CS360/CS580H GUI & Windows Programming Introduction

Basic Course Outline Visual Studio 2013 Win32/Windows API & SDK MS Foundation Classes (MFC) & C++ HTML, XAML C# vs. C++ concepts/differences Common Gateway Interface (CGI) programming The.Net Framework Windows Forms WPF - Windows Presentation Foundation Using DirectX + XAML & RTL (post-Vista) Android

Paradigms 4 different ways to build a GUI program: Each has advantages/disadvantages – WIN32API – lower-level control, works on older systems – Microsoft Foundation Classes – many pre-built objects – Windows Forms – presentation separated from processing – Windows Presentation Foundation Can build common browser-based and desktop apps Easier handling of media types

Comparison of Paradigms Win32 API MFC Windows Forms Windows Forms+API Codepack WPF GUI forms and controls XXXX On-screen documents XXX Fixed-format documents (PDF) extXX ImagesBMPX Video/audio Use Media Player XX 2D graphics"XX 3D graphics"XX Note: WPF – see WindowsFormsHost control

Basic Concepts for all GUI's "Control" – MS term for mechanisms that manage what appears on the screen – Sliders, pointers, windows, data entry boxes, etc. Messages – system code indicating user action Message loop – Mechanism to pass execution between system  app – Uses messages to determine processing Multi-threading O/S

Fonts & Pixels Dots per inch (DPI) Device-independent pixel (DIPs) (1/96 of a logical inch) 1 pt = 1/72 inch (ALWAYS!!!) – 12pt font takes 12/72 inch in HEIGHT – Some characters need more or less space (e.g.; letters L and I) – A 72-point font is defined to be one logical inch tall = 96px – 1 logical inch=96 pixels – A 12pt font needs 12 points/(72 points per inch)=1/6 of an inch – 12 points = 1/6 logical inch = 96/6 = 16 pixels – BUT if display is set to 144 DPI, then 72pt font=144 px NOT 96 Because that inch now has to hold 144 pixels, not 72 or 96

MS naming conventions prefix data type by BYTE (unsigned char) b BOOL (int, TRUE=1 FALSE=0) c char dw DWORD (4-byte unsigned long) fn function h handle l long (4 bytes) n short (int) near pointer p pointer sz null-terminated char string w word (two bytes) lpsz long ptr to null-terminated str

Processing window messages Message codes for event triggering A "callback" mechanism (next slide) – O/S calls your function – Reverse of a "system call" Message processing loop in program – Tests for message types – Calls your handler functions Program is idle until an event

Callback Functions A thread-like mechanism: 1.Program issues a service call to O/S a.Tells O/S address of callback fn b.Tells O/S when to call it (msg filter) 2.Program loop waits for an "event" message 3.Program reads message from queue, tells O/S to signal the callback function, loops for more msgs, NO WAIT for msg processing 4.O/S starts callback fn to process the message 5.Callback returns to O/S

Model-View-Controller (MVC) Architecture 3 parts of an application: – Data, interface, operations MVC separates pgm data types from presentation Reduces complexities/dependencies Model – application data specs View – what the user sees (may also be controller) Controller - code to process the data – Accepts input – Rules for processing – Converts to pgm-usable data (codes, msgs, etc)

Win32API Architecture Core set of system interfaces – Kernel32.dll Mem mgmt., I/O, process, thread – User32.dll implements abstractions for Windows apps – HWND – MSG – Message loop – Build, obscure, size, move, dialogs, etc – GDI32.dll Drawing lines & curves Manage palettes Rendering fonts Predecessor of DirectX/OpenGL No "frames", no rasterization, SLOW

Win32 = Windows API Uses basic windows functions Usable with C/C++, Java Programmer must do almost everything Used with the Windows SDK (NOT MFC)

MICROSOFT FOUNDATION CLASSES

MFC architecture Based on Document/View concept – Separation of data from the user's view of data – Data is what user sees with "open a file" Operations – Design the window(s) - these are the "views" – Process the data based on user input – Switch/modify windows as needed to show results – E.g.; represent a collection of numbers as Table Graph

MS Foundation Classes (MFC) A C++ class library Builds on portions of the Win32API Pre-defined classes contain pre-written code: – Independent of user settings Create/Open/Close a window Open a dialog box – Adjustable (size, content, etc.) via the program

WINDOWS FORMS (WF)

Windows Forms (WF) Architecture Use C# or Visual Basic GUI part of.NET Framework Does not offer a paradigm comparable to Model– View–Controller paradigm of MFCModel– View–Controller Event driven Feature of.NET Framework Usage: – Design a form (e.g.; built-in wizard in MS Access, Visual Basic) – Specify parts of program that process each part – Function names to call are embedded in the form

WINDOWS PRESENTATION FOUNDATION

WPF Architecture Provides many h/w-related advances – Hardware acceleration (graphic adapter card) also called Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) – Enables modern UI features transparency, gradients and transforms Deployable on desktop or web browser Subset of.Net Framework types – Mostly in System.Windows – WPF provides additions for properties & routed events Uses markup & code-behind concepts – XAML – Managed languages (C#)

WPF (4.5 – Aug 2012 – might be the last version) 1 st release in 2005 Implements SOAP & non-MS web svc's tech's. DirectX vs. older GDI interface C#,.Net, XAML (based on XML) Standalone apps Embedded objects on a website RTL included in all Windows post-XP Unifies – Rendering, typography, vector graphics, animation, fixed, adaptive & pre-rendered docs, events, bindings Poor response-time, not for low-power devices

WPF vs. WinForms WPF – Does not rely on "standard" windows controls – A "window" is just a border around "content" – e.g.; Can make a button with image & text in it – BUT may take more work for "simple" things WF – ONLY uses standard "windows" Dialog/text boxes, etc. – Button w/image would require you to create your own button control type

WPF example – part 1 Click Me! x:Class associates – XAML def'n of window (above) – code-behind class (Awindow) on next slide This example (parts 1 & 2) is from:

WPF example –part 2 using System.Windows; // Window, RoutedEventArgs, MessageBox namespace SDKSample { public partial class AWindow : Window { public AWindow() { // Set properties and register event handlers InitializeComponent(); // Required to merge this class & XAML } void button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) { // Show message box when button is clicked MessageBox.Show("Hello, from WPF app!"); }

.NET (3.0) stack.NET Apps.NET Tools CLR, Base Class Libraries, ASP.NET, ASO.NET, WinForms WPFCardSpace (InfoCard) Canceled! WF (Workflow) Windows

Deploying.NET Framework Apps Distinguish between the app and the Framework us/library/6hbb4k3e(v=vs.110).aspx us/library/6hbb4k3e(v=vs.110).aspx