Expression Blend 4: Improvements to Photoshop file import

In Expression Blend 4 some layer effects (Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, Color Overlay, Outer Glow, Inner Glow, Gradient Overlay, Bevel & Emboss, Satin) can now be merged with their layers.

If a layer effect has been applied to a layer, the Layer effect icon appears next to the layer in the Import Adobe Photoshop File dialog box. A layer effect can be imported either by selecting the Flattened bitmap import option or by merging the layer with other layers.

Adam Kinney wrote a great post about importing art from Photoshop and making into Silverlight controls. You should read it!

Expression Blend 4: Fluid UI - Enhanced FluidMoveBehavior & Layout States

In Blend 4, Fluid Layout has many new tricks. You can now define layout animations between a master list and a detail view and animate things that move between lists. You can also animate the process of items being added to and removed from a ListBox.

An exciting enhancement has been made to the FluidMoveBehavior.

FluidMoveBehaviorMasterDetail

By using FluidMoveBehavior together with FluidMoveSetTagBehavior, you can animate a transition from a specified starting point, even if that initial location is specified only by a reference to the data that is displayed in your application and may exist in a different scope. Data tagged by FluidMoveSetTagBehavior is available for use with FluidMoveBehavior by using a hidden data store.

FluidMoveBehavior is optimized for two main scenarios: animating from a master list to a detail view and animating list items from one list to another.

FluidMoveBehaviorListToList

In Silverlight 4, a special VisualStateGroup called LayoutStates has been added specifically for animating adding items to and removing items from a ListBox (or custom ItemsControl). You may have a look at my previous post (updated sample you can get from here).

If you also apply a FluidMoveBehavior behavior to the items panel of the ListBox, existing items will smoothly make room for entering new items.

Useful links

• MIX 10: Dynamic Layout and Transitions for Microsoft Silverlight 4 with Microsoft Expression Blend
• Silverlight TV 32: Creating Rich Interactions Using Blend 4: Transition Effects, Fluid Layout, and Layout States
• .toolbox: Introduction to Fluid UI
• Dynamic Layout and Transitions in Expression Blend 4