Wizard 3.0 Release

We're very pleased to announce the final release of Wizard 3.0. This new version is now based on the powerful WinUICore framework that SyntaxEditor uses. This allows for the use of background fills and a new renderer-based design for Wizard controls. Since Wizard is now based on the WinUICore framework, the ActiproSoftware.WinUICore and ActiproSoftware.Shared assemblies must be redistributed with your application along with the ActiproSoftware.Wizard assembly.

Before upgrading from 2.0, be sure to back up your projects. There are some object model changes and some other changes that need to be made in your application before you open a 2.0-based Wizard in the designer using the 3.0 assemblies. We've created a detailed help topic in the documentation on how to upgrade. Be sure to read that!

We've had several users make the upgrade including all necessary code changes on their end and they report it wasn't too difficult.

New Features

These high-level features have been added to version 3.0:

<li>Added the WizardRenderer class that can be set to the Wizard.Renderer property
<li>Added new support for complex background fills.
<li>Added ability to control new layout-related properties such as interior page header height and interior page margin.
<li>Added the BackgroundFill, ButtonContainerBackgroundFill, InteriorPageHeaderBackgroundFill, InteriorPageHeaderImage properties to the WizardPage class. These properties override the default values in the renderer.
<li>Added the WizardWelcomePage.WatermarkBackgroundFill property. These properties override the default values in the renderer.
<li>Moved all apprearance-related properties to the renderer.
<li>Removed the PageDescriptionColor, PageDescriptionFont, PageDescriptionOffset properties from the Wizard class.
<li>Removed the PaintHeader event from the Wizard class.
<li>Removed the ButtonAreaBackColor, ButtonAreaBackgroundImage, ButtonAreaHeight properties from the Wizard class.
<li>Removed the HeaderBackColor, HeaderBackgroundImage, HeaderImage properties from the Wizard class.
<li>Removed the WatermarkBackColor, WatermarkBackgroundImage properties from the WizardWelcomePage class.
<li>Added a new page sequencing type that uses a stack to store the order of pages that were visited. Pressing of the Back button iterates through the stack.
<li>Added the Wizard.PageSequenceType property and WizardPageSequenceType enumeration to control which type of page sequencing to use (Normal or BackStack).
<li>Added interior page guide lines to aid in design-time position of controls.
<li>Added the Wizard.InteriorPageGuideLineCount property that indicates how many interior page guide lines to display in design-mode.
<li>Added a Go To Page dialog in design-mode that is available via the new Go To Page verb or by double-click on a Wizard or WizardPage.
<li>Added a Select All Child Controls verb to the WizardPage designer that selects all the child controls on the selected page.
<li>Improved and tweaked design-mode functionality.
<li>Updated the appearance of the test project wizards and added functionality to demonstrate new features of Wizard.
<li>Changed Wizard so that it is based on the WinUICore framework.
<li>Changed the base class of Wizard and WizardPage to be UIControl.
<li>Renamed the Wizard.About method to ShowAboutForm.
<li>Renamed the Before/AfterPageSelect events and related OnXXX methods to SelectedPageChanging/ed in Wizard, WizardPage and WizardDialogForm to be more consistent with proper naming design.
<li>Made Wizard implement ICommandTarget.
<li>Added OnXXX methods to the Wizard and WizardPage classes for each of the events.
<li>Updated and improved the internal Wizard code.
<li>Uses the updated licensing mechanism that originated in SyntaxEditor

How to Upgrade to 3.0

If you are an existing owner of Wizard and would like to upgrade to 3.0, please log into Customer Relations. If you originally purchased an annual subscription and if it is still active, you can request a free upgrade to 3.0 on the Purchases page in Customer Relations. Simply click the link on that page to request a free upgrade (not available if you are not eligible). We will validate upgrade requests at the end of each day.

If you do not own an annual subscription, you can purchase an upgrade or an annual subscription for the amount of developer licenses you own from our secure purchase pages. This will allow you to be licensed for the 3.0 version.

Once you purchase and download the full 3.0 version, follow the directions in the Licensing FAQ in our Customer Relations site. Remember that code changes in your application are necessary (see above) to accommodate the object model changes in 3.0.

If you have any other questions regarding purchasing upgrades, please contact our sales staff.

Enjoy the new version!