Will Expression Blend relieve me from having to learn xaml?

Question

I don't mind learning xaml and I'm sure I need to be familiar somewhat, but when I was first trying out Silverlight 1 with javascript it looked like a tremendous amount of overhead. I decided to wait until tools matured and asp.net was added. Well, asp.net has been added with Silverlight 2.0, and now I want to look at using it. But, xaml, to me, still looks like a lot of work for each small step. My experience with Flash seemed a lot more simpler for the graphics side of things (never liked ActionScript that much.) Will $500 for Blend take care of much of my xaml concerns? Can I use Visual Studio Express with the full version of Microsoft Expression Blend?

Do I need Microsoft Expression Studio 2?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Microsoft Expression Blend takes care of a lot of XAML for you and helps you create animations and setting up triggers (XAML triggers). I would hate to have to do all that by hand coded XAML. I have not used Blend with Visual Studio Express but I believe it will work just fine. Microsoft Expression Blend 2 uses the sln file to open a project.

Answer 2

Just as a profressional web developer can't lean on Dreamweaver's drag-and-drop to avoid learning HTML, you should climb the XAML learning curve.

Blend will still help, however- just as many started up the HTML curve by doing some drag-and-drop and studying the resulting HTML code. I did some prototyping with Silverlight 1.1 and Blend helped significantly in my understanding of XAML. It helps to have a "real" project to work on, even if it's a proof of concept. Concentrate on the containment paradigm between Canvas and other elements and you'll pick it up quickly enough. I wouldn't worry too much about the MPATH stuff, do rely on the tool for that.

Answer 3

again, I understand I have to learn to use xaml. I'm not trying to get out of that. I just don't want to code a ton of it by hand if I can do much of it by the tool. It's work that doesn't yield much value to me. Visual Studio hides a lot of things from me that I don't need to worry about. That's the kind of hiding I'm talking about here in the question. thanks again.

Answer 4

Expression Blend will not help with databinding. VS2010 promises databinding in its WPF designer, but if you can't wait until then, look to learning some XAML.

Count XAML as one of the many new .NET 3.5 things to learn when working with WPF/Silverlight. I recommend Pro WPF in C# 2008 from APress

Answer 5

Then what will Expression Blend give me?

Answer 6

Expression Blend give you the ability to draw shapes, paths, Union or diff shapes, create animations (similar to Flash Tweening), wire up simple triggers (like on mouseover play an animation). All with out having to dive into XAML.