book

Professional Visual Basic® 2010 and .NET 4

Name: Professional Visual Basic® 2010 and .NET 4
ISBN: 9780470502242

by Bill Sheldon, Billy Hollis, Jonathan Marbutt, Gastón C. Hillar, Rob Windsor, Kent Sharkey

May 2010

Beginner

1319 pages

45h 35m

English

Wrox

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Copyright
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
ABOUT THE TECHNICAL EDITORS
CREDITS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INTRODUCTION
THE FUTURE OF VISUAL BASICWHO THIS BOOK IS FORWHAT YOU NEED TO USE THIS BOOKWHAT THIS BOOK COVERSCONVENTIONSSOURCE CODEERRATAP2P.WROX.COM
I. Language Constructs and Environment
1. Visual Studio 2010
1.1. VISUAL STUDIO 2010: EXPRESS THROUGH ULTIMATE1.2. VISUAL BASIC KEYWORDS AND SYNTAX1.2.1. Console Applications1.2.2. Creating a Project from a Project Template1.2.3. The Solution Explorer1.2.4. Project Properties1.2.5. Assembly Information Screen1.2.5.1. Assembly Attributes1.2.6. Compiler Settings1.2.7. Debug Properties1.2.8. References1.2.9. Resources1.2.10. Settings1.2.11. Other Project Property Tabs1.2.11.1. Signing1.2.11.2. My Extensions1.2.11.3. Security1.2.11.4. Publish1.2.11.5. Code Analysis1.3. PROJECT PROVB_VS20101.3.1. Form Properties Set in Code1.3.1.1. Code Regions1.3.1.2. Tear-Away Tabs1.3.1.3. Running ProVB_VS20101.3.1.4. Customizing the Text Editor1.3.1.5. IntelliSense, Code Expansion, and Code Snippets1.3.1.5.1. IntelliSense1.3.1.5.2. Code Expansion1.3.1.5.3. Code Snippets1.3.2. Additional Components for Visual Studio1.4. ENHANCING A SAMPLE APPLICATION1.4.1. Customizing the Code1.4.1.1. Adding XML Comments1.4.1.2. Customizing the Event Handler1.4.1.3. Reviewing the Code1.4.2. Building Applications1.4.2.1. Running an Application in the Debugger1.4.2.2. Other Debug-Related Windows1.4.2.2.1. Output1.4.2.2.2. Call Stack1.4.2.2.3. Locals1.4.2.2.4. Watch Windows1.4.2.2.5. Immediate Window1.4.2.2.6. Autos1.4.3. Reusing Your First Windows Form1.5. USEFUL FEATURES OF VISUAL STUDIO 20101.5.1. Build Configurations1.5.2. The Task List1.5.3. The Command Window1.5.4. Server Explorer1.5.5. Recording and Using Macros in Visual Studio 20101.5.6. Class Diagrams1.5.7. Application Lifecycle Management1.5.7.1. Team Foundation Server (TFS)1.5.7.2. Code Analysis1.5.8. Performance Tools1.6. SUMMARY
2. Objects and Visual Basic
2.1. OBJECT-ORIENTED TERMINOLOGY2.1.1. Objects, Classes, and Instances2.1.2. Composition of an Object2.1.2.1. Interface2.1.2.2. Implementation or Behavior2.1.2.3. Fields or Instance Variables2.1.3. System.Object2.2. WORKING WITH VISUAL BASIC TYPES2.2.1. Value and Reference Types2.2.2. Primitive Types2.3. COMMANDS: CONDITIONAL2.3.1. If Then2.3.2. Comparison Operators2.3.3. Select Case2.4. VALUE TYPES (STRUCTURES)2.4.1. Boolean2.4.2. Integer Types2.4.2.1. Short2.4.2.2. Integer2.4.2.3. Long2.4.3. Unsigned Types2.4.4. Decimal Types2.4.4.1. Single2.4.4.2. Double2.4.4.3. Decimal2.4.5. Char and Byte2.4.6. DateTime2.5. REFERENCE TYPES (CLASSES)2.5.1. The Object Class2.5.2. The String Class2.5.2.1. String()2.5.2.2. The SubString Method2.5.2.3. The PadLeft and PadRight Methods2.5.2.4. The String.Split Method2.5.2.5. The String Class Is Immutable2.5.2.6. String Constants2.5.3. XML Literals2.5.4. The DBNull Class and IsDBNull Function2.6. PARAMETER PASSING2.6.1. ParamArray2.7. VARIABLE SCOPE2.8. WORKING WITH OBJECTS2.8.1. Objects Declaration and Instantiation2.8.2. Object References2.8.3. Dereferencing Objects2.8.4. Early Binding versus Late Binding2.8.4.1. Implementing Late Binding2.9. DATA TYPE CONVERSIONS2.9.1. Performing Explicit Conversions2.9.1.1. Parse and TryParse2.9.1.2. Using the CType Function2.9.1.3. Using DirectCast2.9.1.4. Using TryCast2.10. CREATING CLASSES2.10.1. Basic Classes2.10.1.1. The Class Keyword2.10.1.2. Fields2.10.1.3. Methods2.10.1.4. Methods That Return Values2.10.1.5. Indicating Method Scope2.10.1.6. Method Parameters2.10.1.7. Properties2.10.1.8. Parameterized Properties2.10.1.9. Read-Only Properties2.10.1.10. Write-Only Properties2.10.1.11. The Default Property2.10.1.12. Events2.10.2. Handling Events2.10.3. Handling Multiple Events2.10.4. The WithEvents Keyword2.10.5. Raising Events2.10.6. Declaring and Raising Custom Events2.10.7. Receiving Events with WithEvents2.10.8. Receiving Events with AddHandler2.10.9. Constructor Methods2.10.9.1. Parameterized Constructors2.10.10. Termination and Cleanup2.11. ADVANCED CONCEPTS2.11.1. Overloading Methods2.11.1.1. Method Signatures2.11.1.2. Combining Overloading and Optional Parameters2.11.2. Overloading Constructor Methods2.11.2.1. Overloading the Constructor Method2.11.3. Shared Methods, Variables, and Events2.11.3.1. Shared Variables2.11.3.2. Shared Methods2.11.3.3. Shared Properties2.11.3.4. Shared Events2.11.3.5. Shared Constructor2.11.4. Operator Overloading2.11.4.1. Defining AndAlso and OrElse2.11.5. Delegates2.11.5.1. Declaring a Delegate2.11.5.2. Using the Delegate Data Type2.11.5.3. Implementing a Delegate Method2.11.6. Classes versus Components2.11.7. Lambdas2.12. SUMMARY
3. Custom Objects
3.1. INHERITANCE3.1.1. Implementing Inheritance3.1.1.1. Creating a Base Class3.1.1.2. Creating a Subclass3.1.1.2.1. The Inherits Keyword3.1.1.3. Overloading Methods3.1.1.4. Overriding Methods3.1.1.5. The Overridable Keyword3.1.1.6. The Overrides Keyword3.1.1.7. The MyBase Keyword3.1.1.8. Virtual Methods3.1.1.8.1. Overriding Overloaded Methods3.1.1.9. Shadowing3.1.1.9.1. Overriding Nonvirtual Methods3.1.1.9.2. Shadowing Arbitrary Elements3.1.1.10. Private Shadows Age As String3.1.1.11. Levels of Inheritance3.1.1.11.1. Multiple Inheritance3.1.1.11.2. Multilevel Inheritance3.1.2. Interacting with the Base Class, Your Class, and Your Object3.1.2.1. The Me Keyword3.1.2.2. The MyBase Keyword3.1.2.3. The MyClass Keyword3.1.2.4. Constructors3.1.3. Simple Constructors3.1.3.1. Constructors in More Depth3.1.3.1.1. Constructors with Parameters3.1.3.1.2. Constructors, Overloading, and Variable Initialization3.1.3.1.3. More Constructors with Parameters3.1.3.2. Protected Scope3.1.3.2.1. Protected Variables3.1.3.3. Events and Inheritance3.1.3.4. Inheriting Events3.1.3.5. Raising Events from Subclasses3.1.3.6. Shared Methods3.1.3.7. Overloading Shared Methods3.1.3.8. Shadowing Shared Methods3.1.3.9. Shared Events3.1.4. Creating an Abstract Base Class3.1.4.1. MustInherit Keyword3.1.4.2. MustOverride Keyword3.1.4.3. Public MustInherit Class Person3.1.4.4. Abstract Base Classes3.1.4.5. Preventing Inheritance3.2. MULTIPLE INTERFACES3.2.1. Object Interfaces3.2.1.1. Using the Native Interface3.2.2. Secondary Interfaces3.2.2.1. Defining the Interface3.2.2.2. Using the Interface3.2.2.3. Implementing the Interface3.2.2.4. Reusing a Common Implementation3.2.2.5. Combining Interfaces and Inheritance3.3. ABSTRACTION3.4. ENCAPSULATION3.5. POLYMORPHISM3.5.1. Method Signatures3.5.1.1. Implementing Polymorphism3.5.1.2. Polymorphism through Late Binding3.5.1.3. Polymorphism with Multiple Interfaces3.5.1.4. Polymorphism through Reflection3.5.1.5. Polymorphism via Reflection and Multiple Interfaces3.5.1.6. Polymorphism with Inheritance3.5.1.7. Polymorphism Summary3.6. INHERITANCE3.6.1. When to Use Inheritance3.6.1.1. Application versus Framework Inheritance3.6.1.2. Inheritance and Multiple Interfaces3.6.1.3. Applying Inheritance and Multiple Interfaces3.6.1.4. Creating the Contact Base Class3.6.1.5. Subclassing Contact3.6.1.6. Implementing IPrintableObject3.6.2. How Deep to Go?3.6.2.1. The Fragile-Base-Class Problem3.6.2.2. Interface Changes3.6.2.3. Implementation Changes3.7. SUMMARY

4. The Common Language Runtime
4.1. ELEMENTS OF A .NET APPLICATION4.1.1. Modules4.1.2. Assemblies4.1.3. Types4.2. VERSIONING AND DEPLOYMENT4.2.1. Better Support for Versioning4.2.2. Major.Minor.Build.Revision4.2.3. Better Deployment4.3. CROSS-LANGUAGE INTEGRATION4.3.1. The Common Type System4.3.2. Metadata4.3.3. Better Support for Metadata4.3.4. Attributes4.3.5. The Reflection API4.4. IL DISASSEMBLER4.5. MEMORY MANAGEMENT4.5.1. Traditional Garbage Collection4.5.1.1. Circular References4.5.1.2. The CLR's Garbage Collector4.5.1.3. The Finalize Method4.5.1.4. The IDisposable Interface4.5.1.5. Using IDisposable4.5.2. Faster Memory Allocation for Objects4.5.3. Garbage Collector Optimizations4.6. NAMESPACES4.6.1. What Is a Namespace?4.6.2. Namespaces and References4.6.3. Common Namespaces4.6.4. Importing and Aliasing Namespaces4.6.4.1. Importing Namespaces4.6.5. Aliasing Namespaces4.6.6. Referencing Namespaces in ASP.NET4.7. CREATING YOUR OWN NAMESPACES4.8. THE MY KEYWORD4.8.1. My.Application4.8.2. My.Computer4.8.3. My.Forms Namespace4.8.4. My.Resources4.8.5. My.User4.8.5.1. My.WebServices4.9. EXTENDING THE MY NAMESPACE4.10. SUMMARY
5. Declarative Programming with Visual Basic
5.1. DECLARATIVE PROGRAMMING AND VISUAL BASIC5.2. USING XAML TO CREATE A WINDOW5.3. XAML SYNTAX5.3.1. XAML Language Basics5.3.1.1.5.3.1.1.1. Attributes5.3.1.1.2. Markup Extensions5.3.2. XAML Directives5.4. USING XAML TO DECLARE A WORKFLOW5.5. SUMMARY
6. Exception Handling and Debugging
6.1. NEW IN VISUAL STUDIO 2010 TEAM SYSTEM: HISTORICAL DEBUGGING6.2. NOTES ON COMPATIBILITY WITH VB66.3. EXCEPTIONS IN .NET6.3.1. Important Properties and Methods of an Exception6.4. STRUCTURED EXCEPTION-HANDLING KEYWORDS6.4.1. The Try, Catch, and Finally Keywords6.4.2. The Throw Keyword6.4.3. Throwing a New Exception6.4.4. The Exit Try Statement6.4.5. Nested Try Structures6.4.6. Using Exception Properties6.4.7. The Message Property6.4.8. The InnerException and TargetSite Properties6.4.8.1. Source and StackTrace6.4.8.2. GetBaseException6.4.8.3. HelpLink6.5. INTEROPERABILITY WITH VB6-STYLE ERROR HANDLING6.6. ERROR LOGGING6.6.1. The Event Log6.6.2. Events, Methods, and Properties6.6.3. Writing to Trace Files6.7. SUMMARY
7. Test-Driven Development
7.1. WHEN AND HOW TO TEST7.1.1. Using Assertions7.2. TDD TOOLS IN VISUAL STUDIO7.3. UNITTESTING WALK-THROUGH7.3.1. Creating a Test7.3.2. Running a Test7.3.3. Testing Data Access Code7.3.3.1. Initialization/Cleanup7.3.3.2. Test Implementation7.3.4. Using the Generate from Usage Feature7.4. OTHER VISUAL STUDIO EDITIONS7.5. THIRD PARTY TESTING FRAMEWORKS7.6. SUMMARY
II. Business Objects and Data Access
8. Arrays, Collections, and Generics
8.1. ARRAYS8.1.1. Multidimensional Arrays8.1.2. The UBound Function8.1.3. The ReDim Statement8.1.4. The Preserve Keyword8.2. COLLECTIONS8.2.1.8.2.1.1. Iterative Statements8.2.1.1.1. For Each and For Next8.2.1.1.2. While, Do While, and Do Until8.2.1.2. Boxing8.3. GENERICS8.3.1. Using Generics8.3.2. Nullable Types8.3.3. Generic Types8.3.3.1. Basic Usage8.3.3.2. Inheritance8.3.4. Generic Methods8.4. CREATING GENERICS8.4.1. Generic Types8.4.1.1. Classes8.4.1.2. Other Generic Class Features8.4.1.3. Classes and Inheritance8.4.1.4. Structures8.4.1.5. Interfaces8.4.2. Generic Methods8.4.3. Constraints8.4.3.1. Type Constraints8.4.3.2. Class and Structure Constraints8.4.3.3. New Constraints8.4.3.4. Multiple Constraints8.4.4. Generics amd Late Binding8.4.5. Covariance and Contravariance8.5. SUMMARY
9. Using XML with Visual Basic
9.1. AN INTRODUCTION TO XML9.2. XML SERIALIZATION9.2.1. Source Code Style Attributes9.3. SYSTEM.XML DOCUMENT SUPPORT9.4. XML STREAM-STYLE PARSERS9.4.1. Writing an XML Stream9.4.2. Reading an XML Stream9.4.2.1. The XmlReaderSettings Class9.4.2.2. Traversing XML Using XmlReader9.4.2.3. Handling Exceptions9.4.3. Document Object Model (DOM)9.4.3.1. DOM Traversing XML9.4.3.2. Writing XML with the DOM9.5. XSL TRANSFORMATIONS9.5.1. XSLT Transforming between XML Standards9.5.2. Other Classes and Interfaces in System.Xml.Xsl9.6. XML IN ASP.NET9.6.1. The XmlDataSource Server Control9.6.2. The XmlDataSource Control's Namespace Problem9.6.3. The Xml Server Control9.7. LINQ TO XML9.8. LINQ HELPER XML OBJECTS9.8.1. XDocument9.8.2. XElement9.8.3. XNamespace9.8.4. XAttribute9.9. VISUAL BASIC AND XML LITERALS9.10. USING LINQ TO QUERY XML DOCUMENTS9.10.1. Querying Static XML Documents9.10.2. Querying Dynamic XML Documents9.11. WORKING WITH THE XML DOCUMENT9.11.1. Reading from an XML Document9.11.2. Writing to an XML Document9.12. LAMBDA EXPRESSIONS IN VISUAL BASIC9.13. SUMMARY
10. ADO.NET and LINQ
10.1. ADO.NET ARCHITECTURE10.2. BASIC ADO.NET FEATURES10.2.1. Common ADO.NET Tasks10.2.1.1. Selecting Data10.2.1.2. Inserting Data10.2.1.3. Updating Data10.2.1.4. Deleting Data10.2.2. Basic ADO.NET Namespaces and Classes10.2.3. ADO.NET Components10.3. .NET DATA PROVIDERS10.3.1. Connection Object10.3.1.1. Connection String Format — OleDbConnection10.3.1.2. Connection-String Format — SqlConnection10.3.2. Command Object10.3.3. Using Stored Procedures with Command Objects10.3.3.1. Creating a Stored Procedure10.3.3.2. Calling the Stored Procedure10.3.4. DataReader Object10.3.5. Executing Commands Asynchronously10.3.6. DataAdapter Objects10.3.7. SQL Server .NET Data Provider10.3.8. OLE DB .NET Data Provider10.4. THE DATASET COMPONENT10.4.1. DataTableCollection10.4.2. DataRelationCollection10.4.3. ExtendedProperties10.4.4. Creating and Using DataSet Objects10.4.4.1. Programmatically Creating DataSet Objects10.4.5. ADO.NET DataTable Objects10.4.6. Advanced ADO.NET Features of the DataSet and DataTable Objects10.4.6.1. Indexing10.4.6.2. Serialization10.4.6.3. DataReader Integration10.4.6.4. DataTable Independence10.5. WORKING WITH THE COMMON PROVIDER MODEL10.6. CONNECTION POOLING IN ADO.NET10.7. TRANSACTIONS AND SYSTEM.TRANSACTIONS10.7.1. Creating Transactions10.7.2. Creating Resource Managers10.8. LINQ TO SQL10.9. LINQ TO SQL AND VISUAL BASIC10.9.1. Retrieving Data Using LINQ to SQL: Creating the Console Application10.9.2. Introducing the O/R Designer10.9.3. Creating the Product Object10.10. HOW OBJECTS MAP TO LINQ OBJECTS10.10.1. The DataContext Object10.10.1.1. Using the Connection Property10.10.1.2. Using the Transaction Property10.10.1.3. Other Methods and Properties of the DataContext Object10.10.2. The Table(TEntity) Object10.11. QUERYING THE DATABASE10.11.1. Using Query Expressions10.11.2. Query Expressions in Detail10.11.3. Filtering Using Expressions10.11.4. Performing Joins10.11.5. Grouping Items10.12. STORED PROCEDURES10.13. UPDATING THE DATABASE10.14. SUMMARY
11. Data Access with the Entity Framework
11.1. OBJECT-RELATIONAL MAPPING11.2. ENTITY FRAMEWORK ARCHITECTURE11.2.1. Conceptual Model11.2.2. Storage Model11.2.3. Mapping Model11.2.4. LINQ to Entities11.2.5. The ObjectContext11.3. MAPPING OBJECTS TO ENTITIES11.3.1. Simple Mapping11.3.2. Using a Single Table for Multiple Objects11.3.3. Using Multiple Tables for an Object11.4. GENERATING THE DATABASE FROM A MODEL11.4.1. Updating the Model11.5. SUMMARY
12. Working with SQL Server
12.1. SQL SERVER COMPACT12.1.1. Connecting to a SQL Server Compact Database12.1.2. Synchronizing Data12.2. SQL SERVER'S BUILT-IN XML FEATURES12.3. CLR INTEGRATION IN SQL SERVER12.3.1. Deciding between T-SQL and Visual Basic12.3.2. Creating User-Defined Types12.3.2.1. Creating Functions12.3.2.2. Using the User-Defined Function12.3.3. Creating Stored Procedures12.3.3.1. Returning Data from the Stored Procedure12.3.3.1.1. Returning a Single Value12.3.3.1.2. Returning Multiple Values12.3.4. Exposing Web Services from SQL Server12.3.4.1. Accessing the Web Service12.3.5. SQL Server 2008 Features12.4. WCF DATA SERVICES12.5. REST12.5.1. Atom and JSON12.5.2. Exposing Data Using WCF Data Services12.5.3. WCF Data Services Client Library12.6. SUMMARY
13. Services (XML/WCF)
13.1. INTRODUCTION TO SERVICES13.1.1. The Network Angle13.1.2. Application Development13.1.3. Merging the Network and Application Development13.1.4. The Foundations of Web Services13.1.4.1. DCOM13.1.4.2. Remote Method Invocation in Java13.1.4.3. CORBA13.1.5. The Problems13.1.6. Some Other Players13.1.7. Web Services13.1.7.1. How This All Fits Together13.1.8. What Makes a WCF Service13.2. THE LARGER MOVE TO SOA13.2.1. Capabilities of WCF13.2.2. Contracts and Metadata13.2.3. Working with the WS-* Protocols13.3. BUILDING A WCF SERVICE13.3.1. Creating the Interface13.3.2. Utilizing the Interface13.3.2.1. Hosting the WCF Service in a Console Application13.3.3. Reviewing the WSDL Document13.4. BUILDING A WCF CONSUMER13.4.1. Adding a Service Reference13.4.2. Reviewing the Reference13.4.3. Configuration File Changes13.4.4. Writing the Consumption Code13.5. WORKING WITH DATA CONTRACTS13.5.1. Building a Service with a Data Contract13.6. NAMESPACES13.6.1. Building the Host13.6.2. Building the Consumer13.6.3. Looking at WSDL and the Schema for HelloCustomerService13.7. SUMMARY
III. Smart Client Applications
14. Windows Forms
14.1. THE SYSTEM.WINDOWS.FORMS NAMESPACE14.2. USING FORMS14.2.1. Setting a Startup Form14.2.2. Showing Forms via Sub Main14.2.3. More about the Application Class14.2.4. Startup Location for a Form14.2.5. Form Borders14.2.6. Always on Top — the TopMost Property14.2.7. Owned Forms14.2.7.1. AddOwnedForm Method14.2.7.2. Owner Property14.2.7.3. OwnedForms Collection14.2.8. Making Forms Transparent and Translucent14.2.8.1. The Opacity Property14.2.8.2. The TransparencyKey Property14.2.8.3. The Region Property14.2.9. Visual Inheritance14.2.10. Scrollable Forms14.2.11. MDI Forms14.2.11.1. Creating an MDI Parent Form14.2.11.2. MDI Child Forms14.2.12. An MDI Example in VB 201014.2.12.1. Arranging Child Windows14.2.13. Dialog Forms14.2.13.1. DialogResult14.2.14. Forms at Runtime14.2.15. Default Instances of Forms14.3. CONTROLS14.3.1. Control Tab Order14.3.2. Properties for All Controls14.3.2.1. MaximumSize and MinimumSize Properties14.3.2.2. UseWaitCursor Property14.3.3. Dynamic Sizing and Positioning of Controls14.3.3.1. Docking14.3.3.2. Anchoring14.3.3.3. Sizable Containers14.3.4. FlowLayoutPanel Control14.3.4.1. Padding and Margin Properties14.3.5. TableLayoutPanel Control14.3.6. Panel and Groupbox Container Controls14.3.7. Extender Providers14.3.7.1. ToolTip14.3.7.2. HelpProvider14.3.7.3. ErrorProvider14.3.7.4. Properties of Extender Providers14.3.7.5. Working with Extender Providers in Code14.3.8. Advanced Capabilities for Data Entry14.3.8.1. Autocompletion14.3.8.2. MaskedTextbox Control14.3.9. Validating Data Entry14.3.9.1. The Validating Event14.3.9.2. The CausesValidation Property14.3.10. Toolbars and the ToolStrip Control14.3.10.1. Creating a ToolStrip and Adding Toolbar Elements14.3.10.2. Allowing Users to Move Toolbar Elements14.3.10.3. Creating a Standard Set of Toolbar Elements14.3.11. Menus14.3.11.1. Adding Standard Items to a Menu14.3.11.2. Icons and Checkmarks for Menu Items14.3.11.3. Context Menus14.3.11.4. Dynamically Manipulating Menus at Runtime14.3.12. Common Dialogs14.3.12.1. OpenFileDialog and SaveFileDialog14.3.12.2. ColorDialog Control14.3.12.3. FontDialog Control14.3.12.4. Printer Dialog Controls14.3.13. Drag and Drop14.3.14. Summary of Standard Windows.Forms Controls14.3.15. Handling Groups of Related Controls14.3.16. Adding Controls at Runtime14.4. OTHER HANDY PROGRAMMING TIPS14.5. SUMMARY
15. Advanced Windows Forms
15.1. PACKAGING LOGIC IN VISUAL CONTROLS15.2. CUSTOM CONTROLS IN WINDOWS FORMS15.2.1. Inheriting from an Existing Control15.2.2. Building a Composite Control15.2.3. Writing a Control from Scratch15.3. INHERITING FROM AN EXISTING CONTROL15.3.1. Process Overview15.3.2. Writing Code for an Inherited Control15.3.2.1. Creating a Property for a Custom Control15.3.2.2. Coordinating with the Visual Studio IDE15.3.2.2.1. Attributes15.3.2.3. Setting a Default Value with an Attribute15.3.2.4. Alternate Techniques for Working with the IDE15.3.2.4.1. Providing a Reset Method for a Control Property15.3.3. Other Useful Attributes15.3.4. Defining a Custom Event for the Inherited Control15.3.5. A CheckedListBox Limiting Selected Items15.4. THE CONTROL AND USERCONTROL BASE CLASSES15.4.1. The Control Class15.4.2. The UserControl Class15.5. A COMPOSITE USERCONTROL15.5.1. Creating a Composite UserControl15.5.2. Resizing the Control15.5.3. Exposing Properties of Contained Controls15.5.4. Stepping through the Example15.6. BUILDING A CONTROL FROM SCRATCH15.6.1. Painting a Custom Control with GDI+15.6.1.1. What Is GDI+?15.6.1.2. The System.Drawing Namespace15.6.1.3. The System.Drawing.Graphics Class15.6.1.4. Using GDI+ Capabilities in a Windows Form15.7. ATTACHING AN ICON FOR THE TOOLBOX15.8. EMBEDDING CONTROLS IN OTHER CONTROLS15.9. SUMMARY
16. User Controls Combining WPF and Windows Forms
16.1. THE INTEGRATION LIBRARY16.2. HOSTING WPF CONTROLS IN WINDOWS FORMS16.2.1. Creating a WPF Control Library16.2.2. The Windows Forms Application16.2.2.1. Laying Out Controls on the Form16.2.2.2. Adding Custom Code to the Form16.2.2.3. Custom Display Masking16.2.2.4. Using a Mapped Property of a WPF Control16.3. HOSTING WINDOWS FORMS CONTROLS IN WPF16.4. INTEGRATION LIMITATIONS16.5. SUMMARY
17. WPF Desktop Applications
17.1. WHAT, WHERE, WHY, HOW — WPF STRATEGY17.2. RASTER GRAPHICS AND VECTOR GRAPHICS17.3. SHOULD YOUR NEXT WINDOWS PROJECT USE WPF?17.4. CREATING A WPF APPLICATION17.4.1. Implementing a Custom WPF Application17.4.1.1. Controls17.4.1.2. Event Handlers17.4.1.3. Adding Behavior17.4.1.4. Layout17.4.2. Customizing the User Interface17.4.2.1. Removing the Frame17.4.2.2. Resources17.4.3. Customizing the Buttons17.4.3.1. WPF User Controls17.4.3.2. Data Binding in WPF17.4.3.3. Binding between WPF Controls17.4.3.4. Dependency Properties17.4.3.4.1. Creating a Custom Dependency Property17.4.3.4.2. Modifying the Look of the User Interface17.4.3.4.3. Styles17.4.3.4.4. Data Binding to a Data Source17.5. SUMMARY
18. Expression Blend 3
18.1. GETTING TO KNOW BLEND18.1.1. Creating a New Project18.1.1.1. Projects and Solutions Tab18.1.1.2. Blend's Toolbox and the Assets Tab18.1.1.3. Design Surface18.1.1.4. Objects and Timeline18.1.1.5. States18.1.1.6. Properties18.1.1.7. Resources18.1.1.8. Data18.2. SKETCHFLOW18.2.1. Your First SketchFlow18.2.1.1. SketchFlow Map18.2.1.2. Adding Sketch Controls18.2.1.3. Adding Simple Behaviors to Navigate18.2.2. SketchFlow Player18.2.2.1. User Feedback18.2.3. Documenting Your SketchFlow18.2.3.1. Annotations18.2.3.2. Exporting to Word18.3. SUMMARY
19. Silverlight
19.1. WHAT IS SILVERLIGHT?19.1.1. Smooth Streaming19.1.2. Industry Standard Video19.1.3. Digital Rights Management19.2. STARTING A SILVERLIGHT PROJECT19.2.1. Silverlight Application19.2.2. Silverlight Navigation Application19.2.3. Silverlight Class Library19.3. SILVERLIGHT SOLUTION19.3.1. Web Application19.3.1.1. The ClientBin Folder and .xap File19.3.2. Aplication Library Caching19.3.3. Silverlight Application19.3.3.1. App.xaml19.3.3.2. MainPage.xaml19.4. CONTROLS19.4.1. Layout Management19.4.1.1. Grid19.4.1.2. StackPanel19.4.1.3. Canvas19.4.1.4. ScrollViewer19.4.1.5. Border19.5. ADDING ITEMS TO THE SILVERLIGHT PROJECT19.5.1. Silverlight User Control19.5.2. Silverlight Application Class19.5.3. Silverlight Page19.5.4. Silverlight Child Window19.5.5. Silverlight Template Control19.5.6. Silverlight Resource Dictionary19.6. SILVERLIGHT OUT OF THE BROWSER19.7. SUMMARY
IV. Internet Applications
20. Silverlight and Services
20.1. SERVICES AND SILVERLIGHT20.1.1. ASMX Web Service20.1.2. WCF Service20.1.3. ADO.NET Data Service20.2. MODEL-VIEW-VIEWMODEL20.2.1. Separation of Concerns20.2.2. The Model20.2.3. The View20.2.4. The ViewModel20.3. SUMMARY
21. Working with ASP.NET
21.1. THE HISTORY OF ASP.NET21.2. KEY FEATURES OF ASP.NET21.2.1. Developer Productivity21.2.2. Performance and Scalability21.2.3. Localization21.2.4. Health Monitoring21.2.5. Easy Access to Data21.2.6. Administration and Management21.3. VISUAL STUDIO SUPPORT FOR ASP.NET21.3.1. Web Site and Web Application Projects21.3.2. ASP.NET Application Folders21.3.2.1. \App_Code Folder (Web Site Projects Only)21.3.2.2. \App_Data Folder21.3.2.3. \App_Themes Folder21.3.2.4. \App_GlobalResources Folder21.3.2.5. \App_LocalResources21.3.2.6. \App_WebReferences21.3.2.7. \App_Browsers21.3.3. Web Server Options21.4. BUILDING ASP.NET APPLICATIONS USING WEB FORMS21.4.1. Pages, Forms, Controls, and Events21.4.1.1. Server Controls21.4.1.2. Events21.4.1.3. Page Life Cycle21.4.1.4. ViewState21.4.1.5. Field Validation21.4.1.6. Compilation21.4.1.7. Deployment21.5. DATA-DRIVEN APPLICATIONS21.5.1. Data Binding with the SqlDataSource Control21.5.2. Data Binding with the LinqDataSource Control21.5.3. Data Binding with the ObjectDataSource Control21.6. SUMMARY
22. ASP.NET Advanced Features
22.1. MASTER PAGES22.1.1. Creating a Master Page22.1.2. Creating the Content Page22.1.3. Providing Default Content in Your Master Page22.2. NAVIGATION22.2.1. Using the SiteMapPath Server Control22.2.2. Menu Server Control22.3. WORKING WITH THE ASP.NET PROVIDER MODEL22.3.1. Creating an Application Services Database22.3.1.1. The ASP.NET SQL Server Setup Wizard Command-Line Tool22.3.1.2. The ASP.NET SQL Server Setup Wizard GUI Tool22.3.1.3. Connecting the Built-In Providers to a Database22.4. MEMBERSHIP AND ROLE MANAGEMENT22.5. PROFILE PROPERTIES22.6. MICROSOFT AJAX (ASP.NET AJAX)22.6.1. Understanding the Need for Ajax22.6.2. Microsoft Ajax Implementation22.6.3. UpdatePanel Control vs. Client-Side Service Calls22.6.3.1. Introducing the Sample Project22.6.4. Adding the UpdatePanel Control22.6.5. Using Client-Side Service Calls and Client Templates22.7. SUMMARY
23. ASP.NET MVC
23.1. MODEL-VIEW-CONTROLLER AND ASP.NET23.2. BUILDING AN ASP.NET MVC APPLICATION23.2.1. Creating the Project23.2.2. Controllers and Actions23.2.3. Adding the Model23.2.4. Views23.2.5. Routing23.2.6. Scaffolding and CRUD Operations23.2.7. Validation23.3. SUMMARY
24. SharePoint 2010 Development
24.1. INTRODUCTION24.1.1. SharePoint Foundation 201024.1.2. SharePoint Server 201024.1.3. SharePoint Terminology24.1.4. The SharePoint Development Environment24.2. FEATURES AND THE SOLUTIONS FRAMEWORK24.2.1. Features24.2.1.1. Creating a Site Collection24.2.1.2. Building a Feature24.2.1.3. Creating the Element Maniftest24.2.1.4. Manually Deploying and Installing the Feature24.2.1.5. Activating the Feature24.2.1.6. Deactivating and Removing the Feature24.2.2. Solution Framework24.2.2.1. Creating a Solution Package24.2.2.2. Deploying a Farm Solution24.2.2.3. Deploying a Sandboxed Solution24.3. VISUAL STUDIO TOOLS FOR SHAREPOINT DEVELOPMENT24.4. THE SHAREPOINT 2010 OBJECT MODELS24.4.1. Server Object Model24.4.2. Client Object Models24.5. BUILDING WEB PARTS24.6. SUMMARY
V. Libraries and Specialized Topics
25. Visual Studio Tools for Office
25.1. EXAMINING THE VSTO RELEASES25.1.1. Office Automation versus VSTO25.1.2. PIA-Free Deployment25.1.3. VSTO Project Types25.2. OFFICE BUSINESS APPLICATION ARCHITECTURE25.3. WORKING WITH BOTH VBA AND VSTO25.4. CREATING A DOCUMENT TEMPLATE (WORD)25.4.1. Adding Content to the Document25.4.2. Adding a Ribbon and an Actions Pane25.4.3. Activating the Actions Pane25.4.4. Updating a Content Control25.5. CREATING AN OFFICE ADD-IN (EXCEL)25.6. OUTLOOK FORM REGIONS25.7. SUMMARY
26. Windows Workflow Foundation
26.1. WORKFLOW IN APPLICATIONS26.2. BUILDING WORKFLOWS26.2.1. Adding Workflow with Windows Workflow Foundation26.2.2. A Simple Workflow26.2.3. Standard Activities26.2.4. A Less Simple Workflow26.2.5. Building Custom Activities26.2.6. Dynamically Loading Workflows26.3. REHOSTING THE WORKFLOW DESIGNER26.4. SUMMARY
27. Localization
27.1. CULTURES AND REGIONS27.1.1. Understanding Culture Types27.1.2. Looking at Your Thread27.1.3. Declaring Culture Globally in ASP.NET27.1.4. Adopting Culture Settings in ASP.NET27.2. TRANSLATING VALUES AND BEHAVIORS27.2.1. Understanding Differences in Dates27.2.2. Differences in Numbers and Currencies27.2.3. Understanding Differences in Sorting27.3. ASP.NET RESOURCE FILES27.3.1. Making Use of Local Resources27.3.1.1. Adding Another Language Resource File27.3.1.2. Finalizing the Building of the Default.aspx Page27.3.1.3. Neutral Cultures Are Generally Preferred27.3.2. Global Resources27.4. RESOURCE FILES IN WINDOWS FORMS27.5. SUMMARY
28. COM-Interop
28.1. UNDERSTANDING COM28.2. COM AND .NET IN PRACTICE28.2.1. A Legacy Component28.2.1.1. Implementing the Component28.2.1.2. Step 2: Registering the Legacy Component28.2.2. The .NET Application28.2.2.1. Referencing the Legacy COM Component from .NET28.2.2.2. Inside the .NET Application28.2.3. Trying It All Out28.2.4. Using TlbImp Directly28.2.5. Late Binding28.2.5.1. An Example for Late Binding28.2.5.2. The Sample COM Object28.2.5.3. The Calculation Framework28.2.5.4. Running the Calculation Framework28.3. ACTIVEX CONTROLS28.3.1. The Legacy ActiveX Control28.3.1.1. Step 1: Creating the Control28.3.1.2. Step 2: Registering Your Legacy Control28.3.2. A .NET Application, Again28.3.3. Trying It All Out, Again28.4. USING .NET COMPONENTS IN THE COM WORLD28.4.1. A .NET Component28.4.2. RegAsm28.4.3. TlbExp28.5. P/INVOKE28.5.1. Windows API Code Pack28.6. SUMMARY
29. Network Programming
29.1. PROTOCOLS, ADDRESSES, AND PORTS29.1.1. Addresses and Names29.1.2. Ports: They're Not Just for Ships29.1.3. Firewalls: Can't Live with Them, Can't Live without Them29.2. THE SYSTEM.NET NAMESPACE29.2.1. Web Requests (and Responses)29.2.1.1. WebRequest Child Classes29.2.1.2. Putting It Together29.2.2. Simplifying Common Web Requests with WebClient29.3. SOCKETS29.3.1. Building the Application29.3.2. Creating Conversation Windows29.3.2.1. Creating the Conversation Form29.3.2.2. Initiating Connections29.3.2.3. Receiving Inbound Connections29.3.3. Sending Messages29.3.3.1. The Message Class29.3.4. Shutting Down the Application29.4. USING INTERNET EXPLORER IN YOUR APPLICATIONS29.4.1. Windows Forms and HTML — No Problem!29.4.1.1. Allowing Simple Web Browsing in Your Windows Application29.4.1.2. Launching Internet Explorer from Your Windows Application29.4.1.3. Updating URLs and Page Titles29.5. SUMMARY
30. Application Services
30.1. USING IIS FOR APPLICATION SERVICES30.2. WINDOWS SERVICES30.3. CHARACTERISTICS OF A WINDOWS SERVICE30.4. INTERACTING WITH WINDOWS SERVICES30.5. CREATING A WINDOWS SERVICE30.5.1. The .NET Framework Classes for Windows Services30.5.1.1. The ServiceBase Class30.5.1.2. Installation-Oriented Classes30.5.1.3. Multiple Services within One Executable30.5.1.4. The ServiceController Class30.5.2. Other Types of Windows Services30.6. CREATING A WINDOWS SERVICE IN VISUAL BASIC30.7. CREATING A FILE WATCHER SERVICE30.7.1. Creating a Solution for the Windows Service30.7.2. Adding .NET Components to the Service30.7.2.1. The FileSystemWatcher Component30.7.2.2. The EnableRaisingEvents Property30.7.2.3. The Path Property30.7.2.4. The NotifyFilter Property30.7.2.5. The Filter Property30.7.2.6. The IncludeSubdirectories Property30.7.2.7. Adding FileSystemWatcher Code to OnStart and OnStop30.7.2.8. The EventLog Component30.7.2.9. The Created Event30.7.3. Installing the Service30.7.4. Starting the Service30.7.5. Uninstalling the Service30.8. COMMUNICATING WITH THE SERVICE30.8.1. The ServiceController Class30.8.2. Integrating a ServiceController into the Example30.8.3. More about ServiceController30.9. CUSTOM COMMANDS30.10. PASSING STRINGS TO A SERVICE30.11. DEBUGGING THE SERVICE30.12. SUMMARY
31. Assemblies and Reflection
31.1. ASSEMBLIES31.2. THE MANIFEST31.2.1. Assembly Identity31.2.1.1. The Version Number31.2.1.2. Strong Names31.2.1.3. Signing an Assembly with a Strong Name31.2.1.4. The Culture31.2.2. Referenced Assemblies31.2.2.1. The .publickeytoken Directive31.2.2.2. The .ver Directive31.2.2.3. The .locale Directive31.3. ASSEMBLIES AND DEPLOYMENT31.3.1. Application-Private Assemblies31.3.2. Shared Assemblies31.3.2.1. The Global Assembly Cache31.4. VERSIONING ISSUES31.4.1. Application Isolation31.4.2. Side-By-Side Execution31.4.3. Self-Describing Components31.4.4. Version Policies31.4.4.1. The Default Versioning Policy31.4.4.2. Automatic Quick Fix Engineering Policy31.4.5. Configuration Files31.4.5.1. Startup Settings31.4.5.2. Runtime Settings31.4.5.2.1. Loading a Particular Version of an Assembly31.4.5.2.2. Defining the Location of an Assembly31.4.5.2.3. Providing the Search Path31.5. BASICS OF REFLECTION31.5.1. The Assembly Class31.5.2. Getting Currently Loaded Assemblies31.5.3. The Type Class31.5.3.1. Finding the Types in an Assembly31.5.3.2. Finding the Members of a Type31.6. DYNAMIC LOADING OF ASSEMBLIES31.6.1. The LoadFrom Method of the Assembly Class31.6.2. Dynamic Loading Example31.6.3. Putting Assemblies to Work31.7. SUMMARY
32. Security in the .NET Framework
32.1. SECURITY CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS32.2. PERMISSIONS IN THE SYSTEM.SECURITY.PERMISSIONS NAMESPACE32.2.1. Code Access Permissions32.2.2. Identity Permissions32.2.3. Role-Based Permissions32.3. MANAGING CODE ACCESS PERMISSION SETS32.4. USER ACCESS CONTROL32.5. DEFINING YOUR APPLICATION UAC SETTINGS32.5.1. Security Tools32.5.2. Exceptions Using the SecurityException Class32.6. ENCRYPTION BASICS32.6.1. Hash Algorithms32.6.1.1. Cryptographic Hash Algorithms32.6.1.1.1. SHA32.6.1.1.2. MD532.6.1.1.3. RIPEMD-16032.6.1.2. Symmetric Key Encryption32.6.1.2.1. PKCS32.6.1.3. Digital Signature Example32.6.1.4. X.509 Certificates32.6.1.5. Secure Sockets Layer32.7. SUMMARY
33. Parallel Programming Using Tasks and Threads
33.1. LAUNCHING PARALLEL TASKS33.1.1. System.Threading.Tasks.Parallel Class33.1.2. Parallel.Invoke33.1.2.1. Lack of Execution Order33.1.2.2. Advantages and Disadvantages33.1.2.3. Parallelism and Concurrency33.2. TRANSFORMING SEQUENTIAL CODE TO PARALLEL CODE33.2.1. Detecting Hotspots33.2.2. Measuring Speedups Achieved by Parallel Execution33.2.3. Understanding Parallel and Concurrent Execution33.3. PARALLELIZING LOOPS33.3.1. Parallel.For33.3.1.1. Refactoring an Existing Sequential Loop33.3.1.2. Measuring Scalability33.3.2. Parallel.ForEach33.3.2.1. Working with Partitions in a Parallel Loop33.3.2.2. Optimizing Partitions According to Number of Cores33.3.2.3. Working with IEnumerable Sources of Data33.3.3. Exiting from Parallel Loops33.3.3.1. Understanding ParallelLoopState33.3.3.2. Analyzing the Results of a Parallel Loop Execution33.3.3.3. Catching Parallel Loop Exceptions33.4. SPECIFYING THE DESIRED DEGREE OF PARALLELISM33.4.1. ParallelOptions33.4.2. Understanding Hardware Threads and Logical Cores33.5. CREATING AND MANAGING TASKS33.5.1. System.Threading.Tasks.Task33.5.2. Understanding a Task's Life Cycle33.5.3. Using Tasks to Parallelize Code33.5.3.1. Starting Tasks33.5.3.2. Visualizing Tasks Using Parallel Tasks and Parallel Stacks33.5.3.3. Waiting for Tasks to Finish33.5.3.4. Canceling Tasks Using Tokens33.5.3.5. Handling Exceptions Thrown by Tasks33.5.4. Returning Values from Tasks33.5.4.1. TaskCreationOptions33.5.4.2. Chaining Two Tasks Using Continuations33.5.5. Preparing the Code for Concurrency and Parallelism33.5.5.1. Synchronization Primitives33.5.5.2. Synchronization Problems33.5.6. Understanding Concurrent Collection Features33.5.6.1. Systems.Collections.Concurrent33.5.6.2. ConcurrentQueue33.5.6.3. ConcurrentStack33.5.7. Transforming LINQ into PLINQ33.5.7.1. ParallelEnumerable and Its AsParallel Method33.5.7.2. AsOrdered and Order By33.5.7.3. Working with ForAll and a ConcurrentBag33.6. SUMMARY
34. Deployment
34.1. APPLICATION DEPLOYMENT34.1.1. Why Deployment Is Straightforward in .NET34.1.2. XCOPY Deployment34.1.3. Using the Windows Installer34.1.4. ClickOnce Deployment34.2. CHOOSING A FRAMEWORK VERSION34.3. VISUAL STUDIO DEPLOYMENT PROJECTS34.3.1. Project Templates34.3.1.1. The CAB Project Template34.3.1.2. The Merge Module Project Template34.3.1.3. The Setup Project Template34.3.1.4. The Web Setup Project Template34.3.1.5. The Setup Wizard34.3.2. Creating a Deployment Project34.3.2.1. Walk-through34.3.2.1.1. Important Properties of the Root Setup Node34.3.2.1.2. Properties of the Primary Output Project Item34.3.2.1.3. Properties of the Detected Dependency Items34.3.2.2. Creating a Deployment Project for an ASP.NET Web Application34.4. MODIFYING THE DEPLOYMENT PROJECT34.4.1. Project Properties34.4.1.1. The Build Page34.4.1.1.1. Package Files34.4.1.1.2. Prerequisites34.4.1.1.3. Compression34.4.1.1.4. Setting the Cabinet File Size34.4.2. The File System Editor34.4.2.1. Adding Items to a Folder34.4.2.2. Adding Special Folders34.4.2.3. Creating Shortcuts34.4.3. The Registry Editor34.4.3.1. Adding a Value to a Registry Key34.4.3.2. Importing Registry Files34.4.4. The File Types Editor34.4.5. The User Interface Editor34.4.5.1. Installation Modes34.4.5.1.1. The Start Stage34.4.5.1.2. The Progress Stage34.4.5.1.3. The End Stage34.4.5.2. Customizing the Order of Dialogs34.4.5.3. Adding Dialogs34.4.5.4. Properties of the Dialogs34.4.6. The Custom Actions Editor34.4.6.1. Adding a Custom Action34.4.7. The Launch Conditions Editor34.4.7.1. Adding a File Search34.4.7.2. Modifying the File Search Properties34.4.7.3. Creating a Launch Condition34.4.8. Building34.5. INTERNET DEPLOYMENT OF WINDOWS APPLICATIONS34.5.1. No-Touch Deployment34.5.1.1. Automatic Updating34.5.1.2. Using a Launch Application34.5.1.3. Limitations of No-Touch Deployment34.5.2. ClickOnce Deployment34.5.2.1. Configuring an Application for ClickOnce34.5.2.2. Online versus Locally Installed Applications34.5.2.3. Deploying an Online Application34.5.2.4. Deploying an Application That Is Available Offline34.5.2.5. Files and Directories Produced by ClickOnce34.5.2.6. Signing the Manifest34.5.2.7. The Update Process34.5.2.8. ClickOnce Configuration Options34.5.2.9. The Bootstrapper34.5.2.10. Manual Editing of ClickOnce Manifests34.5.2.11. Rolling Back or Uninstalling ClickOnce Applications34.5.2.12. ClickOnce versus Other Deployment Technologies34.6. IIS WEB DEPLOYMENT TOOL34.7. SUMMARY
A. The Visual Basic Compiler
A.1. THE VBC.EXE.CONFIG FILEA.2. SIMPLE STEPS TO COMPILATIONA.3. COMPILER OPTIONSA.3.1. Output FilesA.3.1.1. /doc[+:-]A.3.1.2. /outA.3.1.3. /targetA.3.2. Input FilesA.3.2.1. /addmoduleA.3.2.2. /linkA.3.2.3. /recurseA.3.2.4. /referenceA.3.3. ResourcesA.3.3.1. /linkresourceA.3.3.2. /resourceA.3.3.3. /win32iconA.3.3.4. /win32resourceA.3.4. Code GenerationA.3.4.1. /debug[+:-]A.3.4.2. /optimize[+:-]A.3.4.3. /removeintchecks[+:-]A.3.5. Errors and WarningsA.3.5.1. /nowarnA.3.5.2. /warnaserror[+:-]A.3.6. LanguageA.3.6.1. /defineA.3.6.2. /importsA.3.6.3. /langversionA.3.6.4. /optionexplicit[+:-]A.3.6.5. /optionstrict[+:-]A.3.6.6. /optioncompareA.3.6.7. /optioninfer[+:-]A.3.6.8. /rootnamespaceA.3.7. Miscellaneous FeaturesA.3.7.1. /?A.3.7.2. /helpA.3.7.3. /noconfigA.3.7.4. /nologoA.3.7.5. /quietA.3.8. /verboseA.3.9. Advanced FeaturesA.3.9.1. /baseaddressA.3.9.2. /bugreportA.3.9.3. /codepageA.3.9.4. /delaysign[+:-]A.3.9.5. /errorreportA.3.9.6. /filealignA.3.9.7. /keycontainerA.3.9.8. /keyfileA.3.9.9. /libpathA.3.9.10. /mainA.3.9.11. /moduleassemblynameA.3.9.12. /netcfA.3.9.13. /nostdlibA.3.9.14. /platformA.3.9.15. /sdkpathA.3.9.16. /utf8output[+:-]A.3.9.17. @<file>A.3.9.18. /vbruntime[+:-]A.4. LOOKING AT THE VBC.RSP FILE
B. Visual Basic Power Packs Tools
B.1. VISUAL BASIC POWER PACKSB.1.1. Getting the Visual Basic Power PacksB.2. USING THE INTEROP FORMS TOOLKIT 2.1B.2.1. Creating a Simple Interop FormB.2.2. DeploymentB.2.3. DebuggingB.2.4. VB6 DevelopmentB.2.5. Final Interop TipsB.3. USING THE POWER PACKS 3.0 TOOLSB.4. SUMMARY
C. Workflow 2008 Specifics
C.1. BUILDING WORKFLOWSC.1.1. A Simple WorkflowC.1.2. Standard ActivitiesC.1.3. Building Custom ActivitiesC.2. USING WORKFLOWS WITH OTHER APPLICATIONSC.2.1. Using Workflow Foundation with Windows FormsC.3. SUMMARY
D. Enterprise Services
D.1. TRANSACTIONSD.1.1. The ACID TestD.2. TRANSACTIONAL COMPONENTSD.2.1. An Example of TransactionsD.2.1.1. Creating the DatabasesD.2.1.2. Populating Your DatabasesD.2.1.3. The Business LogicD.2.1.3.1. The First Half of the TransactionD.2.1.3.2. The Second Half of the TransactionD.2.1.4. Registering Your ComponentD.2.1.5. Giving the Assembly a Strong NameD.2.1.6. Registering with Component ServicesD.2.1.7. The Component Services ConsoleD.2.2. Test ApplicationD.2.2.1. The Transaction AttributeD.2.2.2. Invalid DataD.2.2.3. When Something Goes WrongD.3. OTHER ASPECTS OF TRANSACTIONSD.3.1. Just-in-TimeD.3.2. Object PoolingD.4. QUEUED COMPONENTSD.4.1. An Example of Queued ComponentsD.4.1.1. Consoles AgainD.4.1.2. Building the ClientD.4.1.3. Queuing InvocationsD.4.2. Transactions with Queued ComponentsD.5. SUMMARY
E. Programming for the Cloud
E.1. THE RISE OF THE CLOUDE.1.1. Cloud ScenariosE.1.1.1. ScalabilityE.1.1.2. Cost SavingsE.1.1.3. Parallel ProcessingE.1.1.4. The Case against Cloud ComputingE.2. AZUREE.2.1. The FabricE.2.2. Storage ServicesE.2.2.1. Blob StorageE.2.2.2. Table StorageE.2.2.3. QueuesE.2.2.4. SQL AzureE.2.3. Compute ServicesE.2.4. Windows Azure Tools for Visual StudioE.2.4.1. Creating a Windows Azure ProjectE.2.4.2. Using Table StorageE.2.4.3. Using Blob StorageE.2.4.4. Using a Worker RoleE.2.5. Deploying the ServiceE.3. SUMMARY

Content preview from Professional Visual Basic® 2010 and .NET 4

Chapter 11. Data Access with the Entity Framework

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS CHAPTER

What is Object-Relational Mapping?
What is the Entity Framework
How the Entity Framework works with databases
Using the Entity Framework to edit data
Using the Entity Framework to create new databases

In the past, Microsoft has been known to change the recommended data access strategy relatively frequently. For example, Data Access Objects (DAO) was released in the Visual Basic 3.0 time frame, followed by RDO (Remote Data Objects) as an option in the Visual Basic 4 days, and ADO (Active Database Objects) with Visual Basic 6. Of course, all of these were COM libraries, so it was no surprise when they were superseded by ADO.NET when the .NET Framework shipped. There have been remarkably few changes to ADO.NET since then.

Now, when I see Microsoft recommending a new data access strategy, I start to get nervous. However, in this case there is good news. The Entity Framework (EF) does not replace ADO.NET. You can continue to use ADO.NET without fear of it going away, even as a recommended data access tool. The Entity Framework simply provides a different — richer and more flexible — model for working with data sources.

Beyond simply being a set of classes you use to access your data, Entity Framework enables you to work naturally with the data using the classes you have designed, while saving the data to the underlying database schema. The Entity Framework provides the mapping necessary to convert the data ...

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Professional Visual Basic® 2010 and .NET 4

by Bill Sheldon, Billy Hollis, Jonathan Marbutt, Gastón C. Hillar, Rob Windsor, Kent Sharkey

Chapter 11. Data Access with the Entity Framework

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