The smart way to learn Microsoft® Expression Blend® 4—one step at a time!
Experience learning made easy—and quickly teach yourself how to design rich user interfaces (UI) for Microsoft Silverlight®-based applications using Expression Blend 4. With Step by Step, you set the pace—building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them!
Master the Expression Blend 4 core tools and features
Use SketchFlow to design a UI prototype
Create reusable skins for Silverlight 4 controls
Implement interactive elements without writing code
Add XAML and C# basics to your design skill set
Design custom UI art with tools in Expression® Design 4
Your Step by Step digital content includes:
All the book’s practice files—ready to download and put to work.
Fully searchable online edition of this book—with unlimited access on the Web.
The print version of this book includes free digital content online. To download, please visit O'Reilly's web site, search for the title of this book to find its catalog page, and click on the link below the cover image (Examples, Companion Content, or Practice Files). Note that while we provide as much of the media content as we are able via free download, we are sometimes limited by licensing restrictions. Please direct any questions or concerns to booktech@oreilly.com.
Chapter 1 Welcome to the Silverlight and WPF World
Introducing Silverlight and WPF
The Designer/Developer Workflow
Expression Studio: The Designer’s World
Visual Studio: The Developer’s World
Key Points
Chapter 2 Exploring the Expression Blend 4 IDE
Downloading and Installing Expression Blend 4 and Supporting Tools
Opening and Testing Your First Silverlight Project
Exploring the User Interface
Customizing the User Interface
Key Points
Chapter 3 Designing an Interface
Visual Elements
Creating a New Project
Using Basic Shapes
Drawing Paths
Using Custom Shapes
Using Controls
Using Layout Panels
Arranging Objects
Using Images and Video
Key Points
Chapter 4 XAML and C#
XAML—What Is It?
Introducing C# for Designers
Key Points
Chapter 5 Animations and Transformations
Transformation
Animation
Key Points
Chapter 6 Adding Interactivity
Behaviors
The Basics of Behaviors
Using Default Behaviors
Using the ToggleButton Control to Change Properties
Elena Kosinska is a UI designer focused on prototyping, design, and development of Silverlight and WPF Applications. She's a Microsoft MCT and MVP in Expression Blend. She writes blog posts and articles for UI designers, speaks at various Microsoft events, and has taught WPF/Silverlight courses.
Chris Leeds has been a Microsoft MVP since before Expression Studio was even added to their catalog. He has written two books on Microsoft Expression Web for Microsoft Press and is currently working on a third, Microsoft Expression Web 4.0 Step by Step.
Comments about oreilly Microsoft® Expression Blend® 4 Step by Step:
The book covered all important topics in an easy to understand fashion. By following the numberd steps its hard to make a mistake.
5/9/2011
(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)
1.0
Pages not in color, poor B&W printing
By Neuro
from Las Vegas, NV
About Me Designer, Developer, Maker
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about oreilly Microsoft® Expression Blend® 4 Step by Step:
I just received this book, ordered from Amazon.com. On Amazon, the "Click to look inside" feature displays all the book's pages in full color, which is one of the reasons I ordered it over other Express Web 4 book. But all the pages of the book I received are printed in a low quality black & white, like it was printed from a printer in Draft mode.
Even the book's website shows sample chapters in full color.
I'm extremely unpleased with this false advertising on someone's part, as well as the poor print quality of the book. If you're going to show full color pages in product samples, it's expected that the printed book is in full color.
I also ordered the "Step by Step Microsoft Expression Web 4" and it has the exact same issues.
I'm planning to return these books, but would like to see if the publisher will respond with a solution or correction first.
3/31/2011
3.0
Excelent Reading
By Robbieaus
from Sydney Australia
About Me Designer, Developer
Pros
Concise
Easy to understand
Well-written
Cons
No Companion Content
Best Uses
Intermediate
Comments about oreilly Microsoft® Expression Blend® 4 Step by Step:
Excelent reading, however there is no Companion Content as referred to on page xxii.
3/24/2011
(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
4.0
Nice ramp up to Blend
By Tom Kirby-Green
from London
Comments about oreilly Microsoft® Expression Blend® 4 Step by Step:
Takes off from the ground, and very nicely organised. Recommended.
Merchant response: Hi,
I'm sorry that the previews were misleading and for your disappointment with the print books. We mistakenly sent a color PDF to Amazon for their Search Inside the Book, but the book is in black and white. Most of our ebooks are now in color, but books are often black and white.
We have a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so if you have any difficulty returning the books to Amazon, please contact orders@oreilly.com for help getting a refund.
Once again, I'm sorry for the frustration. We'll be correcting the preview on Amazon.
Regards,
Rachel James
O'Reilly Media