Fast Track to Visual Basic.NET (VB.NET) Programming

Seminar Description

Fast Track to Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET) Programming consists of three different levels of information. Besides learning VB.NET from a practical perspective, the attendees will also become very familiar with Microsoft's premier development platform, Visual Studio .NET.

Level 1

Attendees will also learn basic object oriented programming techniques, See the latest Windows Forms Controls, Become familiar with the new string and date classes, Learn how to access data using ADO.NET, Understand how to use inheritance and override members, See how VB.NET can access COM components, Work with the new VB.NET debugging features, Understand Error Handling using Exceptions, Learn basic File Input/Output techniques, and Investigate new .NET data structures.

Level 3

Who Should Attend

Developers and Architects

Prerequisites

This course has no prerequisites. 

Jackson-Reed's Object-Oriented Analysis and Design using the UML course would be a natural follow-on or precursor to this course.

Seminar Length

5 days for all three levels (hands-on,  requires computers and valid licenses for VS.NET at offering location)

Seminar Outline 

Level 1

Intro to .NET

• Why .NET?
• The .NET Framework
• Creating a Simple .NET Application

Working with the Visual Studio .NET IDE

• Introducing Visual Studio .NET
  Starting Visual Studio .NET
• Changing Options
• Windows and Tabs
• Creating a New Project

Introduction to Windows Forms

• Yes, .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

Visual Basic .NET Nuts and Bolts

• Creating Simple Applications
• Getting Started with Visual Basic .NET in Visual Studio .NET
• Variables and Data Types
• Working with Code

Taking Advantage of the Windows Form Event Model

• How Visual Basic .NET Handles Events
• Exploring Form and Control Events

Level 2

Classes and Objects

• Understanding Classes and Objects
• Advantages of Using Classes and Objects
• Creating Classes in Visual Studio
• Constructing Objects
• Creating and Using Properties
• Creating and Using Methods
• Raising and Handling Events

Windows Forms Controls

• Exploring the Tools in Your Toolbox
• Adding Controls Dynamically
• Anchoring and Docking
• Dialog Controls
• Controlling Tab Order

Inheritance and Interfaces

• Object-Oriented Programming
• Understanding Inheritance
• Extending the People Namespace
• Customizing Controls with Inheritance
• Polymorphism
• Implementing Interfaces to Enable Sorting

Working with Strings and Dates

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

Exception Handling

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

Debugging Your Applications

• Configuring the Debugging Environment
• Setting Breakpoints and Stepping through Code
• Writing to the Windows Event Log
• Adding Tracing to Your Application

Handling Input/Output Tasks

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

Investigating .NET Data Structures

• Introduction to Data Structures
• Working with Arrays
• Collection Classes

Accessing Data

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

Interoperability

• Using COM Objects in Visual Basic .NET
• Using Platform Invocation Services
• Call .NET Assemblies from Visual Basic 6.0

Level 3

Creating Data-Bound Applications

• Data Binding Basics
• Using the Data Form Wizard

Introduction to ASP.NET

• A Review of Classic ASP
• ASP.NET Web Applications
• Rendering HTML with Server Controls
• Using ASP.NET to Deliver XML Web Services

Managing Data with ADO.NET DataSets

• The Role of DataSets in ADO.NET
• Using DataSets in ASP.NET
• Saving DataSets in Session State
• Using DataTable Constraints and DataSet DataRelations
• Using DataSets with DataAdapters to Modify Data
• The Transactional Model in DataSets
• DataSets and XML
• Typed DataSets

Creating Windows Services

• Introducing Windows Services
• Building Your First Windows Service
• The FileWatcher Service

Creating and Consuming XML Web Services

• The Motivation for XML Web Services
• Creating an XML Web Service with Visual Studio .NET
• Designing XML Web Services
• Creating .NET Consumers
• Web Services and Legacy Clients
• Discovering Web Services Using UDDI

Data Binding Techniques

• Synchronizing Multiple DataGrid Controls
• Formatting a DataGrid Control
• Limit Editing in a DataGrid
• Working with the ListBox Control
• Working with Binary Data

Security

• Overview of Security in .NET
• Permission Requests
• Using Role-Based Security

Multiple Document Interfaces (MDI) and Graphics (GDI+)

• Creating MDI Applications
• The Scribble Application
• Drawing on Forms
• Creating Transparent Areas in Forms
• Creating Shaped Forms

Deployment

• Deployment Concepts
• Simple Deployment
• Windows Installer Deployment
• Deploying Shared Components
• HTTP Deployment

Appendix A: Creating Reports Using Crystal Reports

• Introducing Crystal Reports
• Creating a Simple Report
• Using Custom Formulas
• Add Custom Grouping and Totals
• Filtering the Report

Appendix B: Deploying Shared Components

• Deploying Shared Components