Wednesday, October 24, 2007

XAML
(Extensible Application Markup Language; pronounced "zammel")


XAML is part of .Net Framework 3.0. XAML is declarative language like XML. It focuses on defining UI Element for Window Presentation Framework (WPF). Therefore it separates UI from code behind. It is currently available for Windows platform and will eventually be available for other platform also.


XAML syntax describes objects , properties and relationship between them.


Things To Know About XAML

  • XAML and WPF are not same. XAML is type of XML-based markup while WPF is a graphics API.
  • XAML is different from SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics). According to the W3C’s definition of SVG, it is "a platform for two-dimensional graphics ... (with) two parts: an XML-based file format and a programming API for graphical applications." While XAML is an XML-based file format, it is not an API. XAML also supports things like 3D and controls, which SVG does not.
  • Great benefit of XAML : It helps to separate design and development, which actually helps to improve collaboration and efficiency between designers and developers.
  • Application’s UI elements remain separate from logic.
  • XAML documents are saved as .xaml files.


What is a XBAP?
(XAML Browser Application; formerly WBA or Web Browser Application)


A XBAP or XAML Browser Application allows a WPF/XAML-based application to run in an Internet browser without installing on the user's computer. Microsoft states:


“Applications can be deployed from a server to a system with a single click. The application then runs in the browser without any interruptions beyond the time needed to download the application. However, unlike ... HTML-based applications, XAML Browser Applications have access to the rich features of the Windows Presentation Foundation (formerly code-named "Avalon") runtime.”

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Web Analytics:
Web analytics is the study of the behavior of website visitors. From business point view this technique is used for determining which page or which portion of the site is attracting more and more people.

Data collected from this contains different type of report like visitors per day, New visitors, visitor is from which part (country, continent) of the world, Bounce rate etc. These reports are used for improving the site and hence marketing campaign.

Web analytics technologies
Mainly two techniques are used for collecting data.

1. Web server log file analysis
As web server records all their transaction in a log file. This log file can be analyzed and can provide data on various aspects of the site traffic. This was the point from where Web Log Analysis Software was developed. First commercial Log Analyzer was released in 1994.
Two units of measuring a site were discovered. These were Page views and Visits (Session). Page View was defined as a request made to the web server for a page. While visit was defined as sequence of requests from a uniquely identifies client.

2.Page tagging
Concerns about the accuracy of logfile while caching led to second method called Page Tagging or Web Bugs.
In the 1990s Website counters were common. It is simply an image showing the number of times the page/site had been requested. Subsequently trend started to have an invisible image instead of having a visible one. So this can send information to third party Web Analytics Company and statistics can be generated. Third party service also manages the process of assigning a cookie to user which can uniquely identify them during their visits.
With the popularity of Ajax based solutions, an alternative is came up. Which is to implement a call back to server from the rendered page. In this case when page is rendered by on the web server a piece of Ajax code would make a call back to server to pass information that can be then aggregated by a Web Analytics company.