Can Azure run WPF?

Question

I'd like to write an ASP.Net MVC app running on Windows Azure that will create images using WPF.

Before I start writing it, will that work?
Does Azure have the necessary DLLs (including DirectX) and graphics power to render WPF?

(I don't have an Azure account yet, so I can't just try it)

Answer 1

Absolutely. In particular, Azure Websites (which probably weren't around at the time the other two answers were posted) can also use WPF and I use it in my applications for

1. image processing,
2. operations on spline paths (Geometry-related stuff in WPF) and
3. pdf creation (via WPF xps creation from visual trees and subsequent conversion to a scalable pdf with pdfsharp).

It's stuff like that which makes ASP.NET such a cool platform.

The talk about GPU considerations that was raised by some people on this question is pretty irrelevant for simple image processing. I seriously doubt a GPU is even used for that when present.

Answer 2

The performance in the cloud is solely dictated by how much computing power you require. Can the cloud (Azure) scale? Absolutely.

You could use an ASP.NET MVC role coupled with a Worker role which would take care of your image creation. The option also exists to host a XBAP; however there are caveats with that approach but it can be done.