ATF Features & Benefits

Highlights of the many features and benefits of the Authoring Tools Framework are outlined below. See also the Technology and Samples Matrix that shows which samples illustrate various technologies and ATF features.

Feature	Benefit
Robust application infrastructure	The ATF infrastructure means less code to write to build an application, less maintenance, and less localization work. Application developers can spend less time creating and hooking up basic GUI elements and more time focusing on the features and behavior of their specific application.
High quality code	ATF is used by a variety of game teams for a variety of purposes, and is frequently improved based on ongoing feedback from developers. Feedback and improvements result in shared components that are better tested and more customer-focused.
Consistent GUI interface	All the tools developed with ATF have a consistent interface and behave in similar ways, enabling ATF tool users and designers to quickly come up to speed in their use. This can save time in coding as well as in end-user documentation, training, and support.
Component architecture	ATF is designed as a collection of loosely coupled Managed Extensibility Framework (MEF) components, which can be dynamically loaded as needed. You can mix and match components, from grid property editors to components that provide standard sets of commands. Use only components your application needs, and easily add new editors and commands as components, either those included with ATF, or components you develop yourself. For more details, see MEF with ATF.
Data-driven, XML-based data storage layer	The ATF Document Object Model (DOM) is a powerful, flexible, extensible framework for describing and managing game or application data. The DOM separates data from application code and provides mechanisms for storing, validating, and watching for changes to that data. You can support any kind of application data store, including managed data stores. DOM object interfaces that you create enable you to define a flexible, C#-based, type-safe API layer for accessing data in the DOM from the higher-level parts of your application, such as editors and components. Annotations in the DOM's data schema enable application behavior to be driven dynamically from the data. For more information, see DOM in a Nutshell.
MVC tree, list, and grid controls	Data-based controls such as tree and list views and data grids are implemented using an MVC (Model-View-Controller) pattern, separating the control and its interface from the underlying data model. This model enables you to create multiple views on the same data, to filter the data for a view, and for changes in the underlying data to be reflected in the control (or vice versa). For more information on controls, see Controls in ATF.
Sophisticated custom controls	ATF includes a set of custom controls you can add to your own applications. Basic controls include the MVC tree and list views, as well as property editors. More complex controls include circuit, timeline, and statechart controls. Each of these controls can use the underlying DOM framework and can be customized not only by modifying the code, but also dynamically through DOM annotations or by setting properties on the control. You can also use WPF and its controls in an ATF application.
Flexible and diverse environment	You can develop many kinds of applications with the rich set of components, controls, and tools provided by ATF. Among others, ATF has been used to create sound modeling and audio bank tools, level editors, character animation blending tools, scripting language debuggers, and timeline/sequence tools. For examples, see ATF Gallery and ATF Adoption.
Many rich sample applications	ATF includes many sample applications available in source code form, including a complex, fully-featured circuit editor. These samples show ATF elements of particular interest to game tool developers. Complete, running sample applications enable you to modify an existing application and its data schema for your own uses rather than starting entirely from scratch. Samples can (and have) served as starting points for full featured tools. For a list of samples, see ATF Code Samples and ATF Technology and Sample App Matrix.