Blend workspace (Windows Store apps)
The default workspace in Blend for Visual Studio 2012 consists of all the visual interface elements: the artboard, panels, workspace configurations, authoring views, and menus.
The Blend workspace is customizable and uniquely scalable. You can change panel orientation, dock or float panels, resize the panels by dragging the edges, zoom the artboard, and switch the snapping of objects on the artboard.
Blend for Visual Studio workspace
.png "Blend workspace diagram")
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Menus Create new projects and manage settings. |
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Tools panel Create and modify objects in your application. |
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Assets panel Displays all of the elements and media resources that are available to the project. |
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Artboard The artboard is where you will perform most of the visual layout tasks. Notice that the application area is framed by a virtual tablet device that accurately represents the display of the device parameters that you specify in the Platform panel. |
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Additional panels The specific panels that are available change depending on the type of project you are working on. |
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Project-specific workspaces
Although the general layout of the workspace looks the same regardless of what kind of project you are working on, the specific panels and tools that are available will change slightly depending on the type of project that you choose.
For more information about designing Windows Store apps built using HTML, see Designing apps in Blend (HTML).
For more information about designing Windows Store apps built using XAML, see Designing apps in Blend (XAML).
Workspace options
In addition, there are options you can set to customize the workspace to more comfortably fit your workstyle. For example, you can change the workspace color scheme by using the Theme property in the Options dialog box (available on the Tools menu).
For more information on workspace options, see the following topics: