What's New in .NET 3.5 SP1 for Windows Client Development?
The .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 Beta delivers more controls, a streamlined setup, improved start-up performance, and powerful new graphics features for WPF development. This release includes numerous bug fixes and the following feature areas:
- New and improved graphics capabilities for both 2D and 3D
- New controls and extensibility
- Performance improvements for startup and runtime, as well as streamlined setup
- Interop with HTML (DOM) as well as DirectX
SP1 also delivers significant fixes to Windows Forms based on customer feedback and
improvements such as IME support for the WPF Interoperability controls. Many Windows
Forms applications will also see performance gains.
The beta is intended as a mechanism to allow early testing and feedback. As a beta
release, it is recommended that you only install the service pack on test machines.
Note that there are a few known incompatibilities with this service pack including:
Expression Blend, the Silverlight 2 Beta 1 SDK, and the Microsoft Silverlight Tools
Beta 1 for Visual Studio 2008. A new version of Expression Blend 2.5 March Preview
has been released here that is compatible with this service pack.
This document answers the following questions:
What are the new improvements?
Deployment and Performance
- Smaller, faster redistribution with a download of ~26 MB for client applications
- Faster application start time, up to 20-45% depending on the application *SP1 RTM
- Brandable deployment experience
- Setup is now faster with NGEN optimization while downloading
- New, smaller deployment and bootstrapper
User Experience
The complete application plus framework and other components can be packaged into a single, integrated installer for a streamlined install experience.
- Immediate Responsiveness: Bootstrapper is small (200K) to enable the fastest possible response. After the security prompts, the user immediately is presented with the EULA.
- 3 Clicks: One for the application, installing certificates, and the EULA. For ClickOnce, the user clicks accept on the EULA and the application automatically launches once setup is complete. *SP1 RTM
- Integrated, Custom/Branded UI encompassing the application, framework, and additional components for a seamless install experience.
- Size and Speed: With a typical broadband connection, setup will take approximately 6 minutes or less. *SP1 RTM
- Faster launch time: The user will experience faster start times depending on the application. *SP1 RTM
Graphics Enhancements
- Smoother animations (with Vista SP1)
- Improved performance of BitmapEffects (Blur, DropShadow) with hardware acceleration support
- New extensible Pixel Shader effects: Application authors can run their own custom pixel shaders on WPF content in real time with hardware acceleration
- Text Rendering speed improvements, especially for VisualBrush and 3D scenes
- Improved WriteableBitmap that enables real-time bitmap updates from a software surface
- Improved performance of Layered Windows (with Vista SP1)
- D3DImage: Direct 3D Interop (DirectX), including alpha blending support *SP1 RTM
- Improved "Nearest-Neighbor" image sampling
- Multiple 2d performance improvements. Specifically perf improvements to Z-index scenarios.
Controls
- Improved ListView and ListBox scroll performance (opt-in)
- Virtualized TreeView control – Allows TreeView to contain many elements without significant memory usage
Data Improvements
- Business object validation – leverages existing validation model
- .NET 3.0 (ASMX) and 3.5 (WCF) Web Service support in XBAPs
- ADO.NET Data Services Client library simplifies the process of querying, updating and interacting with online data through LINQ.
- System.Xml and LINQ to XML: Query over XML is simplified and becomes more approachable, providing developers with considerable productivity gains.
- DataSet and LINQ to DataSet: Query over the data stored in DataSets has been simplified providing developers with a significant increase in productivity
- Better fundamentals for DataGrid control. Specifically
- MultiSelector – to allow multi-selection and bulk selection
- IEditableCollectionView - to enable editing/adding/removing items in a transactional way
- StringFormat – provide shortcut to display data bound number as formatted text
- Alternating Rows- Enables setting alternating properties on rows of ItemsControl (Ex. Alternating blue and white rows in DataGrid)
- Conversions for Null Values – to enable app author to designate any value as equivalent to "null"
- Item-Level Validation – Enables validation rules to an entire item
Other
- Improved working set specifically during startup
- Improved NGEN & JIT throughput
- Support for Add-ins
- Visual Studio WPF Designer includes a new Event Tab in the Property Browser, Refactoring of XAML, debugging BAML runtime errors, and various bug fixes
- Firefox browser support for XBAPs *SP1 RTM
Where can I download .NET 3.5 SP1?
You can download the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 Beta here.
Where can I ask questions and discuss these features?
Use the following resources:
Where can I learn more?
Use the following resources:
- Scott Guthrie’s blog post covering the new changes in .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 Beta release.
- See Brad Abrams’ blog post on the Visual Studio 2008 SP1 Beta and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 Beta Web Development features.
- Visit the "Learn" center at WindowsClient.net for videos, Hands on Labs and more.
- Channel9 videos