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Learning WPF

WPF is really quite new (first came out in '08) and really not that difficult (it is just another xml format). So while they may be out there, I don't think there are going to be many options for good WPF books.

As for C#, IDK, I'm a fan of just reading the MSDN and pulling out what I need. If you are doing this for a first time programmer

http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=12839534...rank_authority

Take your pick.
 
Actually Cogman, WPF is not just another xml format. You are allowed to design GUI's using XML (which get loaded and parsed, and MS creates the form for you) but all the XML is optional. I have a business app I'm working on that now has 40+ screens and I've never used a single XAML (XML) form for any of it...

Reason: You can use inheritance/polymorphism and other OO things with WPF if you do everything in classes. The hard part - learning how to do all the xaml stuff in code.

But, that said. WPF is not really all that hard to learn, but it does have a learning curve as it's way more flexible.

Personally I bought this book which I thought was fairly good, but it is hard to understand in some sections. Because with the xaml everything is done 'magically' and writing larger apps requires some real knowledge of whats going on, this book didn't really suffice, but it will help you get up and running. This book is mostly 95% done with XAML.

This book aplies to the first release of WPF but I haven't found anything changed in VS 2008 (not sure about VS 2010 as I don't have it yet).

http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Presen...3966211&sr=1-3
 
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WPF is way more than "just another XML format" and the framework is huge. There is more to writing WPF than just knowing how to write a declarative UI (which in itself is no small feat, as WPF offers such a wealth of options for layout, composition and customization). With WPF comes new patterns and practices which should be learned and adhered to.

Sorry OP, I can't really recommend anything. I own C# Unleashed by John Mayo but it's not a book I would be happy to recommend. Most of what I have learned in WPF and Silverlight has been from MSDN online but I am also on the hunt for an excellent WPF/Silverlight book.
 
Cogman was probably thinking of the markup, which was certainly the major conceptual change in WPF, but yeah there is a lot more to it. XAML is a declarative way to create control trees, just as in ASP.NET, and as was mentioned previously you don't need to use XAML at all. So really it's about a new framework of classes for compositing UI elements and driving their behavior, and the underlying technologies that enable it (the DWM on DirectX). As for learning it, I would just dive in and start making something.
 
Once you get past the basics of WPF, just use google. There are tons of people actively blogging about it. That's what I did when I needed to use WPF at my internship last year.
 
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