Microsoft have updated the Windows Media Center SDK

Here are the changes according to the mediacentersandbox.com

MCML Preview Tool Automation Model
An improved automation model allows a tools developer to load an MCML file, refresh the current view, and close or get the position and size of the current instance. New command-line switches specify a folder to watch and automatically refresh when any resource in the folder changes.

Changes to the MCML Preview Tool Launcher
The improved MCML Preview Tool Launcher takes advantage of the new MCML Preview Tool automation model and command-line switches.

Additional Documentation on Animations in MCML

Check out the new or improved documentation on these topics:

  • Working with Animations in MCML
  • Using Keyframes in Animation
  • Applying Interpolations to Keyframes
  • Setting the Weight on Interpolations
  • Playing Different Types of Animations in Response to Events

MCML Animation Explorer
MCML Animation Explorer is a new tool that helps developers learn animation in MCML. Instead of writing XML you can work with a bunch of knobs and switches in a graphical user interface and see the resulting MCML as well as the visuals in the MCML Preview Tool.

New Visual Studio Templates
The following templates have been added for C#:

  • The Windows Media Center Application – Background template creates a project for a Windows Media Center background application.
  • The Windows Media Center Application – Fundamental template creates a project that provides a basic framework for creating a Windows Media Center application.

Visual Studio 2008 Support
The application templates now work with Visual Studio 2008.

Interesting to see that Hosting for XAML applications has been deprecated, does this mean that XBAP (XAML browser applications) have officially  failed

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