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Hey Gigs...
Start here: WPF/MVVM Quick Start Tutorial[^]
I have done both Winforms and WPF and I have to say I like having a WPF codebase to maintain much more than a Winforms codebase to maintain.
Databinding in WPF is a stellar experience. I've done one commercial product with it and it's a snap to maintain.
WPF is very different though.
If you haven't done a lot of winforms, you might be in better shape, not having your mind ruined by taking all the shortcuts winform so graciously allows....
I like this article by Lapthorn very much, because he's very deliberate about skipping the whiz-bang "unleashy" stuff and concentrating on what basics you need to know.
Recommend you work through each example to see the evolution from wrong to right.... I did. Very informative hands on format.
WPF is a paradigm shift from winforms for sure.
The Hardest part for me was NOT looking for winforms equivilants in wpf.
("But it works like this in winforms waaah..." Just stop it already.)
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Ok, nice one!
thanks I will look through it.
I'm mentally preparing myself to just forget everything I used to know, treat it as a brand new technology which is nothing like Winforms....
We will see how it goes!
"Benjamin is nobody's friend. If Benjamin were an ice cream flavor, he'd be pralines and dick." ~ Garth Algar
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." ~ Paul Neal "Red" Adair
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I've made myself learn/use WPF the last few months; just 'cause. The only gripe I have so far is that the data grid view control is waaay more clunky than that found in Win Forms.
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WPF is the front-end, the GUI. You don't have to have it to work with your access database. If you want to learn it, that's one thing, but you're talking apples & oranges here. Your back end code (the Access stuff) doesn't care if you use WinForms or WPF.
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Yes, thanks, I'm aware of that - its just an idea at the moment; a goal to focus on.
"Benjamin is nobody's friend. If Benjamin were an ice cream flavor, he'd be pralines and dick." ~ Garth Algar
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." ~ Paul Neal "Red" Adair
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I spent a little time a few years ago playing with WPF and found it to be a real overkill for the types of stuff I write. I'm not so much into making pretty pictures as just presenting data which WinForms is fine for; it's consistent, mature and just plain works.
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Yeah - it does appear to be fairly large in scope!
But, I can nob about with Winforms and I just thought that I should really start getting to grips with it - just for the fun of it.
Winforms won;t be going away any time soon, but (at the moment at least) WPf is the future 
"Benjamin is nobody's friend. If Benjamin were an ice cream flavor, he'd be pralines and dick." ~ Garth Algar
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." ~ Paul Neal "Red" Adair
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The thing I didn't care about with WPF was having to constantly deal with XAML, which is fine I guess but if I wanted to deal with an HTML type language I'd just write a web application. I just felt that doing that on the desktop when I had gotten used to a GUI designer was just too much work for what I was trying to accomplish. With WinForms most of my time is focused on the application itself (making things work, etc.) whereas with WPF I felt like I was spending an inordinate amount of time trying to get the GUI right. I mean, how many methods must I ingest into my head for presenting a grid of data, or a list of items to choose, etc?
I'm not at-all against these technologies per-se you might just say I've finally settled down and decided to be an expert at a few with which I can solve business problems instead of constantly trying to keep up with all these different technologies. I've been at this 38 years and as far as the type of stuff I develop I can't tell you that all the presentation technologies they've come up with since WinForms would enhance my presentations in any meaningful way. Heck ... I could have completed my last project as a character-based DOS application and it would have served the needs of my client very well!
Like you said, WinForms ain't going anywhere. The output generated by VS2008 (my preferred tool) runs on everything from Windows XP right on up to Windows 8.1 desktop. That's a pretty huge audience. I think I'll just focus on solving these business problems with technology I already have and leave off chasing the "latest" stuff all the time. I suspect I'll have enough work to do without having constantly to upgrade and spin my wheels.
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Haha, yeah - I can image in 38 years you've seen quite a few new technologies come in and go out!
Winforms is brilliant, I've got VS 2008 which is excellent, and I'm using VS 2013 Express for this WPF learning.
The Winforms designer is superb - really feels like a polished bit of kit.
I'm just starting with WPF, and the designer already doesn't feel as polished, but, I'm still learning, so I'll get better (with any luck!)
Anyway, thanks for you input - I always like hearing opinions of more experienced people; always something to learn
"Benjamin is nobody's friend. If Benjamin were an ice cream flavor, he'd be pralines and dick." ~ Garth Algar
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." ~ Paul Neal "Red" Adair
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Embrace XML. Not just the idea of angle-bracket delimited text. Understand how namespaces (i.e. xmlns) work. Understand why some tags have a prefix. If you have the time, learn XML schema.
THis might already be in your wheelhouse, but it never ceases to amaze me how many C#/VB.NET guys claim they know XML but then attack XAML and don't know why their XAML code says Some tag not found! I've been to user group meetings where the presenter is introducing XAML and he tries to go through what all those attributes in the root Window element mean and everyone is literally, "Can we skip this and start writing our app?" No, understand that first.
My only other tip is that if it seems difficult to get what you want done in VS, try it in Blend.
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Thanks ! Yeah I'm doing my best to get to grips with xaml as much as possible as it appears to be such a massive part of wpf, and as for blend, yeah, that'll be on my list as well!!
"Benjamin is nobody's friend. If Benjamin were an ice cream flavor, he'd be pralines and dick." ~ Garth Algar
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." ~ Paul Neal "Red" Adair
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A buddy of mine in another department was able to get some work done for me.
Afterwards a manager got all 'grumpy' with him - upset over violated turf.
I told my buddy the next time the manager bends his ear to go ahead and give me a call.
We'll beat the managers arse in the parking lot.
The office place is too soft.
It's time to get all Darwin on a few people.
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Well that escalated quickly...
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Reminds me of the latest episode of "Game of Thrones" (season 4, episode 8)
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
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The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
Winston Churchill, 1944
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I'd just like a chance to prove that money can't make me happy.
Me, all the time
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MehGerbil wrote: The office place is too soft.
Do you work for the US Postal Service? (post office)
You could go postal.
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How is this even possible?
---------------------------------
Obscurum per obscurius.
Ad astra per alas porci.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur .
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It's five years older than me!
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It's a short Odyssey you have been on then.
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I like Tetris.
Robert Maxwell bought it from someone who was not in a position to sell it.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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Quote: someone who was not in a position to sell it.
Was he in a missionary position?
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He was in a 'pretending to Cap'n Bob that he owned Tetris' position.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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I had to dig quite deep to find the reference, or "I'm getting too young for this sh*t"...
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The Tetris Saga[^]
I watched a documentary about it a few years ago.
I blame the Hungarians.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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Dalek Dave wrote: How is this even possible?
It's not possible!
If Tetris were 30 then I would be old and I'm not old, therefore Tetris is not 30! 
* I am now sticking my fingers in my ears to avoid hearing any counter arguments!
** Although this is of course pointless since we are conversing via the written word ... 
"State acheived after eating too many chocolate-covered coconut bars - bountiful"
Chris C-B
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** Although this is of course pointless since we are conversing via the written word ...
Well close your eyes then!
One day I aspire to having a signature.
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