Microsoft SharePoint 2010 unleashed Includes index

Windows Small Business Server 2008 provides all the tools small companies need to improve collaboration, enhance productivity, and manage and secure all their information. In this book, a team of leading SBS experts brings together the in-depth knowledge and real-world insights you need to make the most of this state-of-the-art product. Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals Eriq Neale and his colleagues cover every facet of planning, deploying, and managing SBS 2008. The authors begin by showing how to install and configure SBS 2008 for maximum efficiency, performance, and ease of administration. You’ll learn how to securely utilize SBS 2008’s comprehensive Internet, file, and print services; simplify and automate both server and workstation management; and take full advantage of both SharePoint collaboration and Exchange communication tools. This book is packed with expert tips, tricks, and troubleshooting techniques drawn from the authors’ unsurpassed experience helping companies succeed with SBS. Whether you’re a full-time IT professional or a power user who’s managing SBS in your spare time, it will be your most valuable resource. Detailed information on how to... Plan, install, configure, and customize SBS 2008 in any environment Set up and manage SBS 2008-based networks, Web access, and collaboration—including SharePoint Services 3.0 Leverage Remote Web Workplace and other advanced remote access solutions Manage email and other communications with SBS 2008’s built-in Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Centrally control Windows Vista, Windows XP, and other clients Seamlessly integrate Macintosh computers into your Windows network Protect your servers and workstations against both internal and external threats Prepare backups and disaster recovery plans you can actually use in an emergency Streamline and automate administration using Microsoft PowerShell Table of Contents......Page 6 Introduction......Page 34 1 Introducing SharePoint 2010......Page 38 Understanding the Capabilities of SharePoint 2010......Page 39 Using SharePoint for Collaboration and Document Management......Page 42 Outlining Improvements in SharePoint 2010......Page 46 Securing SharePoint 2010 with New Security Enhancements......Page 51 Leveraging Metadata and Content Types......Page 53 Social Networking Tool Advances......Page 54 Creating Powerful and Flexible Workflows......Page 55 Developing Applications Using Visual Studio......Page 56 Leveraging Business Intelligence Tools in SharePoint 2010......Page 57 Best Practices......Page 58 Understanding the SharePoint Server Roles......Page 60 Understanding the Reasons for Deploying Multiple Farms......Page 66 Choosing the Right Hardware for SharePoint......Page 69 Determining Optimal Operating System Configuration......Page 70 Planning for Database and Additional Software......Page 71 Examining Real-World SharePoint 2010 Deployments......Page 73 Addressing Common Business Issues with SharePoint Features......Page 76 Deploying a Team Collaboration Solution with SharePoint......Page 79 Deploying a Corporate Intranet Solution with SharePoint......Page 81 Deploying a Customer Extranet Solution with SharePoint......Page 84 Best Practices......Page 86 Examining SharePoint Installation Prerequisites......Page 88 Installing the SharePoint Server Operating System......Page 91 Installing SQL Server 2008 R2......Page 92 Installing Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010......Page 97 Best Practices......Page 105 Creating an Installation Checklist......Page 108 Installing SharePoint 2010 Using PowerShell......Page 110 Understanding Scalability for SharePoint......Page 122 Scaling Logical SharePoint Components......Page 123 Best Practices......Page 124 Formulating a Migration Strategy......Page 126 Planning for an Upgrade to SharePoint 2010......Page 129 Performing an In-Place Upgrade of a SharePoint Environment......Page 132 Performing a Database Attach Upgrade......Page 136 Using Visual Upgrade......Page 140 Best Practices......Page 143 6 Managing and Administering SharePoint 2010 Infrastructure......Page 146 Operations Management with the SharePoint Central Administration Tool......Page 147 Administering Site Collections and Sites......Page 175 Using Additional Administration Tools for SharePoint......Page 176 Summary......Page 178 Best Practices......Page 179 7 Leveraging PowerShell for Command-Line SharePoint Administration and Automation......Page 180 Understanding Windows PowerShell Concepts......Page 181 SharePoint Administration with PowerShell......Page 188 Cataloging the Best Scripts to Automate SharePoint Administration......Page 195 Understanding Advanced PowerShell Topics......Page 203 Beyond Built-In SharePoint PowerShell Cmdlets......Page 204 Best Practices......Page 212 Outlining the Capabilities of SharePoint 2010 Search......Page 214 Deploying a Native SharePoint 2010 Search Service Application......Page 216 Define Content Sources......Page 219 Search Scopes......Page 221 Federating Search......Page 222 Keywords and Best Bets......Page 225 Customizing the Search User Interface......Page 227 Installing FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint......Page 233 Deploying FAST Search Service Applications......Page 236 Customizing the FAST Search User Interface......Page 238 Uninstalling FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint......Page 241 Summary......Page 242 Best Practices......Page 243 9 Managing and Maintaining SQL Server in a SharePoint Environment......Page 244 Monitoring SQL Server in a SharePoint Environment......Page 245 Maintaining SQL Server in a SharePoint Environment......Page 253 Managing SharePoint Content Databases......Page 258 Externalizing BLOB Storage in SharePoint 2010......Page 264 Best Practices......Page 273 Backing Up and Recovering SharePoint Components......Page 274 Using the Recycle Bin for Recovery......Page 276 Using SharePoint Central Administration for Backup and Restore......Page 279 Performing Granular Backup Using the SharePoint Central Administration......Page 282 Restoring SharePoint Using SharePoint Central Administration......Page 285 Using SharePoint 2010 Management PowerShell for Backup and Restore......Page 290 Backing Up Internet Information Services v7 Configuration......Page 293 SQL Backup Tools......Page 294 Best Practices......Page 298 11 Monitoring a SharePoint 2010 Environment......Page 300 Using the SharePoint Health Analyzer......Page 301 Using SharePoint's Native Reporting Capabilities......Page 305 Understanding Timer Jobs for SharePoint 2010......Page 310 Using System Center Operations Manager to Simplify Management of SharePoint 2010......Page 312 Establishing Maintenance Schedules for SharePoint......Page 314 Best Practices......Page 321 Microsoft's Virtualization Support Story......Page 322 Virtualization Infrastructure Requirements and Recommendations......Page 324 Software Recommendations and Licensing Notes......Page 325 Virtualization of SharePoint Roles......Page 326 Exploring Sample Virtualized SharePoint 2010 Architecture......Page 329 Virtual Machine Management with System Center Virtual Machine Manager......Page 333 Best Practices......Page 338 13 Deploying SharePoint for Extranets and Alternative Authentication Scenarios......Page 340 Outlining Common Extranet Scenarios and Topologies......Page 341 Understanding SharePoint 2010 Extranet Security......Page 346 Implementing Authentication Scenarios......Page 352 Implementing a Partner Extranet Solution......Page 355 Upgrading an Existing Extranet Solution from SharePoint 2007......Page 365 Security Consideration for SharePoint Extranet Solutions......Page 366 Best Practices......Page 367 14 Protecting SharePoint with Advanced Antivirus and Edge Security Solutions......Page 370 Understanding the Forefront Edge Line of Products......Page 371 Outlining the Need for the Forefront Edge Line for SharePoint Environments......Page 372 Outlining the Inherent Threat in SharePoint Web Traffic......Page 375 Securing SharePoint Sites with Forefront TMG 2010......Page 377 Securing SharePoint Sites Using Forefront UAG......Page 386 Protecting SharePoint 2010 from Viruses Using Forefront Protection 2010 for SharePoint......Page 389 Best Practices......Page 393 Identifying Isolation Approaches to SharePoint Security......Page 394 Physically Securing SharePoint Servers......Page 396 Securing SharePoint's SQL Server Installation......Page 398 Utilizing Security Templates to Secure a SharePoint Server......Page 400 File-Level Security for SharePoint Servers......Page 401 Verifying Security Using the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer......Page 402 Deploying Transport-Level Security for SharePoint......Page 404 Examining Integration Points Between SharePoint and Public Key Infrastructure......Page 407 Using IPsec for Internal SharePoint Encryption......Page 410 Summary......Page 416 Best Practices......Page 417 16 Configuring Email-Enabled Content, Presence, and Exchange Server Integration......Page 418 Enabling Incoming Email Functionality in SharePoint......Page 419 Understanding Microsoft Exchange Server 2010......Page 423 Planning for an Exchange Server 2010 Environment......Page 426 Integrating Exchange 2010 with SharePoint 2010......Page 430 Enabling Presence Information in SharePoint with Microsoft Communications Server 2010......Page 431 Best Practices......Page 434 17 Safeguarding Confidential Data in SharePoint 2010......Page 436 SQL Server Database Mirroring for SharePoint Farms......Page 437 Examining Supported Topologies......Page 439 Outlining Database Mirroring Requirements......Page 443 Enabling SQL Database Mirroring......Page 445 Using SQL Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)......Page 449 Enabling TDE for SharePoint Content Databases......Page 452 Using Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS) for SharePoint Document Libraries......Page 457 Best Practices......Page 464 Clarifying the Different SharePoint Products from a High Level......Page 466 Feature Comparison Between SharePoint Foundation 2010 and SharePoint Server 2010 for Farm Administrators......Page 471 Summary......Page 495 Best Practices......Page 496 19 Using Libraries and Lists in SharePoint 2010......Page 498 Empowering Users Through SharePoint 2010 Libraries......Page 499 Working with the Other Standard Tools in a Document Library......Page 508 Empowering Users Through SharePoint 2010 Lists......Page 530 Summary......Page 542 Best Practices......Page 543 Planning the List and Library Ecosystem......Page 546 Creating Lists and Libraries......Page 554 Mastering the Library Tab from the Ribbon......Page 557 Document Library Settings Page Tools Reviewed......Page 570 Permissions and Management Tools for Lists and Libraries......Page 585 Document Sets Compared to Folders as Organizational Tools in Document Libraries......Page 590 Content Organizer as a Document Routing Tool......Page 595 Summary......Page 599 Best Practices......Page 600 21 Designing and Managing Pages and Sites for Knowledge Workers......Page 602 Understanding Site Collection Options......Page 603 Creating a Site Collection......Page 604 Reviewing the Scope of an Existing Site Collection......Page 606 Controlling Who Can Create Sites......Page 610 Creating Pages and Sites......Page 612 Reviewing the Users and Permissions Tools......Page 622 Reviewing the Galleries Tools......Page 631 Reviewing the Site Administration Tools......Page 633 Reviewing the Look and Feel Tools......Page 634 Reviewing the Site Actions Tools......Page 636 An Overview of Site Collection Administration Tools......Page 638 Understanding and Using Site Variations......Page 642 Reviewing Site Features and Site Collection Features......Page 647 Best Practices......Page 654 Effectively Using Metadata in Lists and Libraries......Page 656 Working with Metadata in a Word 2010 Document and Document Libraries......Page 657 Reviewing the Column Choices in SharePoint 2010......Page 661 Differences in Multiple Lines of Text Columns in Libraries and Lists......Page 669 Working with Lookup Columns in Document Libraries......Page 671 Setting Metadata Standards with Default Values......Page 678 Site Columns Practical Applications......Page 681 Content Types Practical Applications......Page 684 Creating and Using Managed Metadata......Page 690 Content Type Syndication Hubs......Page 694 Metadata as a Navigation Aid......Page 695 Enabling the Developer's Dashboard for Troubleshooting......Page 698 Best Practices......Page 700 23 Leveraging Social Networking Tools in SharePoint 2010......Page 702 Reviewing the Components of a Healthy My Site Configuration......Page 703 Reviewing the User Profile Service Application Settings......Page 708 Restricting User Access to and Creation of My Site Sites......Page 712 Mapping a SharePoint Profile Field to Active Directory......Page 714 User Profile Job Review......Page 717 Components of My Sites......Page 718 Summary......Page 725 Best Practices......Page 726 24 Governing the SharePoint 2010 Ecosystem......Page 728 The Importance of Governance......Page 729 Creating the Governance Plan......Page 730 Governing the Farm......Page 734 Governing Site Collections and Sites......Page 740 Records Management in SharePoint......Page 742 The Governance Cycle......Page 744 Best Practices......Page 745 25 Using Office 2010 Applications with SharePoint 2010......Page 746 Support for Earlier Versions of Office with SharePoint 2010......Page 747 The Basics of Saving a Word Document to a SharePoint Document Library......Page 748 Creating Shortcuts to SharePoint 2010......Page 753 Coauthoring Word 2010 and PowerPoint 2010 Documents Stored in SharePoint 2010......Page 757 Using SharePoint Workspace with SharePoint 2010......Page 760 Connecting SharePoint 2010 Content to Outlook 2010......Page 765 Creating Meeting Workspaces from Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2010......Page 768 Summary......Page 771 Best Practices......Page 772 Working with Excel Data in SharePoint 2010......Page 774 Getting to Know the Excel Services Service Application......Page 775 Publishing to Excel Services......Page 779 Access Services Overview......Page 790 Visio Graphics Services Overview......Page 794 Best Practices......Page 797 27 Office Web Apps Integration with SharePoint 2010......Page 798 Planning for Office Web Apps Use......Page 799 Installing and Configuring Office Web Apps for SharePoint 2010......Page 804 Testing Office Web Apps Functionality......Page 812 Best Practices......Page 821 Defining Workflows in the Business Environment......Page 824 Reviewing the Workflow-Related Settings in Central Administration and Site Settings......Page 826 Testing the Three-State Workflow......Page 829 An Overview of Other Standard Workflows......Page 836 Verifying the Web Application Settings for SharePoint Designer 2010 Use......Page 838 Downloading and Installing SharePoint Designer 2010......Page 839 Creating a Reusable Workflow from SharePoint Designer 2010......Page 840 Summary......Page 846 Best Practices......Page 847 29 Application Development with SharePoint Designer 2010 and Visual Studio 2010......Page 848 Deciding Whether Development Is Required to Meet Business Needs......Page 849 Evolutions in the SharePoint Platform for Developers......Page 851 Considering SharePoint Designer 2010 for Development......Page 854 Creating a Workflow-Based Application in SharePoint Designer 2010......Page 856 Using Visual Studio 2010 with SharePoint 2010......Page 866 Developing a Visual Web Part......Page 868 Summary......Page 883 Best Practices......Page 884 30 Business Intelligence in SharePoint 2010 with PerformancePoint Services......Page 886 PerformancePoint Services Overview......Page 887 Understanding Dashboard Designer......Page 891 Creating Dashboards in Dashboard Designer......Page 895 Building a Sample Dashboard in Dashboard Designer......Page 902 Best Practices......Page 913 31 Business Intelligence in SharePoint 2010 with Business Connectivity Services......Page 914 External Content Types......Page 915 Consuming External Content Types......Page 923 Summary and Conclusion......Page 937 Best Practices......Page 938 A......Page 940 B......Page 942 C......Page 943 D......Page 945 E......Page 949 F......Page 951 G......Page 952 I......Page 953 L......Page 954 M......Page 956 O......Page 958 P......Page 959 R......Page 961 S......Page 962 T......Page 968 V......Page 970 W......Page 971 Microsoft® SharePoint 2010 Unleashed Michael Noel Colin Spence Using Microsoft SharePoint 2010 technologies, organizations can bring together, utilize, and collaborate with information from virtually any source. Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Unleashed is the most complete, practical resource for all administrators, managers, architects, users, and power users who want to make the most of this powerful platform. Drawing on their experience implementing SharePoint solutions in hundreds of organizations, Michael Noel and Colin Spence cover all facets of succeeding with SharePoint: planning, deployment, migration, scalability, administration, security, Microsoft Office integration, workflow and dashboard development, and more. Noel and Spence illuminate the newest SharePoint innovations, from new social networking features to improved search, helping you make the most of both SharePoint Foundation and SharePoint Server 2010. Using easy-to-understand, step-by-step examples, the authors help you streamline administration, optimize performance, control cost, and implement high-value solutions for collaboration, document management, and business intelligence. Architect and implement SharePoint 2010, and migrate from legacy SharePoint servers Perform advanced installations that maximize scalability Monitor, back up, and restore SharePoint environments Maintain the SQL Server databases on which SharePoint 2010 relies Systematically improve edge, transport, and content security Deploy SharePoint in extranets and alternative authentication scenarios Create highly efficient virtualized SharePoint 2010 farms Customize and manage libraries and lists for your specific requirements Design and manage pages and sites for knowledge workers Effectively manage metadata and content types Integrate content using Office Web Apps and Excel, Access, and Visio Graphics Services Create both out-of-the-box and customized SharePoint workflows Develop custom solutions with SharePoint Designer 2010 and Visual Studio 2010 Create BI solutions with PerformancePoint and Business Connectivity Services Govern your SharePoint ecosystem for maximum value Michael Noel, MS-MVP, MCITP, is an internationally recognized technology expert, bestselling author, and well-known public speaker on a wide range of IT topics. He is the author of 17 books, including Exchange Server 2010 Unleashed , Windows Server 2008 R2 Unleashed , and Microsoft Forefront Unleashed . His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Colin Spence, MCP, MCTS SharePoint, has worked with SharePoint technologies for nearly a decade, helping hundreds of clients architect, implement, and manage customized SharePoint solutions. He speaks, publishes, and blogs regularly on SharePoint technologies. Noel and Spence are partners at Convergent Computing, a leading Microsoft partner in the San Francisco Bay area, and co-authors of SharePoint 2007 Unleashed . ON THE WEB: Download all examples and source code presented in this book from informit.com/title/9780672333255 Category: Microsoft Office 2010 Covers: Microsoft SharePoint 2010 User Level: Intermediate–Advanced Microsoft® SharePoint 2010 Unleashed Michael Noel Colin Spence Using Microsoft SharePoint 2010 technologies, organizations can bring together, utilize, and collaborate with information from virtually any source. __Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Unleashed__ is the most complete, practical resource for all administrators, managers, architects, users, and power users who want to make the most of this powerful platform. Drawing on their experience implementing SharePoint solutions in hundreds of organizations, Michael Noel and Colin Spence cover all facets of succeeding with SharePoint: planning, deployment, migration, scalability, administration, security, Microsoft Office integration, workflow and dashboard development, and more. Noel and Spence illuminate the newest SharePoint innovations, from new social networking features to improved search, helping you make the most of both SharePoint Foundation and SharePoint Server 2010. Using easy-to-understand, step-by-step examples, the authors help you streamline administration, optimize performance, control cost, and implement high-value solutions for collaboration, document management, and business intelligence. * Architect and implement SharePoint 2010, and migrate from legacy SharePoint servers * Perform advanced installations that maximize scalability * Monitor, back up, and restore SharePoint environments * Maintain the SQL Server databases on which SharePoint 2010 relies * Systematically improve edge, transport, and content security * Deploy SharePoint in extranets and alternative authentication scenarios * Create highly efficient virtualized SharePoint 2010 farms * Customize and manage libraries and lists for your specific requirements * Design and manage pages and sites for knowledge workers * Effectively manage metadata and content types * Integrate content using Office Web Apps and Excel, Access, and Visio Graphics Services * Create both out-of-the-box and customized SharePoint workflows * Develop custom solutions with SharePoint Designer 2010 and Visual Studio 2010 * Create BI solutions with PerformancePoint and Business Connectivity Services * Govern your SharePoint ecosystem for maximum value Michael Noel, MS-MVP, MCITP, is an internationally recognized technology expert, bestselling author, and well-known public speaker on a wide range of IT topics. He is the author of 17 books, including __Exchange Server 2010 Unleashed__, __Windows Server 2008 R2 Unleashed__, and __Microsoft Forefront Unleashed__. His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Colin Spence, MCP, MCTS SharePoint, has worked with SharePoint technologies for nearly a decade, helping hundreds of clients architect, implement, and manage customized SharePoint solutions. He speaks, publishes, and blogs regularly on SharePoint technologies. Noel and Spence are partners at Convergent Computing, a leading Microsoft partner in the San Francisco Bay area, and co-authors of __SharePoint 2007 Unleashed__. ON THE WEB: Download all examples and source code presented in this book from informit.com/title/9780672333255 Category: Microsoft Office 2010 Covers: Microsoft SharePoint 2010 User Level: Intermediate–Advanced Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Unleashed Michael Noel Colin Spence Using Microsoft SharePoint 2010 technologies, organizations can bring together, utilize, and collaborate with information from virtually any source. Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Unleashed is the most complete, practical resource for all administrators, managers, architects, users, and power users who want to make the most of this powerful platform. Drawing on their experience implementing SharePoint solutions in hundreds of organizations, Michael Noel and Colin Spence cover all facets of succeeding with planning, deployment, migration, scalability, administration, security, Microsoft Office integration, workflow and dashboard development, and more. Noel and Spence illuminate the newest SharePoint innovations, from new social networking features to improved search, helping you make the most of both SharePoint Foundation and SharePoint Server 2010. Using easy-to-understand, step-by-step examples, the authors help you streamline administration, optimize performance, control cost, and implement high-value solutions for collaboration, document management, and business intelligence. Michael Noel, MS-MVP, MCITP, is an internationally recognized technology expert, bestselling author, and well-known public speaker on a wide range of IT topics. He is the author of 17 books, including Exchange Server 2010 Unleashed , Windows Server 2008 R2 Unleashed , and Microsoft Forefront Unleashed . His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Colin Spence, MCP, MCTS SharePoint, has worked with SharePoint technologies for nearly a decade, helping hundreds of clients architect, implement, and manage customized SharePoint solutions. He speaks, publishes, and blogs regularly on SharePoint technologies. Noel and Spence are partners at Convergent Computing, a leading Microsoft partner in the San Francisco Bay area, and co-authors of SharePoint 2007 Unleashed . ON THE Download all examples and source code presented in this book from (http://informit.com/title/9780672333255) informit.com/title/9780672333255 Microsoft Office 2010 Microsoft SharePoint 2010 User IntermediateAdvanced

A thorough revision of the bestselling book on SharePoint, Microsoft's increasingly popular set of collaboration technologies

• SharePoint makes it easier for people to collaborate online, and is poised to explode in usage with the 2010 version
• Contains all the information an administrator needs to know to set up and manage SharePoint
• Fully updated for all the new features of SharePoint 2010, and tested against the final release code
• Previous editions have been bestsellers

Companies have been talking about knowledge management and leveraging their IT investments to enhance team collaboration for years, but have had difficulty implementing effective solutions that tie together the wide range of information employees need to access. SharePoint 2007 made great inroads into filling these needs, and was a billion dollar product for Microsoft. SharePoint 2010 will make even greater strides in enabling organizations to create a practical framework to bring together information from such diverse systems as Office, Visual Studio, SQL Server, Windows Server, and other Microsoft servers. Previous editions of this book have been bestsellers. This book will provide comprehensive, practical coverage for administrators, on topics including planning; implementation; migration; administration; working with tools for endusers, administrators, and managers; and extensions for workflows, business processes, and business intelligence. New features covered in this edition include: PowerShell; virtualization technologies; new security and authentication technologies; business intelligence tools; social networking tools and features; enhancements in the user experience, including the ribbon interface; new lists and libraries; and metadata enhancements.

Microsoft Expression Blend Unleashed is about learning a new tool for designers, but also learning a new mindset for developers. Expression Blend enables the delivery of rich interactive applications, for the web as well as the desktop, allowing you to take graphical assets and blend them with functional .NET code through the power of XAML and the WPF platform. Microsoft Expression Blend Unleashed also features a C# Primer, introducing designers to the .NET Framework. .NET allows the reader to extend the functionality of many of the WPF elements used in Expression Blend. The most important concept for the reader to grasp is that Blend and Visual Studio together are about facilitating the kind of user experience everyone wants from the applications they use. This book will give you the skill set whether you are a designer or developer; from there, you just need to use a little imagination.

Detailed information on how to…

• Design and develop WPF applications
• Use Blend’s animation workflows
• Design and implement WPF template types
• Create and manage Resource Dictionaries
• Master WPF Style templates
• Handle control events
• Understand advanced control properties in XAML/Blend/C#
• Create customized controls through inheritance
• Understand the fundamentals of XAML-based design and development
• Implement effective
• Extend XAML functionality with C# code
• Implement video and audio in your applications
• Use Blend as part of your designer/developer workflow

Microsoft Expression Blend Unleashed is about learning a new tool for designers, but also learning a new mindset for developers. Expression Blend enables the delivery of rich interactive applications, for the web as well as the desktop, allowing you to take graphical assets and blend them with functional.NET code through the power of XAML and the WPF platform. Microsoft Expression Blend Unleashed also features a C# Primer, introducing designers to the.NET Framework..NET allows the reader to extend the functionality of many of the WPF elements used in Expression Blend. The most important concept for the reader to grasp is that Blend and Visual Studio together are about facilitating the kind of user experience everyone wants from the applications they use. This book will give you the skill set whether you are a designer or developer; from there, you just need to use a little imagination. Detailed information on how to... Design and develop WPF applications Use Blend's animation workflows Design and implement WPF template types Create and manage Resource Dictionaries Master WPF Style templates Handle control events Understand advanced control properties in XAML/Blend/C# Create customized controls through inheritance Understand the fundamentals of XAML-based design and development Implement effective XML, CLR Data binding, and XAML template binding Extend XAML functionality with C# code Implement video and audio in your applications Use Blend as part of your designer/developer workflow