubcategory?$expand=Product

FiltersFilters

Logical operatorsand, or , asc, desc, eq, ne, true, false, gt, ge, lt, le, not, null

Arithmetic operatorsadd, sub, div, mul, mod

String functionsendswith, indexof, replace, startswith, tolower, toupper, trim, substring, substringof, concat, length

Date functionsyear, month, day, hour, minute, second

Math functionsround, floor, ceiling

Type functionsIs, Cast

DemoDemoWCF Data Services

Securing and Customizing Data ServicesSecuring and Customizing Data Services

VisibilityControl visibility per containerRead, Query, and Write options

AuthenticationIntegrates with the hosting environmentASP.NET, WCF, or Custom authentication module

InterceptorsExecute before HTTP GET/PUT/POST/DELETEEnable validation, custom row-level securityMaintain the REST interface

Service operationsAllow you to inject methods into URI if you need to

ClientsClients

Data Service

Silverlight ClientSilverlight Client

DataServiceHTTP

DataModel

DataServiceContext

ObjectModel

ServerClient

DemoDemoSilverlight WCF Data Services Client