Accelerated Silverlight 2

Accelerated Silverlight 2 will get you up to speed with version 2 of Silverlight quickly and efficiently. Author Jeff Scanlon assumes you’re already comfortable with the basics of .NET coding and with Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), and helps you build on your existing knowledge to make your journey to Silverlight 2 proficiency as quick and painless as possible. Where coding techniques are similar to other, more established areas of .NET, he'll say so. Likewise, where there’s a syntax or conceptual “gotcha” that you’re existing coding habits will walk you into, he’ll point that out, too. You’ll find fast–track coverage of all the most important elements of the Silverlight 2 technology ranging from XAML to standard controls, from dealing with media to networking, from testing to deployment. Two fully-worked sample applications conclude your path to Silverlight 2 mastery because nothing reinforces your understanding of how concepts fit together as much as looking at finished code. The book is based on the assumption that readers will already be very comfortable with the workings of the .NET Framework. Knowledge of Expression Blend is useful, but the author doesn’t assume that you’re a master of it. You’ll learn the Blend techniques that you need to know as you go along. By the end of the book, the author will have provided you with a sound, concise, path to mastery of Silverlight 2.

Introducing Silverlight.- Getting to Know XAML.- Creating User Interfaces.- Network Communication.- Working with Data.- Working with Media.- Extending the User Interface.- Styling and Templating.- Animation.- Dynamic Languages and the Browser.- Security.- Testing and Debugging.- Packaging and Deploying Silverlight Applications.- Advanced Topics.- Case Study: Campus Explorer.

Jeff Scanlon is an independent Microsoft consultant with extensive experience developing software using a variety of technologies. He designs and implements software across all layers with a focus on web-based applications. Jeff has led developer training sessions on software engineering practices and introductions to new technologies at nearly every company he has worked. His current work includes prototyping applications using technologies such as Silverlight, Windows Communication Foundation, and ASP.NET. His writing includes Professional Java JDK 6 Edition and its updated edition, and he has written articles on .NET in Software Development magazine. He holds several Microsoft certifications and a bachelor of science degree in computer science.