Technology Excellence  |  General Industry Practice  | Healthcare IT Solutions | Profile | Route Map | Site Map | Contact Us | Search Home Healthcare Apps Solutions Projects Silverlight - Development with the .NET Framework Microsoft Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-platform implementation of the .NET Framework for building and delivering the next generation of media experiences and rich interactive applications (RIA) for the Web. Silverlight unifies the capabilities of the server, the Web, and the desktop, of managed code and dynamic languages, of declarative and traditional programming, and the power of Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). The following sections describe the .NET Framework with Silverlight features. Please fill up the form below and we will submit a proposal for your project. Alternatively, you can send email to contact@optionm.net with the project requirements. Contents Silverlight Overview Silverlight Architecture Silverlight 1.0 ASP.NET Silverlight Integrating Silverlight with ASP.NET Web Pages Silverlight Overview Web-based applications have often represented a compromise between creating a high-quality, engaging user interface (UI) and the amount of effort and time that a development team can put into the application. Developers generally believe that browsers simply do not support the interactive and expressive capabilities of a true client-based application. The result is that Web-based applications often do not take full advantage of the capabilities of the user's computer to provide an experience that users find not just functional, but exciting. Microsoft Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-platform implementation of the .NET Framework for building and delivering the next generation of media experiances and rich interactive applications (RIA) for the Web. Silverlight unifies the capabilities of the server, the Web, and the desktop, of managed code and dynamic languages, of declarative and traditional programming, and the power of Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). The result is a platform that lets you create and deliver sophisticated, cutting-edge applications that users will love. And Silverlight offers you great productivity through familiar tools and technologies based on the .NET Framework. Silverlight enables you to create a state-of-the-art application that has the following features: It is a cross-browser, cross-platform technology. It runs in all popular Web browsers, including Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari, and on Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac OS X. It provides a consistent experience no matter where it runs. It is supported by a very small download that installs in seconds. It streams video and audio. It scales video quality to everything from mobile devices to desktop browsers to 720p HDTV video modes. It includes compelling graphics that users can manipulate-drag, turn, zoom-directly in the browser. It reads data and updates the display, but it doesn't interrupt the user by refreshing the whole page. Silverlight-based application with rich graphics and user interaction Whether you are a Web developer or a graphics designer, you will find that Silverlight lets you create these applications using skills you already have and tools you already know. You can use Silverlight markup to create media and graphics, and manipulate them with dynamic languages and managed code. Silverlight also enables you to use professional-quality tools like Visual Studio for coding and Microsoft Expression Blend for layout and graphic design-and lets you share files with all team members. Note: There are currently two versions of Silverlight, Silverlight 1.0 and Silverlight 2. Silverlight 2 supports more features than 1.0 (including .NET Framework support), but it is currently a beta product. This overview discusses features that apply to both versions. What Is Silverlight? Silverlight combines multiple technologies into a single development platform that enables you to select the right tools and the right programming language for your needs. Silverlight offers you the following features: WPF and XAML. Silverlight includes Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) technology, which greatly extends the elements in the browser for creating UI. WPF lets you create immersive graphics, animation, media, and other rich client features, extending browser-based UI beyond what is available with HTML alone. Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) provides a declarative markup syntax for creating WPF elements. Extensions to JavaScript. Silverlight provides extensions to the universal browser scripting language that provide powerful control over the browser UI, including the ability to work with WPF elements. Cross-browser, cross-platform support. Silverlight runs the same on all popular browsers (on any platform). You can design and develop your application without having to worry about which browser or platform your users have. Integration with existing applications. Silverlight integrates seamlessly with your existing JavaScript and ASP.NET AJAX code to complement functionality you have already created. Access to the .NET Framework programming model and to associated tools. You can create Silverlight-based applications using dynamic languages such as Managed JScript and IronPython as well as languages such as C# and Visual Basic. You can use development tools such as Visual Studio to create Silverlight-based applications. LINQ. Silverlight includes language-integrated query (LINQ), which enables you to program data access using intuitive native syntax and strongly typed objects in .NET Framework languages. If you already use ASP.NET, you can integrate Silverlight with the server and client capabilities of ASP.NET that you are familiar with. You can create server-based resources in ASP.NET and use the AJAX capabilities of ASP.NET to interact with server-based resources without interrupting the user. Running Silverlight-based Applications Silverlight-based applications run in the browser. Silverlight makes sure that you can run your applications in all modern browsers, without having to create browser-specific code. To run a Silverlight-based application, users require a small plug-in in their browser. The plug-in is free. If users do not already have the plug-in, they are automatically prompted to install it. The download and installation take seconds and require no interaction from the user except permission to install. Creating Silverlight-based Applications You can create Silverlight-based applications using skills that you already have and tools that you are already familiar with. You can create Web pages that use both HTML and WPF elements with Silverlight. Like HTML, XAML enables you to create UI for your Web-based application with declarative syntax, with the difference that XAML provides significantly more powerful elements. Tools for Silverlight-based Applications You can create Silverlight-based applications using the power of Visual Studio 2008. (Silverlight support for Visual Studio 2008 is available as a plug-in for the IDE.) Visual Studio provides the same tools for Silverlight, such as powerful editors, project management, debugging, and so on, that it already provides for creating applications with the .NET Framework. Designers can easily leverage the end-to-end capabilities of Expression Studio to design, build, and deliver Silverlight-based applications. Expression Studio has all the capabilities needed to create graphics and media assets, design interactivity, and produce experiences. Expression Blend can generate XAML output, meaning that programmers who use Visual Studio and designers who use Expression Blend can share the same files. Click here to submit your project requirements to Option Matrix, India. Back to top Silverlight Architecture This topic describes the essential architecture and components of Microsoft Silverlight. Silverlight is not only an appealing canvas for displaying rich and interactive Web and media content to end users. It is also a powerful yet lightweight platform for developing portable, cross-platform, networked applications that integrate data and services from many sources. Furthermore, Silverlight enables you to build user interfaces that will significantly enhance the typical end user experience compared with traditional Web applications. While Silverlight as a client-side runtime environment seems simple and compact in size, the Silverlight development platform integrates a number of features and complex technologies, making them accessible for developers. To create effective Silverlight-based applications, developers need a working knowledge of the platform architecture. Note: There are currently two versions of Silverlight, Silverlight 1.0 and Silverlight 2. Many of the features in this article, including .NET Framework support, are supported only in Silverlight 2, which is a beta product. This topic acquaints you with the following basics of the Silverlight architecture: The Silverlight platform as a whole. The core presentation framework components. The .NET Framework for Silverlight components. Additional Silverlight programming features. Information about features provided in the two versions of Silverlight. Related technologies and tools. The Silverlight Platform The Silverlight platform as a whole consists of two major parts, plus an installer and update component: Component Description The core presentation framework Components and services oriented towards the UI and user interaction, including user input, lightweight UI controls for use in Web applications, media playback, digital rights management, data binding, and presentation features, including vector graphics, text, animation, and images. Also includes the Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) for specifying layouts. The .NET Framework for Silverlight A subset of the .NET Framework that contains components and libraries, including data integration, extensible Windows controls, networking, base class libraries, and the common language runtime (CLR). Some parts of the .NET Framework for Silverlight are deployed with your application. These "Silverlight Libraries" are assemblies not included in the Silverlight runtime and are instead shipped in the Silverlight SDK. When Silverlight Libraries are used in your application, they are packaged up with your application and downloaded to the browser. These include new UI controls, XLINQ, Syndication (RSS/Atom), XML serialization and the Dynamic Language Runtime. The installer and updater An installation and update control that simplifies the process of installing the application for first-time users, and subsequently provides low-impact, automatic updates. The following illustration shows these components of the Silverlight architecture, along with related components and services. Silverlight architecture There is a particular value in the combined set of tools, technologies, and services included in the Silverlight platform: They make it easier for developers to create rich, interactive, and networked applications. Although it is certainly possible to build such applications using today's Web tools and technologies, developers are hindered by many technical difficulties, including incompatible platforms, disparate file formats and protocols, and various Web browsers that render pages and handle scripts differently. A rich Web application that runs perfectly on one system and browser may work very differently on another system or browser, or may fail altogether. Using today's large array of tools, protocols, and technologies, it is a massive and often cost-prohibitive effort to build an application that can simultaneously provide the following advantages: Ability to create the same user experience across browsers and platforms, so that the application looks and performs the same everywhere. Integration of data and services from multiple networked locations into one application using familiar .NET Framework classes and functionality. A media-rich, compelling, and accessible user interface (UI). Silverlight makes it easier for developers to build such applications, because it overcomes many of the incompatibilities of current technologies, and provides within one platform the tools to create rich, cross-platform, and integrated applications. Core Presentation Components The core presentation features of the Silverlight platform, shown in the previous section and illustration, are listed in the following table with descriptions: Feature Description Input Handles inputs from hardware devices such as the keyboard and mouse, drawing, or other input devices. UI rendering Renders vector and bitmap graphics, animations, and text. Media Features playback and management of various types of audio and video files, such as .WMP and .MP3 files. Controls Supports extensible controls that are customizable through styling and templating. Layout Enables dynamic positioning of UI elements. Data Binding Enables linking of data objects and UI elements. DRM Enables digital rights management of media assets. XAML Provides a parser for XAML markup. Developers can interact with this presentation framework by using XAML to specify presentation details. XAML is the primary point of interaction between the .NET Framework and the presentation layer. Developers can programmatically manipulate the presentation layer using managed code. The .NET Framework for Silverlight The following table describes a partial list of the .NET Framework for Silverlight features shown in the previous illustration. Feature Description Data Supports Language-Integrated Query (LINQ) and LINQ to XML features, which ease the process of integrating and working with data from disparate sources. Also supports the use of XML and serialization classes for handling data. Base class library A set of .NET Framework libraries that provide essential programming functions, such as string handling, regular expressions, input and output, reflection, collections, and globalization. Window Communication Foundation (WCF) Provides features to simplify access to remote services and data. This includes a browser object, HTTP request and response object, support for cross-domain HTTP requests, support for RSS/Atom syndication feeds, and support for JSON, POX and SOAP services. CLR (common language runtime) Provides memory management, garbage collection, type safety checking, and exception handling. WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) Controls Provides a rich set of controls that ship as a Silverlight Library to deploy with your application. This includes Button, Calendar, CheckBox, DataGrid, DatePicker, HyperlinkButton, ListBox, RadioButton, and ScrollViewer. DLR (dynamic language runtime) Supports the dynamic compilation and execution of scripting languages such as JavaScript and IronPython to program Silverlight-based applications. Includes a pluggable model for adding support for other languages for use with Silverlight. Note: .NET Framework support is provided only in Silverlight version 2. Additional Silverlight Programming Features Silverlight provides several additional features that help developers create rich and interactive applications, including those described in the following table. Feature Description Isolated storage Provides safe access from the Silverlight client to the local machine's file system. Enables local storage and caching of data isolated to a particular user. Asynchronous programming A background worker thread carries out programming tasks while the application is freed up for user interaction. File management Provides a safe File Open dialog box, to ease the process of creating safe file uploads. HTML - managed code interaction Enables .NET Framework programmers to directly manipulate UI elements in the HTML DOM of a Web page. Web developers can also use JavaScript to call directly into managed code and access scriptable objects, properties, events, and methods. Serialization Provides support for serialization of CLR types to JSON and XML. Packaging Provides the Application class and build tools to create .xap packages. The .xap package contains the application and entry point for the Silverlight plug-in control to run. XML libraries XMLReader and XMLWriter classes simplify working with XML data from Web services.The XLinq feature enables developers to query XML data directly within .NET Framework programming languages. Versions and Silverlight Features Two versions of Silverlight are currently available: Silverlight 1.0. This version provides the presentation core features of Silverlight and uses JavaScript for procedural code. Silverlight 2. This version combines the presentation core in version 1.0 with the Silverlight libraries, .NET Framework capabilities, and other features to offer the full architecture and feature set described in previous sections. Related Technologies and Tools Because Silverlight-based applications are cross-platform, they run in most modern Web browsers, including the following: Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0 Beta Mozilla Firefox versions 1.5 and 2.0 Apple Safari version 2.0 and 3.0 Beta. The following Microsoft applications include special features for Silverlight development: Microsoft Expression Blend. This tool can be used to create and modify the presentation layer of an application by manipulating the XAML canvas and controls, working with graphics, and programming the presentation layer with a dynamic language such as JavaScript. Visual Studio 2008. Visual Studio provides productivity tools for developing applications using managed code in languages such as C# and Visual Basic. All the existing features of Visual Studio are available for Silverlight. In addition, this version of Visual Studio includes Silverlight-specific features, including IntelliSense, debugging, and Silverlight project templates that create and link all required files. Because Silverlight-based applications are executed in a run-time environment on the client machine, no particular application is required to be installed on the server. However, developers may find that their ability to create rich applications that integrate services and data from multiple sources on the server is enhanced by integrating the following types of services and server-side applications into their Silverlight-based applications: ASP.NET AJAX. This includes a set of controls, services, and libraries for creating rich and interactive Web-based applications. Microsoft ASP.NET 3.5 Extensions Preview. This feature set provides additional functionality to enhance ASP.NET AJAX applications. It includes two controls that are useful for building Silverlight-based applications as part of an ASP.NET application: The ASP.NET MediaPlayer Control The ASP.NET Silverlight Control Microsoft Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) services. Internet servers, including Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), and the Apache Web server. Internet-based applications and services, including Microsoft ASP.NET, PHP, Windows Streaming Media services, Windows Live services, and other open Web services. Click here to submit your project requirements to Option Matrix, India. Back to top Silverlight 1.0 Microsoft Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-platform implementation of the .NET Framework for building and delivering the next generation of media experiences and rich interactive applications for the Web and devices. This topic provides information for developing with Silverlight version 1.0, which utilizes the XAML Syntax markup language and JavaScript to create applications. Note: Silverlight version 2 (currently available as an beta version) supports languages other than JavaScript, including .NET Framework languages such as C# and Visual Basic. Silverlight Scenarios Silverlight is designed for Web page content that is connected to a host (that is, will not work offline), that deeply engages the user, and that can render on any browser. Silverlight can be used for the following Web application scenarios: Web media - Branded playback with events, video, and marketing mix, dynamic videos with ads, audio playback, and so forth. Rich islands on a page (mini applications) Casual games and gadgets. Web visualization elements Navigation properties, data visualization, and ads. Silverlight Features Silverlight 1.0 (which uses JavaScript) provides the following features: Rich content capabilities: With Silverlight, you can add a variety of rich content, including video, animations, text, 2-D graphics, and visual effects to your Web pages. These features will run in any browser and will deliver a richer customer experience than HTML alone. XAML markup language: Silverlight-based applications use a powerful declarative markup language called Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) as the foundation for creating engaging graphics, animation, and media. XAML is similar to HTML, but it is more powerful and extensible. Tools: Tools such as Microsoft Expression Blend and Microsoft Expression Design improve the productivity and collaboration of designers and developers who create Silverlight-based applications. Integration with the server: XAML integrates seamlessly with ASP.NET AJAX, and provides richer presentation capabilities than ASP.NET AJAX alone. No compilation: JavaScript is interpreted by the browser rather than having to be compiled. You can embed JavaScript code directly in HTML files and simply refresh the Web page to test the changes you made. Small download: All Silverlight-based applications require customers to download a small plug-in (1-3 MB) that is easy and fast to install. Click here to submit your project requirements to Option Matrix, India. Back to top ASP.NET Silverlight The Silverlight 2 Software Development Kit (SDK) Beta 1 includes ASP.NET server controls for Silverlight that you can use with the Silverlight client plug-in. You can use JavaScript code (a Silverlight 1.0 scenario) or managed code (a Silverlight 2.0 scenario) to handle interaction with the Silverlight client plug-in. The ASP.NET controls for Silverlight let you use the familiar ASP.NET server control model to provide Silverlight support, ranging from basic installation support to handling user interaction and working with complex media scenarios. The Silverlight 2 SDK Beta 1 also includes an ASP.NET helper class for Silverlight that provides extensibility scenarios if you are writing custom controls with Silverlight support. Features The Silverlight 2 SDK Beta 1 supports the following ASP.NET controls for Silverlight: System.Web.UI.SilverlightControls.MediaPlayer server control System.Web.UI.SilverlightControls.Silverlight server control Background The ASP.NET server controls for Silverlight enable you to use media such as video and audio to to give users a Rich Internet Application (RIA) experience beyond what can be done with AJAX and DHTML alone. The MediaPlayer control inherits from the Silverlight control. Both controls use Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) when they are displayed in a Web page. XAML provides UI details that can be referenced and manipulated using a common programming model. The MediaPlayer control uses XAML to display the media skin (media player UI). The Silverlight control displays XAML directly. When the Silverlight 2 SDK Beta 1 is installed, it adds a MediaPlayerSkins folder to the installation location. This folder contains a XAML file for each MediaPlayer control skin (media player UI). Additionally, when the Silverlight 2 SDK Beta 1 is installed, the Silverlight tab on the Toolbox is available for Web Projects in Visual Studio. The MediaPlayer Server Control The MediaPlayer server control lets you integrate media sources such as audio (WMA) and video (WMV) into your Web application, without requiring any knowledge of XAML or JavaScript. The MediaPlayer control can use pre-built skins, or you can create custom skins. For example, you can reference a custom XAML document that is generated through Microsoft Expression Encoder and that supports captions, chapters, and markers in the media source. When you configure the MediaPlayer control to reference a pre-built skin, the associated XAML document is copied into the project. The MediaSkinSource property of the MediaPlayer is also set to point to the referenced skin The control also generates a client JavaScript object that manages user interaction with the player. The control generates the appropriate markup and code to display and control media. The Silverlight Server Control The Silverlight server control enables you to reference XAML that you provide. If you use managed code with the XAML, the Silverlight control provides a way to embed the XAML application in the Web page. Silverlight Controls and the ScriptManager Control Web applications that use Silverlight controls must also include the ScriptManager control. The ScriptManager control manages all ASP.NET AJAX resources on a page. Class Reference The following table lists the primary server classes for ASP.NET server controls for Silverlight. Class Description MediaPlayer Enables you to integrate media sources such as audio (WMA) and video (WMV) into a Web application. Silverlight Enables you to provide a Rich Internet Application (RIA) experience with a Web application using Silverlight. Click here to submit your project requirements to Option Matrix, India. Back to top Integrating Silverlight with ASP.NET Web Pages The Silverlight 2 Software Development Kit (SDK) Beta 1 includes two ASP.NET server controls, the MediaPlayer control and the Silverlight control. These controls enable Silverlight content to be embedded in an ASP.NET Web page. The ASP.NET MediaPlayer control lets you integrate media sources such as audio (WMA) and video (WMV) into a Web site, without requiring any knowledge of XAML or JavaScript. The ASP.NET Silverlight control enables you to integrate XAML and any supporting code (a managed-code assembly, a managed dynamic-language script module, or client JavaScript libraries) into a Web site. Unlike the MediaPlayer server control, the Silverlight server control is generic and is not designed only to manage media files. The ASP.NET controls for Silverlight are designed to seamlessly integrate with the Silverlight client plug-in to deliver Rich Internet Applications (RIA). The controls let you use the familiar ASP.NET server control model, which automatically provides Silverlight support. The Silverlight 2 SDK Beta 1 also includes ASP.NET helper classes that provide extensibility if you are writing custom controls that require Silverlight support Breaking Changes in Silverlight 2 This topic discusses the changes made to the Silverlight runtime and Silverlight tools between the Microsoft Silverlight 1.1 Alpha September Refresh and the MIX 2008 release. The changes discussed in this article are focused on changes that might cause your older Silverlight-based applications to now fail or behave differently not on new features/enhancements for this release. Important! Migrating Older Code to the Newer Release Update Silverlight.js Template Breaking Changes Error Messages May not be Available 2-D API Changes HttpWebRequest/HttpWebResponse Supports New Functionality PresentationFrameworkCollection Change Mouse and Keyboard API Changes Changes to TextBlock and its Helper Classes XML DTD API Changes and Default XmlResolver XamlReader.Load() Requires xmlns Removal of Managed FontSource (downloader) Signature XmlResolver Changes Assembly Changes Regenerate Web Service Client Proxies WCF JSON Services May Need SOAP Endpoints In Visual Studio, Use "Add Service Reference" Instead of "Add Web Reference" Loaded Event Signature Change Removal of Managed Downloader BrowserHttpWebRequest Removed Removal of managed MediaElement/Image.SetSource(downloader, partName) SetValue Changes Miscellaneous API Changes System.Net.Sockets Namespace Added Important! Migrating Older Code to the Newer Release If you are migrating Silverlight applications that were created for the Microsoft Silverlight 1.1 Alpha September Refresh or earlier to the Silverlight 2 Beta 1 (MIX 08) release, the following strategy is recommended: 1. Get the newest version of Microsoft Silverlight 2 Tools for Visual Studio 2008. Make sure you uninstall any old tools you have on your machine before doing this install.2. Create a NEW Silverlight application using the new tools from step 1 above.3. Copy all your code/XAML over to your new project.4. Debug. Many of the breaking changes you are likely to encounter can be found in this document. Note for those working with assembly names/identities - Microsoft assemblies' identities have been changed in the following regard: - The public key has been changed to a new Microsoft Silverlight key. - The version number (assembly and file version) has been changed to 2.0.You will have to update your assembly name/identity usages accordingly. Update Silverlight.js The Silverlight.js file has been changed and you will need an updated version for your applications. Older versions of Silverlight.js are not able to ensure the installation of Silverlight 2 Beta 1 for end users who do not already have Silverlight 2 Beta 1 on their computers. If you recompile your Silverlight applications the Silverlight.js file will be updated automatically. Template Breaking Changes These changes are related to Silverlight Visual Studio templates. If you are creating Silverlight applications from Visual Studio, make sure you are using the newest Microsoft Silverlight 2 Tools for Visual Studio 2008. If you do this, you will not have to worry about these changes breaking new projects you create. However, if you have existing applications that you have created using an older version of the VS Silverlight tools, you may have to either recompile your application using the newer tool or make changes to your projects by hand. The changes outlined in this section are for people in the latter situation. 1. SilverlightApplicaton property added. This allows the project system to distinguish between Silverlight applications and Silverlight class libraries. New Copy Code <SilverlightApplication>true</SilverlightApplication>                 - set to false for class library projects 2. The following two properties have been renamed: Before/After <ZipOutputs>     has been changed to  <XapOutputs> <ZipFilename>   has been changed to  <XapFilename> For existing project files, you can hand edit them to make these changes. Error Messages May not be Available Exception messages for mscorlib.dll are no longer shipped with the main Silverlight runtime. Instead, they are shipped with the Silverlight Software Development Kit (SDK). This change enables the Silverlight runtime to be smaller. Because there is no guarantee that the exception messages will be available to end-users, Silverlight developers should never show exception messages to end-users. Developers can continue to use exceptions as they have in the past (catching them in try/catch blocks) but there is no guarantee the exception message will be available. If the debug resources are not available, a generic error string is used instead: "An error occurred." 2-D API Changes Removed from Point structure: static bool Equals (Point point1, Point point2) override Equals (object o) override Equals (Point value) override int GetHashCode() void Offset(double offsetX, double offsetY) static explicit operator Size(Point point) Removed from Color structure: static Color FromScRgb(float a, float r, float g, float b) static Color FromRgb(byte r, byte g, byte b) static Color operator -(Color color1, Color color2) static Color Subtract(Color color1, Color color2) override string ToString() static bool AreClose(Color color1, Color color2) void Clamp() static bool Equals(Color color1, Color color2) bool Equals(Color color) float ScA float ScR float ScG float ScB float a, r, g, b; byte a, r, g, b; Removed from Size structure: static Size Empty { get; } bool IsEmpty { get; } bool Equals (Size value); override int GetHashCode ();