Professional Visual Studio® 2008

Professional Visual Studio® 2008

by Nick Randolph, David Gardner
Released July 2008
Publisher(s): Wrox
ISBN: 9780470229880

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Book description

Professional Visual Studio 2008

Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 is the latest version in the ongoing evolution of the Integrated Development Environment (IDE), and this resource examines the diverse facets of the IDE—from common tasks to intricate functions to the powerful tools that accompany the main code editing and design windows. Written by a unique author duo and offering an in-depth look at the powerful and fascinating features and techniques of the IDE, this book explores each aspect of the development life cycle from the perspective of how Visual Studio 2008 can make your life easier.

Each chapter is packed with examples that illustrate uses for various tools, commands, and shortcuts of Visual Studio 2008. You will gradually learn to identify where a feature is used, conclude how you can use it to its fullest potential, and then seamlessly apply that feature to help solve real-world problems.

What you will learn from this book

  • How to create project templates and wizards

  • Methods for using IntelliSense, code refactoring, class modeling, and unit testing

  • Tips for using DataSets, LINQ, and Synchronization Services for working with data

  • How to build web applications using ASP.NET AJAX, Silverlight, and ASP.NET MVC

  • Ideas for building Office and Mobile applications, WPF, WCF, and WF projects

  • Ways to effectively analyze and identify bugs using the advanced debugging features

  • How to automate repetitive tasks using the Visual Studio 2008 add-ins and macros

  • Suggestions for using Visual Studio Team System components coupled with Team Foundation Server

  • Techniques for building more secure applications

    • Who this book is for

    This book is for programmers who want to become proficient with the latest version of Visual Studio and are interested in the advanced capabilities of the IDE.

    Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job.

    Table of contents

    1. Copyright
    2. About the Authors
    3. Credits
    4. Acknowledgments
    5. Introduction
    6. Integrated Development Environment
      1. A Quick Tour
        1. Let's Get Started
        2. The Visual Studio IDE
        3. Summary
      2. The Solution Explorer, Toolbox, and Properties
        1. The Solution Explorer
        2. The Toolbox
        3. Properties
        4. Summary
      3. Options and Customizations
        1. Window Layout
        2. The Editor Space
        3. Other Options
        4. Importing and Exporting Settings
        5. Summary
      4. Workspace Control
        1. Command Window
        2. Immediate Window
        3. Class View
        4. Object Browser
        5. Object Test Bench
        6. Code View
        7. Document Outline Tool Window
        8. Control Outline
        9. Summary
      5. Find and Replace, and Help
        1. Introducing Find and Replace
        2. Find in Files
        3. Replace in Files
        4. Incremental Search
        5. Find Symbol
        6. Find and Replace Options
        7. Accessing Help
        8. The Search Window
        9. Keeping Favorites
        10. Customizing Help
        11. Summary
    7. Getting Started
      1. Solutions, Projects, and Items
        1. Solution Structure
        2. Solution File Format
        3. Solution Properties
        4. Project Types
        5. Project Files Format
        6. Project Properties
        7. Web Site Projects
        8. Summary
      2. Source Control
        1. Selecting a Source Control Repository
        2. Accessing Source Control
        3. Offline Support for Source Control
        4. Summary
      3. Forms and Controls
        1. The Windows Form
        2. Form Design Preferences
        3. Adding and Positioning Controls
        4. Container Controls
        5. Docking and Anchoring Controls
        6. Summary
      4. Documentation Using Comments and Sandcastle
        1. Inline Commenting
        2. XML Comments
        3. Using XML Comments
        4. Sandcastle Documentation Generation Tools
        5. Task List Comments
        6. Summary
      5. Project and Item Templates
        1. Creating Templates
        2. Extending Templates
        3. Summary
    8. Languages
      1. Generics, Nullable Types, Partial Types, and Methods
        1. Generics
        2. Nullable Types
        3. Partial Types
        4. Operator Overloading
        5. Property Accessibility
        6. Custom Events
        7. Summary
      2. Anonymous Types, Extension Methods, and Lambda Expressions
        1. Object and Array Initialization
        2. Implicit Typing
        3. Anonymous Types
        4. Extension Methods
        5. Lambda Expressions
        6. Summary
      3. Language-Specific Features
        1. C#
        2. VB.NET
        3. Summary
      4. The My Namespace
        1. What Is the My Namespace?
        2. Using My in Code
        3. A Namespace Overview
        4. Your Turn
        5. Summary
      5. The Languages Ecosystem
        1. Hitting a Nail with the Right Hammer
        2. Introducing F#
        3. Summary
    9. Coding
      1. IntelliSense and Bookmarks
        1. IntelliSense Explained
        2. IntelliSense Options
        3. Extended IntelliSense
        4. Bookmarks and the Bookmark Window
        5. Summary
      2. Code Snippets and Refactoring
        1. Code Snippets Revealed
        2. Accessing Refactoring Support
        3. Refactoring Actions
        4. Summary
      3. Modeling with the Class Designer
        1. Creating a Class Diagram
        2. Design Surface
        3. Toolbox
        4. Class Details
        5. Properties Window
        6. Layout
        7. Exporting Diagrams
        8. Code Generation and Refactoring
        9. PowerToys for the Class Designer
        10. Summary
      4. Server Explorer
        1. The Servers Node
        2. Summary
      5. Unit Testing
        1. Your First Test Case
        2. Asserting the Facts
        3. Initializing and Cleaning Up
        4. Testing Context
        5. Advanced
        6. Managing Large Numbers of Tests
        7. Summary
    10. Data
      1. DataSets and DataBinding
        1. DataSet Overview
        2. Binding
        3. Object Data Source
        4. Working with Data Sources
        5. Summary
      2. Visual Database Tools
        1. Database Windows in Visual Studio 2008
        2. Managing Test Data
        3. Previewing Data
        4. Summary
      3. Language Integrated Queries (LINQ)
        1. LINQ Providers
        2. Old-School Queries
        3. Query Pieces
        4. Debugging and Execution
        5. Summary
      4. LINQ to XML
        1. XML Object Model
        2. Creating XML with LINQ
        3. Querying XML
        4. Schema Support
        5. Summary
      5. LINQ to SQL and Entities
        1. LINQ to SQL
        2. LINQ to Entities
        3. Summary
      6. Synchronization Services
        1. Occasionally Connected Applications
        2. Summary
    11. Security
      1. Security in the .NET Framework
        1. Key Security Concepts
        2. Code Access Security
        3. Role-Based Security
        4. Summary
      2. Cryptography
        1. General Principles
        2. Techniques
        3. Applying Cryptography
        4. Miscellaneous
        5. Summary
      3. Obfuscation
        1. MSIL Disassembler
        2. Decompilers
        3. Obfuscating Your Code
        4. Attributes
        5. Summary
      4. Client Application Services
        1. Client Services
        2. Role Authorization
        3. User Authentication
        4. Settings
        5. Login Form
        6. Offline Support
        7. Summary
      5. Device Security Manager
        1. Security Configurations
        2. Device Emulation
        3. Summary
    12. Platforms
      1. ASP.NET Web Applications
        1. Web Application vs. Web Site Projects
        2. Creating Web Projects
        3. Designing Web Forms
        4. Web Controls
        5. Master Pages
        6. Rich Client-Side Development
        7. ASP.NET Web Site Administration
        8. Summary
      2. Office Applications
        1. Choosing an Office Project Type
        2. Creating a Document-Level Customization
        3. Creating an Application Add-In
        4. Debugging Office Applications
        5. Deploying Office Applications
        6. Summary
      3. Mobile Applications
        1. Getting Started
        2. The Design Skin
        3. The Toolbox
        4. Debugging
        5. Project Settings
        6. The Data Source
        7. Windows Mobile APIs
        8. Summary
      4. WPF Applications
        1. Getting Started
        2. WPF Designer
        3. Styling Your Application
        4. Windows Forms Interoperability
        5. Summary
      5. WCF and WF Applications
        1. Windows Communication Foundation
        2. Windows Workflow Foundation
        3. Summary
      6. Next Generation Web: Silverlight and ASP.NET MVC
        1. Silverlight
        2. ASP.NET MVC
        3. Summary
    13. Configuration and Internationalization
      1. Configuration Files
        1. Config Files
        2. Configuration Schema
        3. Application Settings
        4. Referenced Projects with Settings
        5. Summary
      2. Connection Strings
        1. Connection String Wizard
        2. SQL Server Format
        3. In-Code Construction
        4. Encrypting Connection Strings
        5. Summary
      3. Resource Files
        1. What Are Resources?
        2. Resourcing Your Application
        3. Satellite Resources
        4. Accessing Specifics
        5. Coding Resource Files
        6. Custom Resources
        7. Summary
    14. Debugging
      1. Using the Debugging Windows
        1. Code Window
        2. Breakpoint Window
        3. Output Window
        4. Immediate Window
        5. Watch Windows
        6. Call Stack
        7. Threads
        8. Modules
        9. Processes
        10. Memory Windows
        11. Exceptions
        12. Summary
      2. Debugging with Breakpoints
        1. Breakpoints
        2. Tracepoints
        3. Execution Point
        4. Edit and Continue
        5. Summary
      3. Creating Debug Proxies and Visualizers
        1. Attributes
        2. Type Proxies
        3. Visualizers
        4. Advanced Techniques
        5. Summary
      4. Debugging Web Applications
        1. Debugging Server-Side ASP.NET Code
        2. Debugging Client-Side JavaScript
        3. Debugging Silverlight
        4. Tracing
        5. Health Monitoring
        6. Summary
      5. Advanced Debugging Techniques
        1. Start Actions
        2. Debugging with Code
        3. Debugging Running Applications
        4. .NET Framework Reference Source
        5. Multi-Threaded Debugging
        6. Debugging SQL Server Stored Procedures
        7. Mixed-Mode Debugging
        8. Summary
    15. Build and Deployment
      1. Upgrading with Visual Studio 2008
        1. Upgrading from Visual Studio 2005
        2. Upgrading to .NET Framework v3.5
        3. Upgrading from Visual Basic 6
        4. Summary
      2. Build Customization
        1. General Build Options
        2. Manual Dependencies
        3. Visual Basic Compile Page
        4. C# Build Pages
        5. MSBuild
        6. Summary
      3. Assembly Versioning and Signing
        1. Assembly Naming
        2. Summary
      4. ClickOnce and MSI Deployment
        1. Installers
        2. ClickOnce
        3. Summary
      5. Web and Mobile Application Deployment
        1. Web Application Deployment
        2. Mobile Application Deployment
        3. Summary
    16. Automation
      1. The Automation Model
        1. Introduction to the Automation Model
        2. The Automation Model and Visual Studio Extensibility
        3. Development Tools Extensibility (DTE)
        4. A Quick Overview of DTE
        5. Limitations of the Automation Model
        6. Summary
      2. Add-Ins
        1. Introduction
        2. Add-In Wizard
        3. The Anatomy of an Add-In
        4. The Structure of .AddIn Files
        5. Develop an Add-In
        6. Debugging
        7. Deployment
        8. Shared Add-Ins
        9. Summary
      3. Macros
        1. The Anatomy of a Macro
        2. Macro Explorer
        3. Macros IDE
        4. How to Record a Macro
        5. How to Develop a Macro
        6. Running a Macro
        7. Deployment
        8. Summary
    17. Visual Studio Team System
      1. VSTS: Architect Edition
        1. Case Study
        2. Application Designer
        3. Logical Datacenter Designer
        4. Deployment Designer
        5. Settings and Constraints Editor
        6. System Designer
        7. Summary
      2. VSTS: Developer Edition
        1. Code Metrics
        2. Managed Code Analysis Tool
        3. C/C++ Code Analysis Tool
        4. Profiling Tools
        5. Stand-Alone Profiler
        6. Application Verifier
        7. Code Coverage
        8. Summary
      3. VSTS: Tester Edition
        1. Web Tests
        2. Load Tests
        3. Manual Tests
        4. Generic Tests
        5. Ordered Tests
        6. Test Management
        7. Summary
      4. VSTS: Database Edition
        1. SQL-CLR Database Project
        2. Offline Database Schema
        3. Data Generation
        4. Database Unit Testing
        5. Database Refactoring
        6. Schema Compare
        7. Data Compare
        8. T-SQL Editor
        9. Power Tools
        10. Best Practices
        11. Summary
      5. Team Foundation Server
        1. Process Templates
        2. Work Item Tracking
        3. Excel and Project Integration
        4. Version Control
        5. Team Foundation Build
        6. Reporting and Business Intelligence
        7. Team Portal
        8. Team System Web Access
        9. TFS Automation and Process Customization
        10. Summary
    18. Index

    Product information

    • Title: Professional Visual Studio® 2008
    • Author(s): Nick Randolph, David Gardner
    • Release date: July 2008
    • Publisher(s): Wrox
    • ISBN: 9780470229880