Framework for creating user interfaces containing interactive and dynamic 3-D objects

A method for handling input events in a UI that is arranged to expose visual objects, the UI defined by a markup and optional associated code-behind, the method comprising the steps of:

• creating a plurality of 3-D representations arranged in a 3-D visual tree, each 3-D representation being associated with respective 2-D visual objects through a class of attached properties;
• determining which 3-D representation has captured an input event;
• identifying a 2-D visual object associated with the 3-D representation that captured the input event is identified;
• and
• transferring the input event to the identified 2-D visual object.

A method for applying a 3-D transformation to an interactive 3-D visual object exposed by a UI, the method comprising the steps of:

• exposing a 3-D transformation stack to each of a plurality of 3-D facades, a 3-D facade being controllable through static attached dependency properties that are defined by a UI application on a source 2-D element in a class of visual objects;
• initializing the transformation stack properties to values specified by the application;
• and
• invoking methods provided by the 3-D transformation stack that are operable on the 3-D facade.