Microsoft showcases workflow, Office 12, design tools

LOS ANGELES – Microsoft Wednesday unveiled a workflow technology and a set of tools for designing graphics and user interfaces for both Web-based applications and the forthcoming Windows Vista client operating system.

In addition, the company demonstrated how it plans to integrate its enterprise content management (ECM) technology into Office 12 on the back of its SharePoint technology. Microsoft plans to discontinue its current Content Management Server 2002.

Windows Workflow Foundation is a workflow engine, a WinFX programming model and a set of tools for developers to build workflow-enabled applications.

Microsoft said the workflow technology could be used to support user-interface page flows, document-centric and human workflow, service-oriented applications, business process automation and workflow for systems management.

“We will be adding Windows Workflow Foundation in Office 12, BizTalk and Microsoft Dynamics,” said Eric Rudder, senior vice president of server and tools for Microsoft, in his opening keynote presentation on Day 2 of Microsoft’s Professional Developers Conference. “We find workflow very compelling.”

Rudder said the Beta 1 code of WWF is available today and that tight integration with Visual Studio would allow developers to build workflow-enabled applications.

Rudder also introduced a suite of design tools called Expression. These include a painting, illustration and effects tool code-named Acrylic Graphic Designer; a user-interface design tool code-named Sparkle Interactive Designer; and a layout and design tool for creating Web sites code-named Quartz Web Designer. The tools are designed to bring together application developers and designers.

Microsoft is using common file types and languages such as the Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML), HTML and ASP.Net to help designers create such design elements as 3-D content, rich text and animation and integrate those into application development work in Visual Studio 2005.

The tools are being paired with the Windows Presentation Foundation (formerly Avalon) in Windows Vista.