The problem with the XNA Vector2 struct is that there is no TypeConverter for it at the moment. This means that there is no support in the designer.

I initially solved this problem by assigning a type converter to the public property on my class that used the Vector2. (see below)

public class A
{
 &nbsp private Vector2 v;
  [TypeConverter(typeof(Vector2Converter))]
  public Vector2 Vec
  {
   get{ return v; }
   set{ v= value}
  }
}

However, VS2005, when serializing out to code from the designer, it will not obey the TypeConverter on the property, but will try to use the Type’s Conveter eventhough the designer will use the TypeConverter on your class to edit the control… clear as mud?

This leads to ugly code in the InitializeCode method that tries to look in the resource file to get the object out. I didn’t like this solution because it looks ugly and is hard to maintain.

I solved this problem by forcing the TypeConverter on to the Vector2. In my classes constructor I called the following code I have created.

public static void Register<T, TC>() where TC: TypeConverter
{
   Attribute[] attr = new Attribute[1];
  TypeConverterAttribute vConv = new TypeConverterAttribute(typeof(TC));
      attr[0] = vConv;
  TypeDescriptor.AddAttributes(typeof(T), attr);
}

The above code adds the TypeConverter (TC) to the Type (T) so that the designer can serialize to code correctly using my own TypeConverter. The main thing it is doing is calling: TypeDescriptor.AddAttributes

The solution then allows the Designer to serialize to code and it gets rid of having to serialize the object to a resource file. The solution would look like the code below.

public class A {
   private Vector2 v;
    //Enables Designer support, so it can be edited
    [TypeConverter(typeof(Vector2Converter))]
    public Vector2 Vec {
      get{ return v; }
      set{ v= value}
    }
    public A() {
      //Enables designer serialization to code
      ConverterRegistration.Register();
    }
}

Tags: c#, .net, TypeConverter, XNA, Vector2

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Paul Kinlan is the author of the popular C#, .Net Framework blog. Paul is an Analyst Developer working in Southport, England. Paul has several years experience developing and designing massively scalable enterprise systems on UNIX and Windows based architectures.

Microsoft gave out a lot of copies of the XNA Build DVD to GDC 2006 attendees. Then they did something that makes the typical geek wonder why no one else does this either: they made the DVD available online for developers to access and install the XNA Build.

They also included source code for MechCommander 2 for review. For developers, working with XNA will mean working with C#, aka “C Sharp,” Microsoft’s C variant and answer to Java.

The XNA Framework closely resembles the .Net Framework, but with game development-related libraries. Scott Henson, Director of Microsoft’s Advanced Technology Group, described in a Team Xbox interview what this means for those programmers who develop games for the Xbox 360.

He walked through the process of taking a Windows CE game, Pocket Mahjong, and bringing on a programmer to port the game to other platforms:

Casual games, of course, can be developed and ported in shorter time frames than more involved titles. But it appears that XNA offers a way to make those games available as ports in a narrower time window as well, according to Henson’s account of the development of Culture, a 3D version of the venerable 2D Life game:

Ideally a platform that enables speedier creation of games should lead to the development of more games for a console’s library, in this case the library for the new Xbox 360. That should lead to greater desirability for the console from new users, and then more substantial efforts by big game studios to reach that expanded userbase.

In turn, that should lead to greater demand for C# programmers willing to do game development with the XNA framework. And maybe even a bit of Sony’s share of the game console market too.

—

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David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business.