Build a Program Now! Microsoft® Visual C#® 2008: Get software, hands-on projects, and code samples! Express Edition

Build a Program Now! Microsoft® Visual C#® 2008: Get software, hands-on projects, and code samples! Express Edition

by Patrice Pelland
Released March 2008
Publisher(s): Microsoft Press
ISBN: 9780735625426

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Book description

In this lively, eye-opening, hands-on book, all you need is a computer and the desire to learn how to program with Microsoft Visual C# 2008 Express Edition. Featuring a full edition of the software, this fun and highly visual guide walks you through a complete programming project–a desktop weather-reporting application–from start to finish. You’ll get an introduction to the Microsoft Visual Studio® development environment and learn how to put the lightweight, easy-to-use tools in Visual C# Express Edition to work right away–creating, compiling, testing, and delivering your first ready-to-use program. You’ll get expert tips, coaching, and visual examples at each step of the way, along with pointers to additional learning resources.

Table of contents

  1. Build a Program Now! Microsoft® Visual C#® 2008: Get software, hands-on projects, and code samples! Express Edition
  2. Introduction
    1. Who Is This Book For?
    2. How This Book Is Organized
    3. Conventions and Features in This Book
      1. System Requirements
    4. Code Samples
    5. Installing the Code Samples
    6. Using the Code Samples
      1. Uninstalling the Code Samples
    7. Prerelease Software
    8. Technology Updates
    9. Support for This Book
    10. Questions and Comments
    11. About the Author
    12. Dedication
    13. Thanks
  3. 1. Introducing Microsoft Visual C# 2008 Express Edition
    1. What Is .NET?
    2. What Is C#?
      1. Is C# an Object-Oriented Programming Language?
        1. Data
        2. Actions
    3. What Is Visual C# 2008 Express Edition?
      1. What Kinds of Applications Can You Build with Visual C# 2008 Express Edition?
      2. What Are the Key Features You Need to Know About?
    4. In Summary...
  4. 2. Installing Visual C# 2008 Express Edition
    1. Preparing to Install Visual C# 2008 Express Edition
      1. Side-by-Side Installation
      2. Prerelease Versions of Visual C# 2008 Express Edition
    2. Installing Visual C# 2008 Express Edition
    3. In Summary...
  5. 3. Creating Your First Applications
    1. Three Types of Applications: What’s the Difference?
    2. Getting Started with the IDE
    3. Building the Projects
      1. Building a Console Application
      2. Getting to Know Solution Explorer
      3. Getting Help: Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Express Edition Documentation
      4. Coding Your Console Application
      5. Customizing the IDE
      6. Creating a Windows Application
    4. In Summary...
  6. 4. Creating Your Own Web Browser in Less Than Five Minutes
    1. What Is a Project?
    2. What Is the Design Layout?
    3. Putting It All Together
    4. In Summary...
  7. 5. Using Rapid Application Development Tools with Visual C# 2008
    1. Snapping and Aligning Controls Using Snap Lines
    2. Using IntelliSense—Your New Best Friend!
      1. Opening IntelliSense: Pressing Ctrl+Spacebar
      2. Opening IntelliSense: Typing a Period or Left Parenthesis
      3. IntelliSense Filtering: Preselecting the “Most Recently Used”
      4. Using IntelliSense Code Snippets: The Time-Saver
      5. Invoking Code Snippets
      6. Using IntelliSense Automatic Using Statements
      7. Organizing Using Statements
      8. Automatically Generating a Method Stub
    3. Renaming and Refactoring
      1. Why Should You Rename?
      2. Using the Rename Feature
      3. Refactoring: Using the Extract Method Command
    4. Exploring Common Windows Controls
    5. What Happens When an Event Is Triggered?
    6. In Summary...
  8. 6. Modifying Your Web Browser
    1. Opening Your Application
    2. Interacting Through Dialog Boxes
      1. Adding an About Dialog Box
      2. Adding a Navigate Dialog Box
    3. Having a Professional Look and Feel at Your Fingertips
      1. Adding a Tool Strip Container and Some Tools
      2. Adding a Status Bar to Your Browser
      3. Personalizing Your Application with Windows Icons
    4. Redoing the Browser
      1. Using Windows Presentation Foundation
      2. WPF and XAML
    5. In Summary...
  9. 7. Fixing the Broken Blocks
    1. Debugging an Application
      1. Using a DLL in an Application
      2. Using Breakpoints, Locals, Edit and Continue, and Visualizers
    2. In Summary...
  10. 8. Managing the Data
    1. What Is a Database?
      1. What’s in a Database?
      2. What Are Data Normalization and Data Integrity?
      3. What Is Null?
      4. What Are Primary Keys and Foreign Keys?
        1. Primary Keys
        2. Foreign Keys
      5. Interacting with a Relational Database
    2. Using SQL Server 2005 Express in Visual C# Express Edition
      1. Creating a Database Using Visual C# 2008 Express Edition
      2. Creating Tables in Your Database
      3. Creating Relationships Between the Tables
      4. Entering Data in SQL Server Tables Using Visual Studio
    3. What Are ADO.NET, Data Binding, and LINQ?
      1. Developing the CarTracker Application
      2. Using the Component Tray
      3. Getting More Meaningful Information on the Form
      4. Using LINQ
    4. In Summary...
  11. 9. Building Your Own Weather Tracker Application
    1. Exploring the Features of the Weather Tracker Application
    2. Creating the Application User Interface
      1. Adding Notification Area Capabilities
      2. Adding the Splash Screen and About Dialog Box
      3. Adding the Options Dialog Box
    3. Using the MSN Weather Web Service
      1. Connecting to MSN Weather Web Services
      2. Setting User and Application Preferences
      3. Working in the Background
      4. Completing the Core Weather Tracker Functionality
      5. Testing Weather Tracker
      6. Working with the Options Dialog Box
      7. Testing Weather Tracker Options
    4. And Now, Just ClickOnce
    5. In Summary...
  12. Glossary
  13. Index
  14. About the Author
  15. Copyright

Product information

  • Title: Build a Program Now! Microsoft® Visual C#® 2008: Get software, hands-on projects, and code samples! Express Edition
  • Author(s): Patrice Pelland
  • Release date: March 2008
  • Publisher(s): Microsoft Press
  • ISBN: 9780735625426