Author: Matthew A. Stoecker
Pages: 524
ISBN10: 0735625662
ISBN13: 978-0735625662
URL: http://www.microsoft...ooks/12485.aspx

[img]http://andreacol.net/files/media/image/WindowsLiveWriter/BookreviewWPFTrainingKitbyMSPress_EE9D/70-502TrainingKit_thumb.jpg[/img]

VOTE: 4/5

This book is designed for developers who plan to get the MCTS certification on WPF. It covers all foundamentals needed to build client applications with WPF.
WPF changes the way of designing the user interface while offering a wide range of new functionalities and powerful features, but also require to learn many new "rules" and declarative programming with Xaml, that might initially discourage a WinForm developer. Once learned all Xaml's basics, that might be more easily for an ASP.net developer who is accustomed to write markup code, the effort will be rewarded for sure.
The book is organized in 10 chapters: Chapter 1 introduces the different kinds of applications that can be built with WPF: Windows Applications, Navigation Applications and XBAPs, explaining the pro an the cons of each one. Chapter 2 is one of most interesting because it introduces real new concepts like event routing and commands that could simplify the design of complex interfaces. Chapter 3 is an overview of WPF controls with the introduction of a new templating and layout management features. Chapter 4 is about graphics and multimedia content, also discovering how to manage binary resources and images. Chapter 5 is also another must read chapter, it's all about new databinding mechanism in WPF and explain how to bind to different sources like ADO.net objects, custom objects and xml. This chapter describes also the new Data Templates feature. Chapter 6 introduces data conversion and validation. Chapter 7 is an how-to modify controls appearance with styles and enhance the interface with animations. Chapter 8 describes how to reuse Windows forms controls in WPF applications and how to create custom templates, WPF user controls and custom controls. Chapter 9 is very interesting because explains how to manage resources, how to create and manage XPS Documents, describes the new enhanced printing feature and finally how to deal with localization, suggesting best practice to localize WPF applications. Chapter 10 is about deployment, it explains the different options available to bring WPF applications on the user's PC, but focusing more on ClickOnce because is the preferred technology for WPF deployment.

Conclusions
I strongly recommend this book, it's content is easily readable and flowing. Tips are added in each lesson, pointing which are the concepts that will most likely to be asked during the exam. Each fundamental topic and new features introduced with WPF are clearly explained, but also a working experience in Windows application development with c# or vb.net is needed. Companion CD includes code samples, question review for each chapter and also a practice test that simulates the exam.