Core C# and .NET: The Complete and Comprehensive Developer's Guide to C# 2.0 and .NET 2.0

About

Features

In the tradition of Core Java , a clear, concise introduction to C#, using real code to solve real world problems

° Written in the proven Core style

° Written on C# 2.0

° Explains all the basic principles of .NET as well as C#

° Provides best practice tips throughout

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Description

• Copyright 2006
• Edition: 1st

• Book
• ISBN-10: 0-13-147227-5
• ISBN-13: 978-0-13-147227-3

• Written for C# 2.0 and .NET 2.0: contains coverage of generics, Master Pages, the DataGridView, and other new features
• Covers Web development, Windows development, data management, security, threading, remoting, and much more
• Presents hundreds of non-trivial code examples that help you solve real-world problems

The Complete and Comprehensive Developer's Guide to C# 2.0 and .NET 2.0

Core C# and .NET is the no-nonsense, example-rich guide to achieving exceptional results with C# 2.0 and .NET 2.0. Writing for experienced programmers, Stephen Perry presents today's best practices for leveraging both C# 2.0 language features and Microsoft's .NET 2.0 infrastructure.

Like all books in the Core Series, Core C# and .NET focuses on solving real-world problems with serious, non-trivial code. Perry's broad, deep coverage ranges from new C# generics to Web services, from reflection to security. He systematically introduces the development of Windows Forms applications and the effective use of GDI+ graphics classes. He offers detailed guidance on data management with XML and ADO.NET, plus advanced coverage of threading, remoting, and code security. Finally, Perry presents an extensive section on Web development, covering ASP.NET, state management, HTTP requests, and much more.

With practical insights into everything from scalability to localization, this is the C# book you've been searching for: your definitive guide to building production-quality C# applications.

Core C# and .NET delivers

• Best practices for building C#/.NET Windows applications, Web applications, and Web services
• Expert insight into security, scalability, and other crucial issues
• Hundreds of professional-quality code examples
• In-depth coverage of the latest C# 2.0 features, including generics

EVERY CORE SERIES BOOK:

DEMONSTRATES practical techniques used by professional developers

FEATURES robust, thoroughly tested sample code and realistic examples

FOCUSES on the cutting-edge technologies you need to master today

PROVIDES expert advice that will help you build superior software

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

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Source Code

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Extras

Related Articles

A .NET Framework Text and Font Primer

Anonymous Methods in C# 2.0

Generic Classes in C# 2.0

Understanding MDI Applications in .NET

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Sample Content

Online Sample Chapter

Using .NET Windows Forms Controls

Downloadable Sample Chapter

Download the Sample Chapter related to this title. Also, download a special bonus chapter.

Table of Contents

About the Author.

Foreword.

Preface.

Acknowledgments.

I. FUNDAMENTALS OF C# PROGRAMMING AND INTRODUCTION TO .NET.

1. Introduction to .NET and C#.

    Overview of the .NET Framework

      Microsoft .NET and the CLI Standards

    Common Language Runtime

      Compiling .NET Code

      Common Type System

      Assemblies

    Framework Class Library

    Working with the .NET Framework and SDK

      Updating the .NET Framework

      .NET Framework Tools

      Ildasm.exe

      wincv.exe

      Framework Configuration Tool

    Understanding the C# Compiler

      Locating the Compiler

      Compiling from the Command Line

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

2. C# Language Fundamentals.

    The Layout of a C# Program

      General C# Programming Notes

    Primitives

      decimal

      bool

      char

      byte, sbyte

      short, int, long

      single, double

      Using Parse and TryParse to Convert a Numeric String

    Operators: Arithmetic, Logical, and Conditional

      Arithmetic Operators

      Conditional and Relational Operators

      Control Flow Statements

      if-else

      switch

    Loops

      while loop

      do loop

      for loop

      foreach loop

      Transferring Control Within a Loop

    C# Preprocessing Directives

      Conditional Compilation

      Diagnostic Directives

      Code Regions

    Strings

      String Literals

      String Manipulation

    Enumerated Types

      Working with Enumerations

      System.Enum Methods

      Enums and Bit Flags

    Arrays

      Declaring and Creating an Array

      Using System.Array Methods and Properties

    Reference and Value Types

      System.Object and System.ValueType

      Memory Allocation for Reference and Value Types

      Boxing

      Summary of Value and Reference Type Differences

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

3. Class Design in C#.

    Introduction to a C# Class

    Defining a Class

      Attributes

      Access Modifiers

      Abstract, Sealed, and Static Modifiers

      Class Identifier

      Base Classes, Interfaces, and Inheritance

    Overview of Class Members

      Member Access Modifiers

    Constants, Fields, and Properties

      Constants

      Fields

      Properties

      Indexers

    Methods

      Method Modifiers

      Passing Parameters

    Constructors

      Instance Constructor

      Private Constructor

      Static Constructor

    Delegates and Events

      Delegates

      Delegate-Based Event Handling

    Operator Overloading

    Interfaces

      Creating and Using a Custom Interface

      Working with Interfaces

    Generics

    Structures

      Defining Structures

      Using Methods and Properties with a Structure

    Structure Versus Class

      Structures Are Value Types and Classes Are Reference Types

      Unlike a Class, a Structure Cannot Be Inherited

      General Rules for Choosing Between a Structure and a Class

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

4. Working with Objects in C#.

    Object Creation

      Example: Creating Objects with Multiple Factories

    Exception Handling

      System.Exception Class

      Writing Code to Handle Exceptions

      Example: Handling Common SystemException Exceptions

      How to Create a Custom Exception Class

      Unhandled Exceptions

      Exception Handling Guidelines

    Implementing System.Object Methods in a Custom Class

      ToString() to Describe an Object

      Equals() to Compare Objects

      Cloning to Create a Copy of an Object

    Working with .NET Collection Classes and Interfaces

      Collection Interfaces

      System.Collections Namespace

      Stack and Queue

      ArrayList

      Hashtable

      System.Collections.Generic Namespace

    Object Serialization

      Binary Serialization

    Object Life Cycle Management

      .NET Garbage Collection

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

II. CREATING APPLICATIONS USING THE .NET FRAMEWORK CLASS LIBRARY.

5. C# Text Manipulation and File I/O.

    Characters and Unicode

      Unicode

      Working with Characters

    The String Class

      Creating Strings

      Overview of String Operations

    Comparing Strings

      Using String.Compare

      Using String.CompareOrdinal

    Searching, Modifying, and Encoding a String's Content

      Searching the Contents of a String

      Searching a String That Contains Surrogates

      String Transformations

      String Encoding

    StringBuilder

      StringBuilder Class Overview

      StringBuilder Versus String Concatenation

    Formatting Numeric and DateTime Values

      Constructing a Format Item

      Formatting Numeric Values

      Formatting Dates and Time

    Regular Expressions

      The Regex Class

      Creating Regular Expressions

      A Pattern Matching Example

      Working with Groups

      Examples of Using Regular Expressions

    System.IO: Classes to Read and Write Streams of Data

      The Stream Class

      FileStreams

      MemoryStreams

      BufferedStreams

      Using StreamReader and StreamWriter to Read and Write Lines of Text

      StringWriter and StringReader

      Encryption with the CryptoStream Class

    System.IO: Directories and Files

      FileSystemInfo

      Working with Directories Using the DirectoryInfo, Directory, and Path Classes

      Working with Files Using the FileInfo and File Classes

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

6. Building Windows Forms Applications.

    Programming a Windows Form

      Building a Windows Forms Application by Hand

    Windows.Forms Control Classes

      The Control Class

      Working with Controls

      Control Events

    The Form Class

      Setting a Form's Appearance

      Setting Form Location and Size

      Displaying Forms

      The Life Cycle of a Modeless Form

      Forms Interaction--A Sample Application

      Owner and Owned Forms

      Message and Dialog Boxes

      Multiple Document Interface Forms

    Working with Menus

      MenuItem Properties

      Context Menus

    Adding Help to a Form

      ToolTips

      Responding to F1 and the Help Button

      The HelpProvider Component

    Forms Inheritance

      Building and Using a Forms Library

      Using the Inherited Form

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

7. Windows Forms Controls.

    A Survey of .NET Windows Forms Controls

    Button Classes, Group Box, Panel, and Label

      The Button Class

      The CheckBox Class

      The RadioButton Class

      The GroupBox Class

      The Panel Class

      The Label Class

    PictureBox and TextBox Controls

      The PictureBox Class

      The TextBox Class

    ListBox, CheckedListBox, and ComboBox Classes

      The ListBox Class

      Other List Controls: the ComboBox and the CheckedListBox

    The ListView and TreeView Classes

      The ListView Class

      The TreeView Class

    The ProgressBar, Timer, and StatusStrip Classes

      Building a StatusStrip

    Building Custom Controls

      Extending a Control

      Building a Custom UserControl

      A UserControl Example

      Using the Custom User Control

      Working with the User Control at Design Time

    Using Drag and Drop with Controls

      Overview of Drag and Drop

    Using Resources

      Working with Resource Files

      Using Resource Files to Create Localized Forms

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

8. .NET Graphics Using GDI+.

    GDI+ Overview

      The Graphics Class

      The Paint Event

    Using the Graphics Object

      Basic 2-D Graphics

      Pens

      Brushes

      Colors

      A Sample Project: Building a Color Viewer

    Images

      Loading and Storing Images

      Manipulating Images

      Sample Project: Working with Images

      A Note on GDI and BitBlt for the Microsoft Windows Platform

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

9. Fonts, Text, and Printing.

    Fonts

      Font Families

      The Font Class

    Drawing Text Strings

      Drawing Multi-Line Text

      Formatting Strings with the StringFormat Class

      Using Tab Stops

      String Trimming, Alignment, and Wrapping

    Printing

      Overview

      PrintDocument Class

      Printer Settings

      Page Settings

      PrintDocument Events

      PrintPage Event

      Previewing a Printed Report

      A Report Example

      Creating a Custom PrintDocument Class

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

10. Working with XML in .NET.

    Working with XML

      Using XML Serialization to Create XML Data

      XML Schema Definition (XSD)

      Using an XML Style Sheet

    Techniques for Reading XML Data

      XmlReader Class

      XmlNodeReader Class

      The XmlReaderSettings Class

      Using an XML Schema to Validate XML Data

      Options for Reading XML Data

    Techniques for Writing XML Data

    Using XPath to Search XML

      Constructing XPath Queries

      XmlDocument and Xpath

      XPathDocument and Xpath

      XmlDataDocument and Xpath

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

11. ADO.NET.

    Overview of the ADO.NET Architecture

      OLE DB Data Provider in .NET

      .NET Data Provider

    Data Access Models: Connected and Disconnected

      Connected Model

      Disconnected Model

    ADO.NET Connected Model

      Connection Classes

      The Command Object

      DataReader Object

    DataSets, DataTables, and the Disconnected Model

      The DataSet Class

      DataTables

      Loading Data into a DataSet

      Using the DataAdapter to Update a Database

      Defining Relationships Between Tables in a DataSet

      Choosing Between the Connected and Disconnected Model

    XML and ADO.NET

      Using a DataSet to Create XML Data and Schema Files

      Creating a DataSet Schema from XML

      Reading XML Data into a DataSet

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

12. Data Binding with Windows Forms Controls.

    Overview of Data Binding

      Simple Data Binding

      Complex Data Binding with List Controls

      One-Way and Two-Way Data Binding

      Using Binding Managers

    Using Simple and Complex Data Binding in an Application

      Binding to a DataTable

      Binding Controls to an ArrayList

      Adding an Item to the Data Source

      Identifying Updates

      Update Original Database with Changes

    The DataGridView Class

      Properties

      Events

      Setting Up Master-Detail DataGridViews

      Virtual Mode

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

III. ADVANCED USE OF C# AND THE .NET FRAMEWORK.

13. Asynchronous Programming and Multithreading.

    What Is a Thread?

      Multithreading

    Asynchronous Programming

      Asynchronous Delegates

      Examples of Implementing Asynchronous Calls

    Working Directly with Threads

      Creating and Working with Threads

      Multithreading in Action

      Using the Thread Pool

      Timers

    Thread Synchronization

      The Synchronization Attribute

      The Monitor Class

      The Mutex

      The Semaphore

      Avoiding Deadlock

      Summary of Synchronization Techniques

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

14. Creating Distributed Applications with Remoting.

    Application Domains

      Advantages of AppDomains

      Application Domains and Assemblies

      Working with the AppDomain Class

    Remoting

      Remoting Architecture

      Types of Remoting

      Client-Activated Objects

      Server-Activated Objects

      Type Registration

      Remoting with a Server-Activated Object

      Remoting with a Client-Activated Object (CAO)

      Design Considerations in Creating a Distributed Application

    Leasing and Sponsorship

      Leasing

      Sponsorship

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

15. Code Refinement, Security, and Deployment.

    Following .NET Code Design Guidelines

      Using FxCop

    Strongly Named Assemblies

      Creating a Strongly Named Assembly

      Delayed Signing

      Global Assembly Cache (GAC)

      Versioning

    Security

      Permissions and Permission Sets

      Evidence

      Security Policies

      Configuring Security Policy

      The .NET Framework Configuration Tool

      Configuring Code Access Security with the Configuration Tool--An Example

      Requesting Permissions for an Assembly

      Programmatic Security

    Application Deployment Considerations

      Microsoft Windows Deployment: XCOPY Deployment Versus the Windows Installer

      Deploying Assemblies in the Global Assembly Cache

      Deploying Private Assemblies

      Using CodeBase Configuration

      Using a Configuration File to Manage Multiple Versions of an Assembly

      Assembly Version and Product Information

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

IV. PROGRAMMING FOR THE INTERNET.

16. ASP.NET Web Forms and Controls.

    Client-Server Interaction over the Internet

      Web Application Example: Implementing a BMI Calculator

      Using ASP.NET to Implement a BMI Calculator

      Inline Code Model

      The Code-Behind Model

      Code-Behind with Partial Classes

      Page Class

    Web Forms Controls

      Web Controls Overview

      Specifying the Appearance of a Web Control

      Simple Controls

      List Controls

      The DataList Control

    Data Binding and Data Source Controls

      Binding to a DataReader

      Binding to a DataSet

      DataSource Controls

    Validation Controls

      Using Validation Controls

    Master and Content Pages

      Creating a Master Page

      Creating a Content Page

      Accessing the Master Page from a Content Page

    Building and Using Custom Web Controls

      A Custom Control Example

      Using a Custom Control

      Control State Management

      Composite Controls

    Selecting a Web Control to Display Data

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

17. The ASP.NET Application Environment.

    HTTP Request and Response Classes

      HttpRequest Object

      HttpResponse Object

    ASP.NET and Configuration Files

      A Look Inside web.config

      Adding a Custom Configuration Section

    ASP.NET Application Security

      Forms Authentication

      An Example of Forms Authentication

    Maintaining State

      Application State

      Session State

    Caching

      Page Output Caching

      Data Caching

    Creating a Web Client with WebRequest and WebResponse

      WebRequest and WebResponse Classes

      Web Client Example

    HTTP Pipeline

      Processing a Request in the Pipeline

      HttpApplication Class

      HTTP Modules

      HTTP Handlers

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

18. XML Web Services.

    Introduction to Web Services

      Discovering and Using a Web Service

    Building an XML Web Service

      Creating a Web Service by Hand

      Creating a Web Service Using VS.NET

      Extending the Web Service with the WebService and WebMethod Attributes

    Building an XML Web Service Client

      Creating a Simple Client to Access the Web Service Class

      Creating a Proxy with Visual Studio.NET

    Understanding WSDL and SOAP

      Web Services Description Language (WSDL)

      Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)

    Using Web Services with Complex Data Types

      A Web Service to Return Images

      Using Amazon Web Services

      Creating a Proxy for the Amazon Web Services

      Building a WinForms Web Service Client

    Web Services Performance

      Configuring the HTTP Connection

      Working with Large Amounts of Data

    Summary

    Test Your Understanding

Appendix A. Features Specific to .NET 2.0 and C# 2.0.

Appendix B. DataGridView Events and Delegates.

Answers to Chapter Exercises.

Index.

Preface

The process of preparing programs for a digital computer is especially attractive because it not only can be economically and scientifically rewarding, it can also be an aesthetic experience much like composing poetry or music.

—Donald Knuth, preface to Fundamental Algorithms (1968)

Thirty-seven years later, programmers still experience the same creative satisfaction from a well-crafted program. It can be ten lines of recursive code that pops into one's head at midnight, or it can be an entire production management system whose design requires a year of midnights. Then, as now, good programs still convey an impression of logic and naturalness—particularly to their users.

But the challenges have evolved. Software is required to be more malleable—it may be run from a LAN, the Internet, or a cellular phone. Security is also a much bigger issue, since the code may be accessible all over the world. This, in turn, raises issues of scalability and how to synchronize code for hundreds of concurrent users. More users bring more cultures, and the concomitant need to customize programs to meet the language and culture characteristics of a worldwide client base.

. NET—and the languages written for it—addresses these challenges as well as any unified development environment. This book is written for developers, software architects, and students who choose to work with the .NET Framework. All code in the book is written in C#, although only one chapter is specifically devoted to the syntactical structure of the C# language.

This book is not an introduction to programming—it assumes you are experienced in a computer language. This book is not an introduction to object oriented programming (OOP)—although it will re-enforce the principles of encapsulation, polymorphism, and inheritance through numerous examples. Finally, this book is not an introduction to using Visual Studio .NET to develop C# programs. VS.NET is mentioned, but the emphasis is on developing and understanding C# and the .NET classes—independent of any IDE.

This book is intended for the experienced programmer who is moving to .NET and wants to get an overall feel for its capabilities. You may be a VB6 or C++ programmer seeking exposure to .NET; a VB.NET programmer expanding your repertoire into C#; or—and yes it does happen occasionally—a Java programmer investigating life on the far side. Here's what you'll find if you choose to journey through this book.

18 Chapters. The first four chapters should be read in order. They provide an introduction to C# and a familiarity with using the .NET Class libraries. The remaining chapters can be read selectively based on your interests. Chapters 6 and 7 describe how to develop Windows Forms applications. Chapter 8 and 9 deal with GDI+—the .NET graphics classes. Chapters 10 through 12 are about working with data. Both XML and ADO.NET are discussed. Chapters 13, 14, and 15 tackle the more advanced topics of threading, remoting, and code security, respectively. The final chapters form a Web trilogy: Chapter 16 discusses ASP.NET Web page development; Chapter 17 looks behind the scenes at how to manage state information and manage HTTP requests; the book closes with a look at Web Services.

• .NET 2.0. The manuscript went to publication after the release of Beta 2.0. As such, it contains information based on that release. The 2.0 topics are integrated within the chapters, rather than placing them in a special 2.0 section. However, as a convenience, Appendix A contains a summary and separate index to the .NET 2.0 topics.
• Coding examples. Most of the code examples are short segments that emphasize a single construct or technique. The objective is to avoid filler code that does nothing but waste paper. Only when it is essential, does a code example flow beyond a page in length. (Note that all significant code examples are available as a download from www.corecsharp.net.)
• Questions and answers. Each chapter ends with a section of questions to test your knowledge. The answers are available in a single section at the end of the book.
• Fact rather opinion. This book is not based on my opinion; it is based on the features inherent in .NET and C#. Core recommendations and notes are included with the intent of providing insight rather than opinion.

While some will disagree, if you really want to learn C# and .NET, shut down your IDE, pull out your favorite text editor, and learn how to use the C# compiler from the command line. Once you have mastered the fundamentals, you can switch to VS.NET and any other IDE for production programming.

Finally, a word about .NET and Microsoft. This book was developed using Microsoft .NET 1.x and Whidbey betas. It includes topics such as ADO.NET and ASP.NET that are very much a Microsoft proprietary implementations. In fact Microsoft has applied to patent these methodologies. However all of C# and many of the .NET basic class libraries are based on a standard that enables them to be ported to other platforms. Now, and increasingly in the future, many of the techniques described in this book will be applicable to .NET like implementations (see Mono) on non-Windows platforms.

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