Learning Objectives

• Learn about creating Windows Forms applications
• Understand how to trap Windows Forms events
• Investigate the many Windows Forms controls
• Become familiar with intrinsic .NET data types
• Learn how to access data using ADO.NET
• Bind controls to data effortlessly using data binding features
• Work with debugging features
• Learn the role of DataSets and DataTables in ADO.NET
• Understand error handling using Exception objects
• Learn how to work with the Windows file system
• Learn how to crate data-bound applications
• Create flexible user interfaces using new container controls
• Investigate new language features, including LINQ (Language Integrated Query)
• Incorporate improvements to Visual Studio's data features
• Build applications using Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)
• Investigate new features for Windows applications

Course Outline

Introduction to Windows Forms

• .NET Does Windows
• Adding Controls to a Form
• A Peek behind the Scenes
• Adding Event Handling Code
• Adding a Menu to the Form
• Adding Non-Graphical Components

Taking Advantage of the Form Event Model

• How .NET Languages Handle Events
• Exploring Form and Control Events

Common Windows Forms Controls

• Label, TextBox, and Button
• CheckBox and RadioButton
• ComboBox, ListBox, and CheckedListBox
• LinkLabel, NumericUpdown, PictureBox and ProgressBar

Exception Handling

• Perspectives on Exception Handling
• Getting Started with Exception Handling
• Catching Specific Exceptions
• Raising Errors
• Running Code Unconditionally
• Handling Unhandled Exceptions
• Creating Exception Classes

Working with Strings and Dates

• Core .NET Data Types
• Working with Text: The String Class
• Working with Dates and Times

Accessing Data

• Overview of ADO.NET
• Connecting to Data
• Executing Commands
• Working with Data
• Choosing an ADO.NET Provider

Introduction to LINQ

• Language Integrated Query
• LINQ Syntax
• LINQ SQL
• LINQ DataSets
• LINQ to XML

Data Binding Techniques

• Data Binding Basics
• Creating a Data Source
• Creating Data-Bound Forms
• Data Binding Components and Controls
• Displaying Data from Related Tables
• Displaying Data from Lookup Tables
• Adding Search Capabilities to a Form
• Filtering by Values from a Lookup Table
• Data Validation
• Working with Local Data

Using the Data Controls

• Data Controls
• The BindingNavigator Control
• The BindingSource Component
• The DataGridView Control
• The ReportViewer Control

Introduction to WPF

• Introducing Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)
• Investigating XAML and the WPF Designer
• Introducing Content and Grid Controls

Revisiting WPF

• Laying Out the Application
• Creating the MoviePlayer Control
• Creating a Data Source and Hook up Data Binding
• Adding a Data Converter and a Data Template

Handling Input/Output Tasks

• Introducing the System.IO Namespace
• Selecting Files
• Browsing for Folders
• Handling Path Information
• Working with Directories and Files
• Using Stream-Based Objects to Read and Write File Contents

Project Settings in Visual Studio

• The Project Designer
• Application Properties
• Compilation Properties
• Debugging Properties
• Project References
• Project Resources
• Project Settings

Debugging Your Applications

• Debugging Applications
• Setting Breakpoints and Stepping through Code
• Debugging Code in Assemblies
• Evaluating Variables and Objects
• Edit and Continue
• Tracing Applications

Container Controls

• Introducing Container Controls
• Grouping Controls with the GroupBox Control
• Introducing the Panel Control
• Displaying Multiple Panels with the SplitContainer Control
• Laying out Panels with the TabControl Control
• Simple Layout Using the FlowLayoutPanel Control
• Advanced Layout Using the TableLayoutPanel Control

Menus and Toolbars

• Introducing the ToolStrips
• Working with the ToolStrips

Complex Windows Forms Controls

• Introducing Complex Controls
• NotifyIcon Control
• WebBrowser Control
• MaskedTextBox Control
• RichTextBox Control
• TreeView and ListView Controls
• MonthCalendar and DateTimePicker Controls

Interoperability

• COM and .NET
• Calling COM Objects from .NET
• Calling .NET Assemblies from COM
• Using Platform Invoke
• Web Services

Deploying Applications Using Click-Once

• ClickOnce Deployment
• ClickOnce Deployment
• Publishing and Application
• Setting Publish Options
• Updating a Deployed Application
• What Happens When You Publish an Application?
• Deploying Office 2007 Solutions