Developing Windows Applications using Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 — A 5-Day Course

 Open Public Course Closed In-House Course

Course Synopsis

The Microsoft .NET Framework provides very rich support for the development of "smart client" applications using Windows Forms 3.5. This latest version of Windows Forms is one of the most powerful, yet easy to use, platforms for creating compelling Windows applications. With rich support for data binding, upgraded layout and localisation features, support for multithreading and Microsoft Office-style tool- and menu-strip controls, you will be producing great looking, feature rich and responsive applications in record time.

ClickOnce deployment technology also makes it a snap to get your applications installed; overcoming one of the most common complaints levelled at Windows programs.

This course will provide you with the skills necessary to create a modern Windows application, providing you with comprehensive coverage of this exciting technology.

Course Objectives

On completion of this course, delegates will have learnt how to:

• Use Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 to create Windows Forms 3.5 applications
• Configure and deploy an application using ClickOnce deployment
• Work with the new menu- and tool-strip controls
• Use ADO, LINQ and data binding techniques to minimise the amount of code needed to create data-driven applications
• Use GDI+ to create great looking controls and printed output
• Manipulate and utilise application and user settings within their programs
• Create Windows Forms applications that work correctly with multiple threads of execution
• Go beyond the RAD features of Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 to create scalable and maintainable Windows Forms applications
• Explain how Windows Forms relates to Windows Presentation Foundation

Intended Audience

This course is ideal for Developers and Team Leaders who will be using Windows Forms 3.5 and the Microsoft .NET Framework to write and deploy Windows applications

Course Prerequisites

Before attending this course, students must have:

• Delegates should already have experience of using the C# or Visual Basic .NET programming languages, which can be gained by attending either of the following courses: The Visual Basic 2008 Programming Language or The C# Programming Language.
• Knowledge of GUI programming, using technologies such as Visual Basic 6, Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) or Windows Forms 1 would be an advantage, but it is not required

Examinations

This course will assist delegates preparing for the following exams:

• Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Windows-Based Client Development (70-526)

Publicly scheduled dates, locations, and prices

Outline Course Contents

Hello, Windows Forms

• Fundamentals of Windows Programming
• Building your first form
• Adding controls
• Handling basic events
• Displaying a MessageBox
• Overview of the Windows Forms controls
• Creating a Windows Forms application using Microsoft Visual Studio 2008

Menus and Toolbars

• Creating menus with the MenuStrip
• Using the ToolStrip
• Adding context menus
• Docking with ToolStripContainer
• Using a StatusStrip

Working with Forms

• Creating forms
• Form ownership
• Hiding and showing forms
• Critical Form events
• Laying out controls
• Tab and z-order
• Anchoring and docking
• TableLayoutPanel
• GridLayoutPanel
• Automatic sizing and scaling
• Visual Inheritance
• Multiple Document Interface (MDI) applications

Dialog Boxes

• Creating modal forms
• Using the common dialog boxes
• Implementing a tabbed dialog
• Exchanging data with forms
• Adding custom events to forms
• Validation techniques
• Using the ErrorProvider control
• Form-level validation
• Context sensitive help and the HelpProvider

Managing Settings

• Saving and loading settings
• Preserving form and control layouts
• Application and per-user settings
• Supporting roaming users

Resources and Localisation

• Using resources
• Globalisation
• Localisation
• Satellite assemblies
• Creating internationalisable applications

Beyond RAD

• The Application object
• Controlling application instancing
• Implementing Model-view-controller
• Singleton forms
• Implementing Command pattern
• Handling exceptions on the UI thread

Data Binding

• Simple data binding
• Complex data binding
• Data binding using Microsoft Visual Studio 2008
• Working with different binding sources
• Data views
• Sorting and Filtering
• The DataGridView control
• Designing types to support data binding

ADO.NET and LINQ

• The ADO.NET managed providers
• DataSets and DataAdapters
• The DataReader
• Configuring ASP.NET applications to use ADO.NET
• LINQ syntax
• Object Relational Designer and LINQ to SQL

Working with Web Services

• Locating and calling a Web Service
• Working with proxies and security credentials
• Asynchronous Web Service invocations

Asynchronous Programming

• Multithreading and the Windows user interface
• Understanding ISynchroniseInvoke
• Using a secondary thread
• Using the BackgroundWorker component
• Using timers

Components and Controls

• What is a component?
• Creating a custom component
• Creating a custom control
• Introduction to design time integration

Drawing

• Introducing GDI+
• Painting forms and controls
• Using GDI+ primitives correctly
• Brushes, pens and fonts
• Drawing text
• Filling and drawing shapes
• Applying transformations
• Double buffering
• Performance

Printing

• Print documents
• Print controllers
• Working with common printer dialogs
• Implementing print preview

Working with ClickOnce Deployment

• Versioning and rollback
• Controlling ClickOnce programmatically
• Trust, Code Access Security (CAS) and ClickOnce
• Integrating with the shell

Windows Presentation Foundation

• Introducing Windows Presentation Foundation

Review

• Course review
• Further resources