The Microsoft C# 3.0 Programming Language — A 4-Day Course

 Open Public Course Closed In-House Course

Course Synopsis

Microsoft's .NET Framework presents developers with unprecedented opportunities. From 'geo-scalable' web applications to desktop and mobile platform applications - all can be built with equal ease, using substantially the same skill-set. But to make the most of this potential, developers must have a thorough grasp of core language skills.

This four-day workshop concentrates on the C# programming language itself, to prepare delegates fully in readiness for exploring the .NET Framework. From basic procedural syntax to sophisticated object-oriented programming techniques, delegates will learn how to write .NET applications with code that is robust, maintainable and efficient.

Course Objectives

On completion of this course, delegates should be able to:

• Write efficient procedural code that includes appropriate sequence, selection and iteration constructs
• Create and use classes and structures (types), including fields, properties and methods using private, internal and public scope
• Create derived classes that inherit from custom-written or .NET Framework Library classes
• Create interfaces and apply techniques of polymorphism effectively and appropriately
• Build exception-handling into methods, to create robust, user-friendly application behaviour
• Work effectively with delegates and events and understand how they operate
• Leverage the power of C# features such as indexers and iterators
• Work with generic types, operator overloading and other advanced language capabilities
• Use attributes to configure program behaviour and efficiently manage resources
• Make use of the major new C# 3.0 feature - LINQ (Language Integrated Query)
• Version assemblies and know how .NET searches and loads the correct DLL's

Intended Audience

This course is intended for:

• Developers using C# to write .NET Framework applications and who are new to the C# programming language
• This includes those currently working with Visual Basic 6.0, C++ or Java.

Course Prerequisites

Before attending this course, students must:

• Understand the fundamentals of programming and have some prior exposure to object oriented programming.

Course Materials

The course is presented as a mixture of lectures and hands-on exercises. Practical sessions follow each topic, designed to reinforce the points covered. Additional information is provided in appendices to extend the learning experience after the course has been completed.

Publicly scheduled dates, locations, and prices

Outline Course Contents

Introduction to .NET amp; C#

• The .NET Framework
• The Common Language Runtime
• The Common Type System;
• C# Features
• Introduction to namespaces and assemblies

Language Fundamentals

• Procedures and statements
• Data types
• Declaring variables
• Assignments
• Conversion
• Arithmetic and other operators
• Control constructs

Types

• Type concepts
• Value and reference types
• Fields, properties and methods
• Accessibility modifiers
• Construction
• Assignment
• The simple types
• The 'null' reference
• Static and instance members
• Enumerated types
• Partial classes
• Static classes

Exception Handling

• Errors vs. Exceptions
• The 'try' block
• Using 'throw'
• The 'catch' block
• The 'finally' block;
• Creating your own exceptions
• 'checked' and 'unchecked' expressions

Inheritance

• Concept of inheritance
• Extending a simple class
• Polymorphism
• 'virtual', 'override', 'new' and 'sealed' modifiers

Abstract Classes & Interfaces

• Abstract classes
• Abstract methods, properties and indexers
• Polymorphism with interfaces
• Multiple interfaces

Arrays & Indexers

• Arrays
• Array initialisers
• Multi-dimensional arrays
• Jagged arrays
• Indexers
• Standard collections
• C# 2.0 Iterators

Generic Types

• The need for generics
• Writing and using generic types
• Applying constraints
• Other aspects of generic programming
• Nullable types
• Generic collections

Attributes

• Attributed code explained
• Using attributes
• Custom attributes
• Introduction to reflection

Namespaces & Assemblies

• Namespaces
• The 'using' statement for namespaces
• Assemblies
• DLLs at compile time and Run Time
• The Global Assembly Cache (GAC)
• Versioning using public/private key cryptography

Managing Resources

• Garbage collection and its impacts
• Finalizers
• The 'Dispose' method
• IDisposable interface
• The using statement for deterministic resource management

Delegates & Events

• Delegates explained
• Working with delegates
• Creating your own delegate types
• Events
• Generic delegate EventHandler
• Anonymous delegates
• Asynchronous invocation patterns
• Late binding using delegates

C# 3.0 Language Enhancements

• Object amp
• Collection initialisers
• Anonymous types
• 'var' & inferred data types
• Delegate type Func>A,R<
• Using lambda expressions
• Extension methods
• LINQ and how LINQ uses and relies on all these new C#3.0 language enhancements

Brief Introduction to ASP.NET & Windows Forms

• Putting the language into practice
• Creating a simple ASP.NET Web Forms application using ADO.NET
• Creating a simple Windows Forms application
• Using a Web Service

Operator Overloading

• Why operator overloading is useful
• When to overload
• Implicit conversions
• Explicit conversions