Chapter 10. Text fundamentals
This chapter covers
- Exploring the text system
- Displaying text and working with fonts
- Controlling text rendering with Text Options
- Using advanced OpenType features
Most applications you write will display or manipulate text at some point. Even many games have text input requirements for signing up, registering, or logging a high score. Media players often have rolling commentary by other viewers and the ability to add to the social aspects of what you’re watching. In short, working with text is important. Text is so important that Silverlight dedicated a team to the text system.
For as long as computers have been around and attached to video displays or teletypes, the display of text has been an important aspect of user interaction. Silverlight includes great support for displaying text, with a number of options that control formatting and other aspects of the display.
Many designers (and developers with an eye for design) want fine control over the rendering and display of the fonts onscreen. Silverlight includes the TextOptions class with its attached properties, which may be used to change text hinting, formatting, and rendering.