Vector Architect was not a general-purpose vector graphics editor, but was specifically designed to create and edit XAML vector graphics for WPF and Silverlight applications. Vector Architect itself was based upon the WPF framework, using.NET Framework 3.5 to provide both its WYSIWYGfront-end, and underlying editing engine. In many ways, Vector Architect was similar to Microsoft Expression Design, offering manipulation of native WPF objects, as opposed to performing conversion to XAML. Editing native objects is often necessary as XAML does not have exactly the same feature set as other popular vector image formats such as SVG and SWF, making the conversion process lossy in many cases. Although primarily focused on XAML, Vector Architect also supported the generation of PNG images with alpha channels, as well as the creation of icons containing alpha-blended images at multiple resolutions.
Existing uses
Vector Architect has gained a user base as an alternative to the first-party XAML tools provided by Microsoft. Although pre-release licensing prevents widespread use, some Silverlight projects that make use of Vector Architect have been released.
Availability
Vector Architect no longer appears available for purchase, however for previous customers. The first version of Vector Architect was released on 27 September 2007 to coincide with the release of Silverlight 1.0 and Visual Studio 2008. Vector Architect has since been updated to version 1.5, adding a new user interface, several new tools, and a library of preset shapes. An upgrade from version 1.x to 1.5 was made available free of charge, and an upgrade package to version 2.0 was made available to purchasers of the initial version. Early versions of the application were released under the name "Vectropy". Vector Architect was originally available for WPF-capable platforms, such as Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008.
Licensing
Vector Architect is licensed on a per-user, perpetual license basis. The EULA also states that all included preset shapes are licensed to the purchaser for any purpose except isolated redistribution or resale.
