WinForm Design?

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+1 Q:

I'm coming from a web dev background, and do ok, but with WinForms, everything I make looks like crap. Can you guys point me to resources with WinForm design principles that will make my WinForms easier on the eyes?

Thanks!

+3 A:

You should try windows presentation foundation instead. That gives you the ability to build interfaces in a manner that's closer to the html you're familiar with.

Joel Coehoorn 2010-05-27 19:22:27

Microsoft have their own guidelines for Windows GUIs:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa511440.aspx

ho1 2010-05-27 19:28:43

Have you actually looked at them? I haven't read through them, but I have skimmed a bit here and there and seems fairly sensible to me though a bit basic. You probably won't make great GUIs if you follow their recommendations but could be useful to avoid making bad ones.

ho1 2010-05-27 19:53:25

@Rusty But if they hadn't had those guide lines you might have had an app covered in animations... :)

ho1 2010-05-27 20:08:10

+2 A:

Making WinForms look "Good" is a tall order. I have found it is best accomplished with a 3rd party package. Some the more popular...

http://www.devexpress.com/

http://www.infragistics.com/

http://www.telerik.com/

Of course, if you can move into the WPF you will have almost unlimited control on how you style the Ui elements....but, as pointed out by –nportelli, it will still look like crap out of the box.

Rusty 2010-05-27 19:29:24

The "look" problem does not evaporate. Standard WPF controls are just as ugly as standard winform controls. They are just easier to tailor to whatever look you want.

nportelli 2010-05-27 20:49:23

@nportelli You are absolutely correct..I shall rephrase.

Rusty 2010-05-27 20:56:46

ansaurus

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WinForm Design?

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