Change artboard authoring views

In Microsoft Expression Blend 2, you can change the artboard to show the visual design of your document or the XAML markup that describes your visual design. Or you can display both.

The connection between Design view and XAML view

Note

Code-behind files are not viewed on the artboard. Code-behind files are written in a scripting language (Visual Basic .NET or C# in Windows Presentation Foundation projects, and JavaScript in Microsoft Silverlight 1.0 projects), and are viewed outside Expression Blend in a text editor, or in Microsoft Visual Studio 2008, if it is installed. For more information, see Code editing and Visual Studio 2008 interoperability and Edit a code-behind file.

To change authoring views

• Use one of the following methods:

  • Click one of the tabs on the top-right area of the artboard: Design, XAML, or Split.

  • On the View menu, click Active document view, and then select one of the views: Design view, XAML view, or Split view.

  • Press F11 to switch between all three views.

  The views are defined as follows:

  • Design view   Changes the artboard to the visual design view of your document. In this view, you can use the tools from the Toolbox to draw objects on the artboard or modify them, view objects and triggers in the Interaction panel, and view the Properties and Resources panels.

  • XAML view   Changes the artboard to the XAML view. In this view, you can edit XAML code manually. You can go to a specific line or search and replace text, just as you can in any text editor. However, in this view, you cannot use the tools in the Toolbox, view the objects and triggers in the Interaction panel, or view the Properties or Resources panels. Additionally, most menu items are disabled in this view.

  • Split view   Changes the artboard to a panel layout that shows both Design and XAML view. In this view, all the Expression Blend tools and features are available as if Design view were selected. You can further configure the panel layout in this view.

To change the Split view panel layout

1. Make sure Split view is selected.

2. On the View menu, click Split View Orientation, and then select one of the following options:

   • Arrange Panes Horizontally   Arranges the Design and XAML panes side by side.

   • Arrange Panes Vertically   Arranges the Design and XAML panes one on top of the other.

3. If you want to swap the panes, click Split View Orientation on the View menu again, and then click Swap Design and XAML Panes.

See also

Concepts

XAML editing