Lessons on WPF

Ever since the release of WPF, I have had no chance of running a live project on it. I have done quite a lot of mini testing of some of it's cool features but never a live application. 

Recently, a client requested for a small File Generation application in an attempt to drop their current legacy file generation application. These files are later sent to suppliers messages based Ordering systems. 

I quickly seized the opportunity to try out my WPF skills. What first hit me is it's immaturity compared to what can be achieved with WinForms but alas, there are work-arounds like ability to host WinForms which I took advantage of on the Report Viewer and also the Grid control from the WPF toolkit. Did not like the fact that I had to install .Net Framework 3.5 SP1 for this to work. Client do not like the idea of having to make them install this.

Styling the application is light years ahead of what could be achieved on WinForms. Got that done in a giffe and could imagine the amount of owner drawn stuff I had to do in WinForms to achieve the quality of UI.

I will say the experience was great and itching to redo some of my cool WinForms apps in WPF but won't unless a client is gonna pay for it :)