New Horizons Computer Learning Center
410-597-9722

Complete Visual Basic.NET 2005

Course Length: 5 Days

Overview:
The .NET platform brings a streamlined elegance to Windows and Web development, and VB 2005 is a brand new language in the BASIC family specifically used for .NET development. This 5 day instructor led course provides in-depth coverage of both the language (VB 2005) and the platform (.NET 2.0). The class begins with an overview of the core atoms of the .NET universe; CLR, CTS, CLS, CIL and the assembly / namespace / type distinction. You will then learn the details of the VB 2005 language including several new features such as partial classes, operator overloading, XML code comments and generics. The focus of the class then shifts to various technologies provided by the .NET 2.0 platform, including file I/O and object serialization, reflection services, Windows Forms 2.0, ADO.NET 2.0 and an introduction to ASP.NET 2.0 Web applications and XML Web services. Throughout the week, attendees will also be exposed to numerous aspects of the Visual Studio 2005 IDE and make use of various integrated development tools (code snippets, visual type designers, etc). The class materials also include numerous appendixes which will be covered if time permits (or per client request). Throughout the course you will complete several practical hands-on exercises that demonstrate how to apply .NET technologies in the real world.

Course Content

Lesson 1: The Philosophy of .NET

• Remembering the World of COM
• COM Problems and .NET Solutions
• The .NET Universe
• The .NET Universe: The Common Type System
• The .NET Universe: The Common Language Specification
• The .NET Universe: The Common Language Runtime
• The .NET Universe: Namespaces
• The .NET Universe: Common Intermediate Language
• The .NET Universe: Assemblies and Manifests
• Paths to Managed Code: A Survey of .NET Languages
• The CLI: The Basis of .NET's Platform Independence
• Building VB 2005 Applications Using vbc.exe

Lesson 2: Introducing Visual Basic 2005

• Introducing Visual Basic 2005
• Problem: Subs Vs. Functions
• Problem: Evil Type Coercion
• Problem: Parameters Default to Pass by Reference (ByRef)
• Problem: Initializing Variables
• Problem: No Method Overloading
• Problem: No Constructors
• Problem: Default Properties
• Problem: No Implementation Inheritance
• Problem: Limited Threading Support
• Problem: Limited Collection Types
• Problem: Limited Error Handling Capabilities
• Understanding Structured Exception Handling
• Building Custom Exceptions

Lesson 3: Object Oriented Programming in VB 2005

• Object Oriented Development in VB 2005
• The 3 Pillars of Object Oriented Programming
• Encapsulation and Class Development
• Constructors and Finalizers
• Field Initialization
• Implementing Class Properties
• Defining Shared Class Members
• Defining Shared Constructors
• Defining Shared Methods and Properties
• Constant and ReadOnly Fields
• Using the Me Keyword for Self-Reference
• Implementation Inheritance
• Implementation Inheritance: A Complete Example
• Implementing the Employee Base Class
• Implementing the WageEmployee Class
• Implementing the SalesEmployee Class
• Implementing the Manager Class
• Abstract Base Classes
• Interfaces and Polymorphism
• Type Casting
• Inheritance and Composition

Lesson 4: Common Language Runtime Fundamentals

• Program Entry Points
• Value Types and Reference Types
• Investigating System.Object
• Overriding Select System.Object Members
• System Data Types
• .NET String Formatting (with or without the Console)
• Boxing and Unboxing
• Array Manipulation
• String Manipulation
• Defining Enumerations
• Namespaces
• Understanding Delegates
• Using Events

Lesson 5: An Overview of Visual Basic 2005 Language Enhancements

• The IsNot Operator
• Partial Class Definitions
• Refined Property Declaration Syntax
• Understanding the My Namespace
• Visual Basic 2005 XML Code Comments
• Overloading Operators
• Understanding Custom Events

Lesson 6: Understanding Generics

• Understanding the Role of Generics
• Issues with Boxing and Unboxing
• Issues with Custom Collections
• Building Custom Collection Classes
• Consuming Generic Types
• Creating Custom Generic Methods
• Building Custom Generic Types
• Constraining Generic Type Parameters

Lesson 7: Understanding .NET Assemblies

• An Overview of .NET Assemblies
• Building a Single File Test Assembly
• Building a VB 2005 Client
• Cross Language Inheritance
• Exploring the Manifest
• Understanding Private Assemblies
• Authoring Application Configuration Files
• Understanding Shared Assemblies
• Creating a Strong Name (and installing into the GAC)
• Versioning Policies and Strong-Named Assemblies
• Redirecting Assembly Requests
• Understanding Publisher Policy
• The Machine.Config File
• Using the Element
• Assembly Binding Summary

Lesson 8: Programming with Windows Forms

• An Overview of the System.Windows.Forms.dll Assembly
• Building a Main Window by Hand
• The Application Class
• The Form Hierarchy
• Adding Controls to a Form By Hand
• The Control.ControlCollection Type
• Handling Mouse Events
• Handling Keyboard Events
• Handling Paint Messages
• Visual Studio Windows Application Project Workspaces
• Working with the New Windows Forms Designer
• Working with Additional Designer Tools
• Handling Events with the VS 2005 IDE
• Working with the New 'Strip' Controls
• Working with the MaskedTextBox
• Working with the WebBrowser Widget
• Creating Modal Dialog Boxes
• Windows Form Inheritance

Lesson 9: Using Reflection and Attributes

• Understanding Reflection
• Investigating System.Type
• Fun with System.Type
• Examining the System.Reflection Namespace
• Dynamically Loading an Assembly
• Reflecting on Members
• Late Binding
• Attribute Based Programming
• Assembly Level Attributes
• Building Custom Attributes
• Attribute Reflection

Lesson 10: Input, Output and Object Serialization

• The System.IO Namespace
• The Abstract FileSystemInfo Type
• The DirectoryInfo Type
• The DriveInfo Type
• Understanding the Stream Concept
• Working with StreamReaders and StreamWriters
• Working with BinaryReader and BinaryWriter
• Reading and Writing Binary Data
• Object Serialization
• Understanding Object Graphs
• Configuring Objects For Serialization
• Serializing an Object Graph to File
• Serializing an Object Graph to a SOAP Message
• Customizing the Object Serialization Process

Lesson 11: An Introduction to ADO.NET

• Another Data Access API? Why?
• The System.Data.dll Assembly
• The Role of ADO.NET Data Providers
• The DataReader
• Inserting New Data Using Command Objects
• Deleting Data Using Command Objects
• Updating Data Using Command Objects
• Working with Individual Parameter Objects
• Calling Stored Procedures
• ADO .NET: The Disconnected Layer
• DataSets, DataTables, DataRows and DataColumns
• Understanding the DataAdapter
• Modifying Data in a DataSet
• Adding Table Relationships
• Consuming Table Relationships
• Filtering the DataSet

Lesson 12: New Features in ADO.NET 2.0

• Understanding ADO.NET Data Provider Factories
• A Complete Data Provider Factory Example
• Working with the Connection String Builder
• Working with the Element
• DataTables as Data Readers

Lesson 13: An Introduction to ASP.NET

• Problems with Classic ASP
• Benefits of ASP.NET
• The ASP.NET Namespaces
• Options for Hosting ASP.NET 2.0 Web Applications
• The Role of WebDev.WebServer.exe
• Upgrading an ASP.NET 1.x Project to Visual Studio 2005
• Building a Simple ASP.NET Web Page with Visual Studio 2005
• The New Code Behind Page Development Model
• Understanding Web Form Controls
• Working with Web Form Controls
• The Derivation of a Web Form Control
• Understand the Issue of State Management
• Working with Application and Session Data

Lesson 14: An Introduction to XML Web Services

• Introduction to Web Services
• The Web Services Architecture
• Creating Web Services
• Testing Web Services
• Viewing the WSDL Contract
• Building a Web Service Client
• Exposing Complex Types

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P: 410-597-9722
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