More Windows Workflow Designer Editing Enhancements

by Avatar Bill Henning (Actipro)
Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at 2:52pm

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A couple weeks ago we posted a blog entry showing off a sample we created, where a hosted Windows Workflow Designer instance is integrated with our WPF Docking/MDI and SyntaxEditor controls to dramatically improve the designer UI.

Since that post, we've had a number of customers request the sample that we created, and we have been happy to pass it along.  In today's post, I wanted to announce that we've updated the sample yet some more, adding automated variable IntelliPrompt features!

Variable1

In the screenshot above, two variables are declared: myText (a string) and anotherVar (a boolean).  I pressed Ctrl+Space in the expression editor (a SyntaxEditor control) to display the completion list.  The myText variable shows up properly as a string.

Variable2

Next, I moved to the assignment expression (another SyntaxEditor control) and typed anotherVar. to get the members of that variable.  SyntaxEditor's .NET Languages Add-on kicks in again here and shows the members appropriate for a boolean value.

Summary

These sorts of features really improve the editing experience for your customers.  If you rehost the Windows Workflow Designer in your WPF apps and would like our example, please contact us and we'll pass it along.

For those customers who downloaded the first version, this update (along with some other tweaks) is at the same URL as before.

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Enhancing the Windows Workflow Designer

by Avatar Bill Henning (Actipro) - 3 comments
Monday, August 26, 2013 at 9:24am

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Last week we had a customer write us who was rehosting the Windows Workflow Designer in their own WPF application.  See these MSDN notes for documentation on how to do so.

The customer wanted to be able to use SyntaxEditor to create a custom VB Expression editor since it would allow them to have features like syntax highlighting and automated IntelliPrompt capabilities (via SyntaxEditor's .NET Languages Add-on).

In addition, the customer asked about being able to use our Docking/MDI product to add docking windows to host the designer's ToolBox and Properties windows.

We spent a few minutes and modified the Microsoft sample for rehosting the Windows Workflow Designer to integrate Actipro controls into it, and here's what we came up with:

Workflow

You can see how tool windows (fully dockable) host the ToolBox and Properties views and the designer is hosted in the tabbed MDI area.  In addition, SyntaxEditor (in single-line mode and with the .NET Languages Add-on) is used to provide automated IntelliPrompt features for editing expressions. 

This really improves the UI experience for end users.  If you are rehosting the Windows Workflow Designer in your own WPF app and would like the full source of our integration example, please write us and we'll be happy to send it to you.

UPDATE:  Check out this newer blog post showing off enhancements for automated variable IntelliPrompt features.

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WPF Controls 2012.2 Build 571 Released

by Avatar Bill Henning (Actipro) - 2 comments
Thursday, November 15, 2012 at 4:01pm

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WPF Studio 2012.2 build 571 has been released and is now available for download. This maintenance release contains some massive new features and updates for the WPF controls.

This build has the following major new features:

  • Docking: Updated the standard switcher to use current theme assets and updated dock guide appearances for the Metro themes.
  • Docking: Updated dock guides, previews, rafting windows, and the switcher to support LayoutTransform detection.
  • Editors: Updated EnumPart to implement ISpinnable and allow up/down arrow keys to change its value.
  • PropertyGrid: Added a new Custom Factory QuickStart that shows how to build a custom data factory.
  • Ribbon: Completely rearchitected RibbonWindow to use the powerful new WindowChrome class for providing its custom chrome.
  • Ribbon: Improved RibbonWindow's Metro themes to support outer glows.
  • Ribbon: Improved RibbonWindow to fully support Aero snap and dock.
  • Ribbon: Updated Backstage to have a more Office 2013-like appearance when in a Metro theme.
  • Ribbon: Updated Backstage so that it covers the RibbonWindow.StatusBar if present.
  • SyntaxEditor: Added a NavigableSymbolSelector.AreRootSymbolsSupported property, that can be set to false to only show the member drop-down.
  • SyntaxEditor: Added new SyntaxEditor.HorizontalScrollBarVisibilty and VerticalScrollBarVisibility properties that can be set to Hidden to hide scrollbars.
  • SyntaxEditor LL(*) Parser Framework: Added a new Grammar.AstLeftAssociativity tree constructor method that can provide left associativity on binary operator expressions.
  • SyntaxEditor .NET Languages Add-on: Improved the parser and resolver.
  • Themes: Added a new Metro White theme, that is similar to the Office 2013 appearance.
  • Themes: Updated WindowChrome to support the rendering of custom chrome for any current theme, not just the Metro themes.
  • Themes: Updated WindowChrome to support Aero glass via its new IsGlassEnabled and GlassThickness properties.
  • Themes: Added the WindowChrome.TitleBarContentTemplate property that allows for injecting custom content next to window title bar caption buttons.

See the announcement post for the detailed list of enhancements and updates.

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