Introduction Creating custom controls is not as difficult as they actually appear, but before we go creating custom controls lets first look at the difference between Custom Controls (CC) and Custom User-Controls (CU). Simply put Custom Controls (CC) are skinable, themable and reusable controls that once created can be used by simply loading the assembly in any project, where are Custom User-Controls are user controls that can be reused but they can't be skinned or themed. Technically they are both ......
There are many tutorials in Silverlight over the Internet that mostly cover the basics of Silverlight but when you start getting a bit ahead you get into trouble and the real lack of tutorials or examples when you get to Intermediate level and beyond there is much to be desired especially when it comes in examples on MSDN (specifically VB.NET), so I am starting a new series which I hope will cover from basic to advanced level, and I might try to go in as much detail as possible, basically I am finding ......
As promised I'm going to show you how to animate custom controls using Opacity masks, if you are unfamiliar with Opacity masks, please check my previous blog entry: Working with Opacity masks In this tutorial we'll create a custom button, animate it for mouse events and then still keep it flexible to them it The Problem Custom controls are notorious, especially when it comes to applying themes, it is very simple to create a custom button and animate it but it all falls apart when you try to keep ......
Opacity Masks are a great addition to Silverlight even thought it was there from the beginning, they are not as much helpful as otherwise they might be due to the lack of brushes in Silverlight (compared to WPF). And the addition of Alpha along with RGB in colour definition, opacity masks don't really gain much attention as they deserve. Although the use of Opacity Masks in Silverlight is very limited it is nonetheless a less important features, especially in animations and applying both vertical ......
This is my second lot of Gradients they are few more but that is for some other day, here are about 14 new gradients for you, I need some patience and inspiration to make few so I might come back with more. XAML: <LinearGradientBrush x:Key="CyanThemeBG" EndPoint="0.5,1" StartPoint="0.5,0"> <GradientStop Color="#FFC6ECFE"/> <GradientStop Color="#FF003FFF" Offset="1"/> <GradientStop Color="#FF37AFF9" Offset="0.5"/> <GradientStop Color="#FF0076DB" Offset="0.5"/> </LinearGradientBrush> ......
I can just say that I'm happy to say good bye to Blend 2.5, it was really a pain to use to different Blend versions (2.0 and 2.5 as I mostly work on WPF) and since already bought the Expression Studio I was wondering if I had to buy Blend 2.5 just for Silverlight but now I am happy. I might bring new tutorials and now that we have a stable version it will be better I was just waiting for the final and stable release so as to kick start developing commercial Silverlight applications. I must add that ......
Well, finally Silverlight 2.0 is released, all these months (years?) of waiting and the day has finally arrived. Emm... Where was I? Busy as usual, but more to the point Silverlight 2 Beta didn't live upto my expectations and there were changing things up and down, right and left that I had to give myself a break... in the mean time I also learned C# so most of my work now will be on C# and VB.NET. Expect regular blogs from now ......