Techno Babble

Overview

The Microsoft® Windows® Software Development Kit (SDK) provides the documentation, samples, header files, libraries, and tools you need to develop applications that run on Windows.

The Windows SDK includes content for application development with the APIs in Windows Vista, including the .NET Framework 3.0 technologies: .NET Framework 2.0, Windows® Presentation Foundation, Windows® Communication Foundation, Windows® Workflow Foundation, and Windows CardSpace™.

This SDK is designed for use with Windows Vista (which includes Framework 3.0). The Windows SDK for Vista also supports creating applications for Windows XP, Windows Server® 2003 SP1, and Windows Server 2003 R2.

This download contains the SDK only. To build .NET Framework 3.0 applications for Windows XP or Windows Server, the .NET Framework 3.0 Runtime Components must be downloaded separately.

This release of the Windows SDK is compatible with Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2005 and the Visual Studio 2005 extensions for .NET Framework 3.0 (WCF & WPF), November 2006 CTP.

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NOTE: A number of known issues exist with this release. Please see the Release Notes with this download for more information.

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Documentation

The Windows SDK documentation contains task-based how-to documentation, API reference topics, and feature overviews to help you develop applications using Win32 and .NET Framework 3.0 APIs. Specific features such as Search, Index, Table of Contents, and navigational topics in the documentation viewer are all available to help users locate necessary topics.

Samples

Two sets of samples are included by default.

• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 samples:The .Net Framework 3.0 samples are included in the documentation. If you want to install samples separately, you can find them in these .zip files: WCFSamples.zip, CrossTechnologySamples.zip, FrameworkSamples.zip, WFSamples.zip, and WPFSamples.zip. They install to \Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.0\samples. These zip files contain all the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 samples.
• Win32 samples:These Win32 samples are not included in the documentation. If you choose to install them, they are installed as subdirectories of \Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.0\samples — they are not in a .zip file.

Tools and Build Environments

In addition to the headers and libraries used to build Windows applications, the Windows SDK includes more than 100 GUI and command-line tools to aid in the development of native (Win32) and managed (.NET) systems for the Windows platform. The tools include command-line compilers (both x86 and x64), debuggers, performance monitoring applications, security management utilities, and more.

System Requirements

• Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003; Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition (32-bit x86); Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 editions; Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1; Windows Server 2003 x64 editions; Windows Vista; Windows XP Service Pack 2
• The .NET Framework 3.0 tools and samples contained in this SDK are designed to work on Windows Vista or on Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003 SP1 with the .NET Framework 3.0 Runtime Components installed. If you do not have the .NET Framework 3.0 components installed, some samples, tools, and other SDK functionality will not work properly on the down-level operating systems.
• Hard disk space. Choose a disk drive with a minimum of 2.0 GB of free space.
• We highly recommend you have your machine fully patched through Microsoft Update before beginning Setup.

What is WPF

WPF or the Windows Presentation Foundation is intended to be the next-generation graphics API for Windows desktop applications.

It provides developers with a consistent programming model for building rich Windows “user experiences” that can be deployed on the desktop or hosted in a web browser.

It comes ready installed on Windows Vista and is also available for Windows XP sp2.

WPF/E, Windows Presentation Foundation Everywhere is a sub-set of WPF. A mobile version of WPF based on XAML and Javascript which does NOT include 3D features but does contain vector based drawing and hardware acceleration features.

What do you need to install (for developing applications)?

I’m running Windows XP Professional x64 Edition sp2.

First things first, give a quick run past Windows Update to ensure everything is as up to date as necessary – discovered that the system required about 0.5Gb downloads to bring it to the latest and greatest (bug fixes etc and sp2 for x64!!)

I found it quite difficult to determine what I actually needed to install for developing WPF applications – but here’s what I eventually found ….

I’d heard that the current version of WPF requires the Net Framework 3.0 so downloaded and installed the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 Redistributable Package from the Microsoft Download Center http://www.microsoft.com/downloads .

(The following link was valid on 20 March 2007)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=10CC340B-F857-4A14-83F5-25634C3BF043&displaylang=en

While at the download center, did a search for WPF SDK, which took me to the Microsoft® Windows® Software Development Kit for Windows Vista™ and .NET Framework 3.0 Runtime Components (also known as Orcas_March07CTP, published 11/7/2006 )

(The following link was valid on 20 March 2007)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c2b1e300-f358-4523-b479-f53d234cdccf&DisplayLang=en

(WARNING – This download can be up to 1185 Mb)

Kicked this off as an overnight job, but in fact, the installation of the Windows SDK took 45 minutes to download and install completely.

Finally, added the VS 2005 extensions for .Net Framework 3.0

(The following link was valid on 20 March 2007)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=f54f5537-cc86-4bf5-ae44-f5a1e805680d&DisplayLang=en

In summary

Install the following items

• .NET Framework 3.0 redistributable
• Windows SDK for Vista
• VS 2005 extensions for .NET Framework 3.0

Is it possible to use Macromedia’s Flash to provide 3D on the Web?

One possibility is to use Flash to provide the necessary infrastructure for a 3D system. Details of Flash can be found at the Adobe web-site (www.adobe.com)

But, doesn’t Flash require you to install a Flash player?

The answer is, of course, Yes but this may not necessarily be a limiting factor as Flash is already installed/enabled in the majority of browsers that are used.

So tell me more

Flash is very successful at providing, well, Flash graphics and is primarily, used for presenting and interacting with 2D graphics.

Here’s an example, which is well worth a look, using Flash as an on-line technology demonstrator of the LGS 2D computational engine for parametric design systems.

Details of LGS 2D are available at http://ledas.com/products/lgs2d/ and the company at http://ledas.com/

Ok, it looks good for 2D but how about 3D?

Flash was designed primarily as a utility to help with 2D graphics. It may be possible to design a 3D application and some do exist although mainly with simple “box” type models used for product presentations.

 

What are the fundamental requirements?

I see at least 2 of the fundamental requirements being:

• 3D Model display
• Face/model picking

3D Model display – it is necessary to display the 3D model and the user must be able to interactively manipulate the view as required (in real time).

Face/model picking – as a minimum, in order to be able to do anything with the model, a user needs to be able to pick or select faces. In an assembly, a user may want to pick and drag the components.

3D on the web – in action

One of the first “zero client” applications which provides the ability to view a model and manipulate the view of that model has been demonstrated on the Autodesk “labs” web-site.

In this web-application, manipulation of the view of the 3D model is provided by interacting with a 2d image of the current view orientation. The model is held on the Autodesk server and the 2d view of the current orientation is generated and sent back to the users web-browser as necessary.

Updated Link (14/08/11) : http://labs.autodesk.com/technologies/freewheel/

 

SpaceClaim (www.spaceclaim.com) has finally announced a release date.

Availability
SpaceClaim Professional 2007 will be released on 30 March 2007 and will be available for license at a price of $125 per month, per user, based on a 3-year term. A 1-year term is also available, and both terms include full support and updates. The SpaceClaim product line includes: SpaceClaim Professional 2007 with complimentary Home Edition, and a free SpaceClaim Viewer. In addition, SpaceClaim offers a Data Exchange product for translators beyond the industry standards and a product that supports CATIA V5 data exchange. SpaceClaim also offers a library of standard parts. For more information regarding sales and support, please visit www.spaceclaim.com.

So what’s it all about ?

SpaceClaim “claims” to offer a history-free, parametric-free modeling environment. The company was formed in 2005 by a number of CAD industry veterans including Mike Payne.

“SpaceClaim Professional 2007 finally puts usable 3D at the fingertips of engineers. This allows them to easily contribute more complete and accurate input earlier in the product lifecycle, when it is most cost-effective,” said Mike Payne, SpaceClaim CEO, and previously a co-founder of PTC® and SolidWorks®. “SpaceClaim Professional 2007 breaks new ground by providing a modern, user-focused 3D mechanical design experience for engineering professionals who work with the design team to bring higher quality products to market faster. Through a select number of intelligent tools, SpaceClaim frees users to focus on their design contributions rather than struggling with how to use 3D software.”

Yes, but what does it do ? Whats unique about it?

Ok so read a white paper 3D Rising, written by Chris Randles – consultant and former CEO of Mathsoft® – describes how manufacturers are extending the use of 3D design tools so that manufacturing, analysis, and quality engineering can share, use, and refine mechanical designs in digital format. Click Here

Product Highlights

1. Flexible modeling technology provides a highly-adaptive design environment that supports unanticipated and last-minute design changes.
2. Geometric Inferencing works unobtrusively and in real time to highlight design similarities, such as equal radius holes, during geometry creation and modification.
3. Open XML data format makes all design data accessible for product data and lifecycle management, ensuring long-term protection of customer data.
4. SmartTools™ speeds model creation and modification by enabling multiple operations with a single tool, minimizing clicks and design time.

Features

User Interface Advancements

• SmartTools™ understand the user’s modeling intent simply by recognizing what geometry is selected and in what context. By determining what operation to perform without excessive drop-down menus, dialogue boxes, and user clicks, SpaceClaim dramatically improves users’ productivity.
• Hints are a unique user interface advancement that automatically presents design considerations, such as maintaining same size holes or wall thickness, in the form of localized “snaps”. Hints eliminate the need for the user to enter specific dimensions or interrogate the model before changing or adding geometry.
• Power Select enables users to search the model for like geometry and to select as a group from the resulting list in order to modify, move, or delete all at once. Given the frequency with which users perform select operations, this streamlined selection process greatly improves personal productivity and overall design efficiency.
• Modern GUI based on the latest Microsoft® technology enables users to focus on working with the design, rather than on working with the software.

Main Tools

• Sketch environment lets users sketch to exact dimensions or create a rough layout for future modification. Sketching entities include lines, arcs, and splines. Sketching tools include trim, offset, and project to sketch. Sketches remain free of constraints, which makes the resulting 3D geometry completely flexible.
• Pull Tool creates and modifies geometry with a simple action. Users can pull a surface to create an extrusion, pocket, or hole. Users can also pull a surface to rotate it around an axis or to create a blend by pulling the surface through different sections. Pulling a profile along a path creates a sweep, and pulling an edge creates a round or chamfer.
• Move Tool speeds the process of moving or copying geometry in a design by providing a 3D handle to reference how geometry should be located along a specified direction or rotated about an anchor point. SpaceClaim also supports familiar Microsoft Cut and Paste commands to move and copy geometry.
• Section Tool provides a way to modify a 3D model by directly changing section geometry located anywhere within the design. This intuitive operation is familiar to those used to working in 2D.
• Associative Drawing environment enables design changes, as well as geometry creation and modification, from within drawing views. The drawing environment provides a familiar work space for those accustomed to working in 2D. Drawings support annotations, including geometric dimensioning and tolerances, to JIS, ISO, and ANSI® standards.

Mark-up and Data Exchange Capabilities

• 3D Mark-up documents design changes using mark-up dimensions that automatically indicate both previous and current dimensional values.
• Compare function overlays the original model on the changed model and automatically displays all differences in color-coded highlights.
• Industry Standard Output of 3D mark-ups is available in MS PowerPoint® and XPS™.
  Data Import: CATIA® V5 and V4, NX®, Pro/ENGINEER®, SolidWorks®, Inventor®, ACIS®, Parasolid®, IGES, STEP, DWG, DXF™, and VDA.
  Data Export: CATIA V5 and V4, ACIS, Parasolid, IGES, STEP, DWG, DWG, DXF, and VDA.

Alright, I need to see it in action to understand it better.

But does any computer these days not have some form of photo-editing software ?

Perhaps these are more of a demonstration of what can be done rather than a threat to existing desktop based software.

Fauxto is a Flash-based Photoshop look-alike, an online layer-based photo-editing tool.

Others include

• Picnik – Flash based.
• Picture2Life – ajax based
• Preloadr – using flickr API
• PXN8 (Pixenate)
• Snipshot

Adobe has also announced an Ad funded on-line version of Photoshop that is due out in 6 months (written in flash).

LINKS

http://www.fauxto.com/

http://www.picnik.com/

http://www.picture2life.com/

http://www.preloadr.com/

http://pixenate.com/

http://snipshot.com/

Software as a Service is defined as software which is delivered over a network (including the internet). It is hosted software which users can access without having to deploy it onto their own hardware.

There is another mechanism being explored which has similar aims to saas – this being virtualisation.

The main reason for exploring these technologies is to allow users to access software in a more cost-effective way.

Items to consider when looking to change packaged software to saas

• change in the business model
• the hosting infrastructure
• impact on the application architecture

These are items which have to be put in place to offer the same functionality when the software is provided as a service rather than “on-premise” software.

Building a saas aplication on a Microsoft platform uses the 2 key software components:

• IIS
• SQL Server

Examples of saas in action include:

• Live Meeting http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/livemeeting/FX101729061033.aspx
  

  Live Meeting enables you to collaborate online with colleagues, customers, and partners in real time, between either individuals or large groups—with just a PC, and an Internet connection.

• eCollege http://www.ecollege.com on-line learning

I recently came across a short video (~15mins) http://msdn.microsoft.com/isv/saasandmicrosoftplatform.asx which succinctly describes the main features of saas and is worth a quick view.