UI development for windows (desktop + web application) and windows CE

Question

I am working on a project where there is requirement of GUI to be created in Silverlight. Some key requirements are:

1. Extremely rich GUI
2. Real time visualization process graphics
3. Support multiple themes
4. Support different display size
5. Support charting / trending controls
6. Same functionality for Desktop / Web using same code base
7. Same functionality to be available on embedded controller (based on Windows CE)

I understand that using Silverlight we can have same codebase for desktop / web applications. However challenge is to have the Silverlight application (windows and/or web) for Windows CE. I would like to understand what is the best way to implement Silverlight application on Windows CE with as much code reuse as possible.

I would appreciate if you could provide some inputs on what should our architecture approach be for this application development. Also, please let me know if you need more inputs on the requirement side...

Answer 1

"Silverlight" for Windows Embedded (SWE) is a bad name. It's not really what most would call Silverlight. It's simply a XAML-based engine that you can use Blend to develop for. For Windows CE, you must use C++ to develop for SWE. You cannot reuse SWE assemblies in other Silverlight projects. You cannot use other Silverlight assemblies in an SWE project. Your XAML itself will probably have some reusability, but XAML sharing from a code perspective is a challenge in its own right.