3D isn’t for the chosen few anymore!

One of the great new features of the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) is the ability for mere mortals like myself to introduce 3D into a windows application. I have ZERO 3D programming background. However, I was able to get comfortable quickly after a quick read of the 3-D Graphics Overview in the WPF section of the Windows SDK. The Creating Rich 2D and 3D Content in WPF hands on lab also helped with a little practical application.

You will surely want to start doing something more advanced once you get comfortable with 3D in WPF. You will need a tool to create those advanced 3D elements to use in your WPF application. Electric Rain has such a tool called ZAM 3D. Once you’ve created your 3D models in ZAM 3D you simply export them to XAML and use them in Expression Interactive Designer or Visual Studio.

The folks at Electric Rain did a few Channel 9 screencasts introducing you to their tool and how to incorporate the 3D elements produced from ZAM3D into your WPF applications. There are 4 videos: 

1 - Introduction and Basic Object Creation https://channel9.msdn.com/Showpost.aspx?postid=204411

2 - Basic Extrusion, Lathe, Textures, Animation https://channel9.msdn.com/Showpost.aspx?postid=209379

3 - Advanced Modeling, Incorporating 3D into Expression https://channel9.msdn.com/Showpost.aspx?postid=209756

4 - Where is ZAM3D heading to? Electric Rain 3D demos https://channel9.msdn.com/Showpost.aspx?postid=209759

You can download the ZAM 3D Community Technology Preview from their website. Even though the CTP is from May, the XAML output should be compatible with the current June CTP. Have fun with some WPF 3D! If you are a 3D mere mortal like me, then you will be amazed at what you can do.

-Marc

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