Just code - Tamir Khason : teched, WPF

New year – new blog or how to migrate Community Server to any other engine, supports XML-RPC

Tamir Khason — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:33:04 GMT

Please update your bookmarks, because the new url of this blog is http://khason.net/ (you have not update RSS feeds, it will be done automatically). Why I did it? Why I decided to go to “stand-alone”… Well. there are some reasons. Generally, I do not want to explain all those here, but trust me, there are some. The main reason is, that there is no responsible person in charge for this blog platform in Microsoft Israel. This why, if your blog is popular and you have a respect to your blog visitors, you cannot host it here… Take a look into new comments notifications in my inbox. Would you answer your readers with such “small amount” of SPAM and capcha, that cannot be fixed already for three years in this platform? This how my inbox looks like for last three years. So now, you should not ask me, why I not answered your email or comments. Aren’t you? :)

Currently, all comments in this blog are disabled, so if you want to comment, please use new url of posts (this will appear shortly in the beginning of each post). Also, this post will not be syndicated in RSS.

So, this post is the last. I loved this platform, and loved people started it. But, unfortunately, it seemed, that bloggers community is not important enough for new platform managers.

Also, If you want to learn how to use C# and XML-RCP to migrate from CS2007, used in this platform, visit my new home :)

Have a great year and, as always, be good people. This post marked with all possible tags automatically. Sorry.

TechEd preparation session + other announcements

Tamir Khason — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:19:00 GMT

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If you want to attend my preparations before TechEd, you’re invited to attend 27-Jul in Microsoft Ra’anana.

What is preparation session? This is the training for myself. I’ll present all four session (each one is an hour + one hour rep.) This is your chance to hear live my TechEd South Africa sessions, without paying the fee (ZAR 4,500 which is about $600)

Please note, that all lectures are in English (not in Hebrew)

Here the agenda for 27-Jul (Sunday). It will take place in Microsoft Israel building in 2, Ha'Pnina st. Ranana, Israel

Time	Session title	Conference room
8:30-10:30	Creating Rich Applications with Windows Presentation Foundation (300)	Media Center
11:00-13:00	WPF Performance (400)	Visual Studio
14:30-16:30	Game Development Using Microsoft’s Latest Technologies (300)	Vista
17:00-19:00	Understanding Reflection (400)	Vista

Also, be sure, you’re attending my session in Expert Days 11-14 August

12-Aug, Windows Presentation Foundation for fellow developers – 027
13-Aug, Mastering Microsoft Silverlight 2.0 – 020
14-Aug, Advanced .NET 3.5 SP1 – Windows Presentation Foundation – 011

And/or if you were not able to attend Silverlight 2.0 for building Rich Internet Applications event, you are welcome to book the next session at 23-Jul

That’s all for now, see ya…

Presenting at TechEd Developers South Africa 2008, Durban

Tamir Khason — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:23:27 GMT

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The new URL of this post is http://khason.net/blog/presenting-at-teched-developers-south-africa-2008-durban/]

Save the date. TechEd Developers South Africa is around the corner (August 3rd through 6th). This year it will take place in Durban, the third most populous city in South Africa.

This TechEd, there are four sessions assigned to me:

Creating Rich Applications with Windows Presentation Foundation (300)

Completely new session about how to enrich user experience, by decreasing development efforts with WPF. In order to do this, we’ll try to take some application and completely recreate it, by using XAML only without any single code line.

Target audience: Developers and decide makers, who what to understand what can be done with WPF and how easy you can do it.

Understanding Reflection (400)

This is also new session for lazy developers. It’s not only about what reflection is or what’s new about reflection in latest frameworks (including .NET 3.5 and Silverlight), but also how to use it to make developer’s life easier. We’ll enter a bit into IL to understand what’s going on under the hoods, but most of session is about appliance of this technology for everyday developers’ tasks and challenges.

Target audience: Developers, have an experience with .NET programming

WPF Performance (400)

Session very similar to one, I had in Dev Academy 2. However this time it will focus on performance enhancements in .NET framework 3.5 SP1. I’ll speak about virtualization, parallel processing, DX surface direct access and more…

Target audience: Developers, have an experience with WPF development.

Game Development Using Microsoft’s Latest Technologies (300)

Fun session, I had in TechEd Israel with very complicated setup. Here the sneak preview of how it looks like. It listed as a 300 level, because the fact, that except this session’s fun, you can learn a lot of new there.

Target audience: Everyone, who love technology and want to have fun hour in the morning before advanced sessions will begin.

If you’re reading my blog, and you’re going TechEd Africa. Come and say me hello, ‘cos it would be really nice to see the faces of the people I’m writing to in this blog :)

More information about other sessions in this TechEd can be found in Ahmed Salijee blog, who is developer evangelist in Microsoft Africa and arranges this event.

See you there.

Quick note: New TechEd downloads

Tamir Khason — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:25:15 GMT

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The new URL of this post is http://khason.net/blog/quick-note-new-teched-downloads/]

There is TechEd in Orlando, and this means, that there are a lot of new announcements. Let’s fill up our download managers with expensive fuel and start.

New WM 6.1 images (both standard and professional) – absolutely required if you’re programming Windows Mobile
Managed Extensibility Framework – I blogged about it a little in the past. Really cool approach for adding extensibility features to your applications. Krzysztof explains new features there.
Windows Live Writer new CTP + new SDK – the best tool to post into your blog.
New CTP of Microsoft Project Codename “Velocity” – great approach for development applications, using high performance in memory cache. Here the deep explanations in the team blog + quick start and samples.

Silverlight 2.0 beta 2 + Microsoft Expression Blend 2.5 June preview will be available for download very soon. Keep watching. Meanwhile, you can start learn about new TabControl, VisualStateManager, new templating system and cross-domain policy from Tim Heuer’s blog. Also there are some news about event bubbling in beta 2 in Jesse’s blog.

Silverlight accessibility and CEO support for beta 2

Tamir Khason — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:01:39 GMT

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The new URL of this post is http://khason.net/blog/silverlight-accessibility-and-ceo-support-for-beta-2/]

Yesterday, beta 2 of Silverlight was officially announced in TechEd Orlando. There are a lot of interesting changes. One of most significant changes, I want to notice and accessibility support in Silverlight. See yourself (if you do not know what this image about, see this post)

What should you do in order this to happen? Absolutely nothing. This is build in feature in Silverlight 2.0 b2. It’s not like WPF, where you should use Automation namespace boundary. This just works. You can read the Silverlight content with screen narrators. Great respect to dev team.

Why this CEO friendly? Come to my Silverlight half day session at July, 30 to learn why.

Regarding other features, there is new templating model in Silverlight, named VisualStateManager. It can save your time in controls development. Do you remember me speaking about State oriented programming in Silverlight, rather, then KeyFrames oriented programming in Flesh? That what is it.

if (SomethingHappened) {
VisualStateManager.GoToState(this, “SomeState”, true);
}

Also, there is TabControl, text wrapping and scrollbars for TextBox. Regarding DataGrid it become much faster and enhanced by Reordering, Autosize and Sort capabilities.

There are also some security enhancements for Cross-Domain networking and duplex communication. If you not sure about what is it, see this and this post.

Also now you can work with LINQ-to-JSON, ASO.NET DS and SOAP-based data sources.

In additional, there is new XML-based format for DeepZoom MultiScaleTileSource and MultiScaleImage controls.

Have a nice day and be good people.

My TechEd ‘08 presentation slides download

Tamir Khason — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:10:45 GMT

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I do not know why, but for some reason in development section of TechEd website there are only two recording and no presentations. I do not want to wait for them to upload (we sent all presentations a while ago), so here it comes. My TechEd presentation DEV335 - Game Development Using Microsoft’s Latest Technologies. I have no recordings by now (so pity), so you’ll have to wait for Microsoft to encode and upload it. Upon it will be done, I’ll publish it here.
There is no real reason to upload samples – they will not work without all environment we had there.

Download full slides from my TechEd presentation (PPT 7,165 KB) >>

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by using contact form or LinkedIn profile. You also can send me a message by twitter

TechEd is over the corner and we are ready! What about you?

Tamir Khason — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 23:36:00 GMT

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The new URL of this post is http://khason.net/blog/teched-is-over-the-corner-and-we-are-ready-what-about-you/]

After a lot of work I’m ready for TechEd. It worth me a lot of blood, sweat and tears until it started to work as I expected. What our session about? In one sentence – Game Development. In number of sentences – we’ll build online car racing multiplayer game, that will run on XBOX, Windows, Linux, Mac and mobile phone. All this will be tied up with Windows Live services. During the session, XBOX will play with WPF and Novel Suse Linux will run ASP.NET and play with IIS7. Don’t believe me? Come and see. Here small video, that demonstrates some of this session results. There are much more to see…

See you there 8th of april, 10:45 in Knaan hall of Hilton hotel in Eilat.

Networking and sockets in Silverlight 1.0 (mobile to?)

Tamir Khason — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:08:05 GMT

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The new URL of this post is http://khason.net/blog/networking-and-sockets-in-silverlight-10-mobile-to/]

Well, well, well. Two days ago, we spoke about using sockets within Silverlight 2.0 and WPF. Today, we’ll make a step ahead and will use TCP or UDP client-server connection within Silverlight 1.0. Yes, 1.0 (the one with JavaScript only and no sockets). So, let’s start Rock ‘n Roll.

Oh, baby – it cannot be done! Just kidding :) Silverlight 1.0 itself cannot use sockets, however ASP.NET can. We’ll reuse our socket library (from the previous post) and reference it to the ASP.NET page, that hosts our Silverlight 1.0 application.

So, on page load we’ll create our client channel and fully reuse the way we worked within WPF and WinForms. The only difference is that we’ll have three static web methods within our ASP.NET C# code

[System.Web.Services.WebMethod]
    public static string GetHoursAngle()
    {
        return ((msg.Hours * 30) + (12 * msg.Minutes / 60)).ToString();
    }

    [System.Web.Services.WebMethod]
    public static string GetMinutesAngle()
    {
        return (msg.Minutes * 6).ToString();
    }

    [System.Web.Services.WebMethod]
    public static string GetSecondsAngle()
    {
        return (msg.Seconds * 6).ToString();
    }

Those methods can be used (almost) from client side. In order to do it we should register ScriptManager and enable PageMethods on the page

<form id="form1" runat="server">
<asp:ScriptManager ID="manager" EnablePageMethods="True" runat="server" />
</form>

Then, create simple Javascript to call to our web methods

<script type="text/javascript">
        function UpdateHoursHand(angle)
        {
            updateClockHand('hTransform',angle);
        }
        function UpdateMinutesHand(angle)
        {
            updateClockHand('mTransform',angle);
        }
        function UpdateSecondsHand(angle)
        {
            updateClockHand('sTransform',angle);
        }
    </script>

There is no problem to access Silverlight from the hosting webpage, so we’ll add following method to the Silverlight javascript

<script type="text/javascript">
if (!window.Silverlight1Client)
{
    Silverlight1Client = {}
}

Silverlight1Client.Page = function()
{
}
Silverlight1Client.Page.prototype =
{
    handleLoad: function(control, userContext, rootElement)
    {
        this.control = control;
        canvas = rootElement;
    }
}

var canvas;     // the root canvas

function updateClockHand(element, value)
{
hand = canvas.findName(element);
hand.Angle = value;
}

if (!window.Silverlight)
{
    Silverlight = {};
}

Silverlight.createDelegate = function(instance, method) {
    return function() {
        return method.apply(instance, arguments);
    }
}

</script>

Now, we have prototype, that can access our Silverlight control, we have web methods, that can bring us information from the server side the only thing we should do is to enable server-side (where we actually receive update notification) to call client side javascript in order to update layout. And this cannot be done due to the nature of client-server web architecture.

But who told, that we cannot force client side to tickle server side upon the event? We can – not very nice solution, but it works – set timer.

function UpdateClockHands()
        {
           PageMethods.GetHoursAngle(UpdateHoursHand);
            PageMethods.GetMinutesAngle(UpdateMinutesHand);
            PageMethods.GetSecondsAngle(UpdateSecondsHand);
            setTimeout("UpdateClockHands()",1000);
        }

We add timer recursively to call client side javascript one a second and how it works.

At the end the small diamond for upcoming DEV335: Game Development Using Microsoft’s Latest Technologies…

Networking (raw sockets) in Silverlight and WPF - messaging in general

Tamir Khason — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 18:30:00 GMT

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The new URL of this post is http://khason.net/blog/networking-raw-sockets-in-silverlight-and-wpf-messaging-in-general/]

You, probably, know how to use raw sockets in WinForms. It's pretty the same in WPF, however it is very different (and limited) in Silverlight. Today, we'll create sample application in Silverlight, WPF and WinForm that sending and receiving updates via TCP as well as broadcasting it via UDP (singlecast and multicast). So let's start.

First of all we'll create WinForms server, that should distribute updates. It knows what the time is it now and broadcasting the time message via UDP. Also it has TCP server, that distribute updates to all it's clients.

First of all UDP. We should create the working Socket first. It uses all ip addresses to broadcast changes via given port. In order to make the socket to be multicast, we should set appropriate socket options. Let's see the code.

lock (this)
                {
                    if (m_mainSocket == null)
                    {
                        m_mainSocket = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork,
                            SocketType.Dgram,
                            ProtocolType.Udp);

                        IPEndPoint ipLocal = new IPEndPoint(IPAddress.Any, port);

                        m_mainSocket.SetSocketOption(SocketOptionLevel.Socket, SocketOptionName.ReuseAddress, 1);

                        m_mainSocket.Bind(ipLocal);
                    }
                    IPAddress ip = IPAddress.Parse(castGroupIp);

                    EPCast = new IPEndPoint(ip, port);
                    m_mainSocket.SetSocketOption(SocketOptionLevel.IP, SocketOptionName.AddMembership, new MulticastOption(ip, IPAddress.Any));
                }

Now, the TCP part. It's very similar (for server we do not need specific IP address to bind), however, we should not set multicast options there aside with begin listening right after connection was established.

lock (this)
                {
                    if (m_mainSocket == null)
                    {
                        m_mainSocket = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork,
                            SocketType.Stream,
                            ProtocolType.Tcp);
                        IPEndPoint ipLocal = new IPEndPoint(IPAddress.Any, port);
                        m_mainSocket.Bind(ipLocal);
                        m_mainSocket.Listen(Backlog);
                        m_mainSocket.BeginAccept(new AsyncCallback(acceptCallback), null);
                    }
                }

In order to send data via UDP. All we have to do is to write it into current socket.

socket.SendTo(data, EPCast);

In TCP world, we should first know who we want to sent to, thus we have to enumerate all incoming clients to save the references to their sockets.

Socket workerSocket = m_mainSocket.EndAccept(asyn);
m_workerSocketList.Add(workerSocket.GetHashCode(), workerSocket);

m_mainSocket.BeginAccept(new AsyncCallback(acceptCallback), null);

Then when we know who to send, all we have to do is to send

socket.Send(data);

Now, when we know how to send, we should learn how to receive network messages. It's exactly the same within TCP or UDP. First check is there is data to receive, then receive it.

if (m_pfnCallBack == null)
                m_pfnCallBack = new AsyncCallback(dataReceivedCallback);
            SocketPacket theSocPkt = new SocketPacket(socket, bufferSize);

            socket.BeginReceive(theSocPkt.dataBuffer, 0,
                theSocPkt.dataBuffer.Length,
                SocketFlags.None,
                m_pfnCallBack,
                theSocPkt);

We done with WinForms and WPF networking. So, we can start with graphics. Since we have no a lot of graphics in WinForms, we'll focus on WPF stuff.

We'll use ContentControl to present the content with datatemplate of our message. We'll create Ellipse for the clock and three rectangles for clock hands. Once data received, we should change RotateTransform value of RenderTransform for each of our rectangles (first set the TransformOrigin to the center of the clock). Bind it together

<Ellipse Width="250" Height="250" StrokeThickness="2" Stroke="Black"/>
                <Rectangle Height="100" Width="20" RadiusX="10" RadiusY="10" Fill="Black" RenderTransformOrigin="0.5,1">
                    <Rectangle.RenderTransform>
                        <TransformGroup>
                            <RotateTransform/>
                            <TranslateTransform Y="25" X="115"/>
                        </TransformGroup>
                    </Rectangle.RenderTransform>
                </Rectangle>
                <Rectangle Height="125" Width="10" RadiusX="5" RadiusY="5" Fill="Black" RenderTransformOrigin="0.5,1">
                    <Rectangle.RenderTransform>
                        <TransformGroup>
                            <RotateTransform/>
                            <TranslateTransform Y="0" X="120"/>
                        </TransformGroup>
                    </Rectangle.RenderTransform>
                </Rectangle>
                <Rectangle Height="125" Width="4" RadiusX="2" RadiusY="2" Fill="Black" RenderTransformOrigin="0.5,1">
                    <Rectangle.RenderTransform>
                        <TransformGroup>
                            <RotateTransform/>
                            <TranslateTransform Y="0" X="123"/>
                        </TransformGroup>
                    </Rectangle.RenderTransform>
                </Rectangle>

How we should convert values received to the angle to turn the clock hand. We can use only one converter here and bind to the message, according following formula

HourAngle = (Hours * 30)+(12*Minutes/60);
MinuteAngle = Minutes * 6; (it's 360/60)
SecondAngle = Seconds * 6;

Let's run it. Nothing happens. Why? The reason is, that even each property of the object changes, it does not trigger binding, due to the fact, that whole object has not been changed. In order to fix it, we should bind to each property. And in case of hours to Hours and Minutes properties both. But how to make my converter to be single and multi value converter? Simple - all this about interfaces. So, following converter will do the work

public class TimeToAngleConverter : IValueConverter, IMultiValueConverter
    {

public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
        {
            return (double)value * 6;
        }

public object Convert(object[] values, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
        {
            return ((double)values[0] * 30) + (12 * (double)values[1] / 60);
        }

public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)        { throw new NotImplementedException(); }

public object[] ConvertBack(object value, Type[] targetTypes, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)        { throw new NotImplementedException(); }

      }

Now binding expressions

<Rectangle Height="100" Width="20" RadiusX="10" RadiusY="10" Fill="Black" RenderTransformOrigin="0.5,1">
                    <Rectangle.RenderTransform>
                        <TransformGroup>
                            <RotateTransform>
                                <RotateTransform.Angle>
                                    <MultiBinding Converter="{StaticResource timeToAngle}">
                                        <Binding Path="Hour"/>
                                        <Binding Path="Minute"/>
                                    </MultiBinding>
                                </RotateTransform.Angle>
                            </RotateTransform>
                            <TranslateTransform Y="25" X="115"/>
                        </TransformGroup>
                    </Rectangle.RenderTransform>
                </Rectangle>
                <Rectangle Height="125" Width="10" RadiusX="5" RadiusY="5" Fill="Black" RenderTransformOrigin="0.5,1">
                    <Rectangle.RenderTransform>
                        <TransformGroup>
                            <RotateTransform Angle="{Binding Path=Minute, Converter={StaticResource timeToAngle}}"/>
                            <TranslateTransform Y="0" X="120"/>
                        </TransformGroup>
                    </Rectangle.RenderTransform>
                </Rectangle>
                <Rectangle Height="125" Width="4" RadiusX="2" RadiusY="2" Fill="Black" RenderTransformOrigin="0.5,1">
                    <Rectangle.RenderTransform>
                        <TransformGroup>
                            <RotateTransform Angle="{Binding Path=Second, Converter={StaticResource timeToAngle}}"/>
                            <TranslateTransform Y="0" X="123"/>
                        </TransformGroup>
                    </Rectangle.RenderTransform>
                </Rectangle>

We done with graphics in WPF. Let's start it over in Silverlight. We cannot do at least half of what has been done in WPF. MultiBinding is not supported, there is no implicitly templating and Transform class does not support Binding. What to do? Let's remember old good world.

Set the control without using templates, then find resources and save references and set values explicitly (after subscribing to OnPropertyChanged event of cause. Other words, make binding with your own hands.

void onLoaded(object s, RoutedEventArgs e)
        {
            mt = ((RotateTransform)FindName("mTransform"));
            ht = ((RotateTransform)FindName("hTransform"));
            st = ((RotateTransform)FindName("sTransform"));
            ((NetTimeProvider)Resources["timeProvider"]).PropertyChanged += new PropertyChangedEventHandler(Page_PropertyChanged);
        }

        RotateTransform mt, ht, st;

        void Page_PropertyChanged(object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
        {
            //Binding to Transform does not supported (yet??);
            NetTimeProvider s = sender as NetTimeProvider;
            Dispatcher.BeginInvoke((SendOrPostCallback) delegate (object o)
            {
                NetTimeProvider ntp = o as NetTimeProvider;
                if (e.PropertyName == "Hour")
                {
                    ht.Angle = (ntp.Hour * 30) + (12 * ntp.Minute / 60); ;
                }
                else if (e.PropertyName == "Minute")
                {
                    mt.Angle = ntp.Minute * 6;
                }
                else if (e.PropertyName == "Second")
                {
                    st.Angle = ntp.Second * 6;
                }
            }, s);
        }

Now, when we have layout for our Silverlight control, we should connect to distribution network server. Reuse the manager, used for Winforms and WPF? We can't. Silverlight is subset of .NET framework, and it is not relays on it, so we have to write new network provider for Silverlight. UDP is not supported in Silverlight, thus we'll use TCP networking. Let's see what we have. WebRequest/WebResponse HttpWebRequest/HttpWebResponse - to use it - no. Our server neither HTTP nor Web server. We should use raw sockets in Silverlight. Socket class exists in System.Net dll for Silverlight, however it is very limited. Let's make the connection. First of all, we should know what IP to connect.

Due to security restrictions we cannot do DNS queries in Silverlight. From the other hand we do not want to restrict it to hardcoded name or IP address. In application class of Silverlight we have very handy property, named DnsSafeHost (Application.Current.Host.Source.DnsSafeHost). So let's use it.

What about ports? Can I use TCP socket for any port I want? No. This is another security restriction. The only port range able available for Silverlight is 4502-5432 (only 30 ports). So with those restrictions we'll create the connection as following.

socket = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);
            DnsEndPoint ep = new DnsEndPoint(Application.Current.Host.Source.DnsSafeHost, 4502);
            SocketAsyncEventArgs args = new SocketAsyncEventArgs()
            {
                RemoteEndPoint = ep
            };
            args.Completed += onConnected;
            socket.ConnectAsync(args);

Now we should check if the connection is established successfully. The only place we can do it is in onConnected handler. Here also we'll reuse completed event of SocketAsyncArgs to perform read sequence. Upon the end of the handler we'll try to read something from inline socket.

void onConnected(object sender, SocketAsyncEventArgs e)
       {
           if (e.SocketError == SocketError.Success)
           {
               e.Completed -= onConnected;
               e.Completed += onRead;
               Message = "Connected";
           }

           readMoreData(e);
       }

If you remember in regular framework we can wait on socket. We can do it as well in Silverlight.

void readMoreData(SocketAsyncEventArgs e)
{
    e.SetBuffer(buffer, bytesRead, (buffer.Length - bytesRead));
    if (!socket.ReceiveAsync(e))
    {
        onRead(socket, e);
    }
    else
    {
        Message = "Disconnected";
    }

}

So, if everything is ok and we have data in the socket, let's read it. There is some fault proofing should be done in it. First we should check if we go all the message. We know, that the message size is 20 bytes (5 integers - we check first four). Then we should check, that the message we got is our message. So in the header we'll check for Magic number. Then if it's ok we'll parse it and fill all properties of our class.

void onRead(object sender, SocketAsyncEventArgs e)
        {
            if (e.BytesTransferred > 0)
            {
                bytesRead += e.BytesTransferred;
                if (bytesRead == 20 && BitConverter.ToUInt32(buffer, 0) == Magic)
                {
                    Hour = BitConverter.ToInt32(buffer, 4);
                    OnPropertyChanged("Hour");
                    Minute = BitConverter.ToInt32(buffer, 8);
                    OnPropertyChanged("Minute");
                    Second = BitConverter.ToInt32(buffer, 12);
                    OnPropertyChanged("Second");
                    bytesRead = 0;
                }
                readMoreData(e);
            }
        }

If everything fine, we'll return to wait for next message to arrive.

We done. WinForms, WPF and Silverlight speaks over the network one with another, by using TCP and UDP raw sockets. What can be better? When our message is not just clock information, but something related to gaming world (e.g. current position or state of other network players). What am I speaking about? Come to reveal it on my session DEV335: Game Development Using Microsoft’s Latest Technologies in TechEd Israel.

Have a nice day and be good people.

Source code for this article.

You can meet me face to face in TechEd

Tamir Khason — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:35:00 GMT

[This blog was migrated. You will not be able to comment here.
The new URL of this post is http://khason.net/blog/you-can-meet-me-face-to-face-in-teched/]

Starting today, if you are attending TechEd '08 Israel, you can set an appointment with me, by using a meeting system in TechEd website. All attendees received an email with username and password to access the system. So enter, click Find and look for WPF, Silverlight or, just תמיר חסון. Then click Request to meet and that's it.

Note, my free slots will be closed very soon, so, if you want to see and ask me question, hurry to close your time slot.

Meet me at Teched '08 Israel >>

Cool WPF application needed!

Tamir Khason — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:53:00 GMT

[This blog was migrated. You will not be able to comment here.
The new URL of this post is http://khason.net/blog/cool-wpf-application-needed/]

If you have cool WPF application (in production or near production state) and want to present it to more, then 2000 people, please, contact me ASAP. (Israel only)

Running WPF on gas pump (or other Windows CE devices)?

Tamir Khason — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:06:07 GMT

[This blog was migrated. You will not be able to comment here.
The new URL of this post is http://khason.net/blog/running-wpf-on-gas-pump-or-other-windows-ce-devices/]

What do you think, is it possible to run WPF on Windows CE enabled devices (e.g. gas pumps, GPS systems, robots, game or automatic teller machines or, even, scientific calculators)? Let's see following code:

StackPanel panel = new StackPanel(Orientation.Horizontal);
            Ellipse ellipse = new Ellipse(10, 10);
            ellipse.Fill = new SolidColorBrush(Colors.Red);
            ellipse.Stroke = new Pen(Color.Black);
            Rectangle rect = new Rectangle();
            rect.Width = 40;
            rect.Height = 40;
            Line l = new Line(20, 20);
            Polygon polygon = new Polygon(new int[] { 0, 0, 20, 0, 20, 20, 0, 20 });
            panel.Children.Add(ellipse);
            panel.Children.Add(rect);
            panel.Children.Add(l);
            panel.Children.Add(polygon);

            panel.AddHandler(Buttons.ButtonUpEvent, (ButtonEventHandler)delegate
            {
                panel.Orientation = panel.Orientation == Orientation.Horizontal ? Orientation.Vertical : Orientation.Horizontal;
            }, false);

Or even this code

void OnButtonHeld(object o)
{
    Button b = (Button)o;
    Dispatcher.Invoke(TimeSpan.FromTicks(10), (ButtonHeldDelegate)delegate(Button btn)
    {
        while (Buttons.IsButtonDown(btn))
        {
            switch (btn)
            {
                case Button.Left: p.X--; break;
                case Button.Up: p.Y--; break;
                case Button.Right: p.X++; break;
                case Button.Down: p.Y++; break;
                case Button.Select: p.X = mainWindow.Width / 2; p.Y = mainWindow.Height / 2; break;
            }
        }

        moveMouse();
    }, b);
}

void moveMouse()
{
    host.DrawRectangle(Colors.Black,2,p.X,p.Y, 100, 100,0,0,Colors.Red,0,0,Colors.Blue,100,100,255);
    host.Flush();
}

This code will run on any Windows CE device. And it is not WPF :) It's .NET Micro Framework. Actually, when we're looking for it's syntax, it looks like WPF/Silverlight and .NET Micro Framework have the same architect. However, it cannot use hardware acceleration and has very limited number of objects. All this because of it's purpose "platform to devices that do not need the fuller functionality available in the .NET Framework and the .NET Compact Framework". I would add Windows Presentation Foundation as well.

The application model of .NET Micro Framework is very similar to WPF. It has native CLR/PAL and HAL and managed libraries.

Sufficient number of components in CLR - types, threads and timers, reflection, serialization, GC, networking, other connectivities etc., enables you to create, even games, that will run on even Heart Device.

Other words, cool technology and possible cool appliance for your programming skills.

How to start? First of all, download .NET Micro Framework v2.5 (VS2005, you can also add Microsoft.SPOT assemblies into your regular VS2008 project) and start programming. It's really simple (I build snake game for less, then hour)

See your applications, running on embedded devices. BTW, I'll probably present something, developed with this framework in my TechEd session aside with WPF, Silverlight and XNA... Keep tuned and have a nice day

How to build cool games by using XNA framework

Tamir Khason — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 23:33:20 GMT

[This blog was migrated. You will not be able to comment here.
The new URL of this post is http://khason.net/blog/how-to-build-cool-games-by-using-xna-framework/]

This TechEd, me and Alex will explain how to make XNA, WPF and {censored} work together to develop entertainment stuff easier. In spite of the fact, that we'll explain a little about XNA core, it makes cense (if you want to know) to learn it yourself.

Trust me, XNA is brilliant framework, that makes you able to build games easier. You have not know DirectX or C++ in order to build your own WoW, Resident Evil, GTA or Halo. All you have to do is to visit XNA.com, download XNA Game Studio 2 and start programming your own game, that will run on your PC and XBOX.

Already done it and still do not know how to start? Let Dan to teach you. Visit his great video series about XNA development. Still frustrated and want to know more? Come and s ee me at TechEd'08 Eilat.