Workspace layout
The workspace in Microsoft Expression Blend 2 consists of all the visual interface elements. These include the artboard, panels, Toolbox, workspace configurations, authoring views, and menus.
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Document windows This area shows all the XAML documents that are currently open, including windows, pages, resource dictionaries, and user controls. |
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Views Expression Blend 2 has three real-time authoring environments: Design view, XAML view, and Split view. You can use the design view to author documents, so that you have a visual representation on the artboard, or you can use the markup view to author in the Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) itself. Split view displays both, and you can change the orientation of the windows using the Split View Orientation item on the View menu. |
The Expression Blend 2 workspace is customizable and uniquely scalable. You can change panel orientation, dock or float panels, resize the panels by dragging the edges, zoom the artboard, and toggle the snapping of objects on the artboard. Additionally, you can change the workspace color scheme by using the Theme property in the Options dialog box (available through the Tools menu).
Unique to Expression Blend is the ability to zoom in or out of the whole workspace. You can scale the workspace to a desired size without losing any quality in the visual interface. For example, you can zoom out to fit more information on your screen, or zoom in for better readability. Use the Workspace zoom option in the Options dialog box (available through the Tools menu) to adjust your workspace from 50 percent to 150 percent.
Workspaces
Expression Blend has two workspaces: the Design workspace and the Animation workspace. You can switch between them by pressing F6. The design workspace lets you focus on general authoring. The Animation workspace moves the Interaction panel under the artboard so that the timeline has more room to be displayed.
Note
The workspace looks slightly different depending on whether you are working on a Windows Presentation Foundation project or a Microsoft Silverlight 1.0 project.
The Design workspace (left) and the Animation workspace (right)
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Menus |
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Artboard |
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.gif "Note") Note:
Some tools are not available when you work on a Silverlight 1.0 project.
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Project panel, Properties panel, and Resources panel Note:
The Resources panel is not available when you work on a Silverlight 1.0 project.
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Results panel (layered under the Interaction panel when in the Animation workspace) |