Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 Unleashed, 3rd Edition

Description

Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 empowers you to write next-generation applications for any modern environment: mobile, web, cloud, universal Windows 10/8.x, database, and beyond. This end-to-end deep dive will help working developers squeeze maximum productivity out of Microsoft’s powerful new toolset.

The authors combine authoritative and detailed information about Microsoft’s latest IDE, with extensive insights and best practices drawn from decades of development experience. Developers will quickly get comfortable with Visual Studio 2015’s updated interface, master its new capabilities, leverage its extensive new support for open standards, and discover multiple opportunities to leverage its .NET 4.6 platform and language improvements.

By focusing entirely on Visual Studio 2015 Professional, the authors go deeper into Microsoft’s core product than ever before. You’ll find expert coverage of everything from debugging through deploying to Azure, IDE extension and automation through cross-platform mobile development. Throughout, this book’s focus is relentlessly practical: how to apply Microsoft’s tools to build better software, faster.

Detailed information on how to...

• Master Visual Studio 2015’s updated interface and key tools: Solutions, Projects, Browsers, Explorers, Editors, and Designers to improve productivity
• Develop robust cross-platform mobile apps for Windows, iOS, and Android using Apache Cordova templates for Visual Studio
• Use the new ASP.NET 5 to build modern web solutions that run on Windows, Mac, or Linux
• Develop Single Page Applications (SPAs) based on HTML5 and rich client-side JavaScript frameworks such as Knockout, AngularJS, Bootstrap, and more
• Accelerate cloud development with the Azure SDK, QuickStart templates, and Azure management portal
• Create mobile service solutions using ASP.NET Web API and WCF
• Streamline data development across multiple platforms with Entity Framework 7
• Develop modern Microsoft Office business applications
• Perform robust, automated unit testing as you code, increasing your confidence in changes and refactoring
• Extend the VS 2015 IDE and Code Editor by creating custom, productivity-enhancing solutions

Sample Content

Table of Contents

Introduction     xxv

Part I Introducing Visual Studio 2015

1 A Quick Tour of Visual Studio 2015     1
The Visual Studio Product Line     2
    Community Edition     3
    Professional Edition     4
    Enterprise     4
    MSDN     5
    TFS and Related Tools     5
Languages and Frameworks     8
    Programming Language Choices     9
    The .NET Framework     10
The Many Faces of a .NET Application     11
    Windows     12
    Web     13
    Mobile     13
Developing Windows 8/10 Clients     14
    Windows (WinForms)     14
    Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)     16
    Office/SharePoint Solutions     18
Creating Web Applications with ASP.NET 5     20
    Building Websites with Web Forms     21
    Developing with MVC/Razor     24
    Creating a Single Page Application (SPA)     25
    Coding Web Services with Web API     27
Coding for Azure     28
    Creating a Cloud Application     29
    Publishing to Azure     30
Working with Data     31
    Model as Code (Code First)     32
Writing Mobile Apps     37
    Create an Apache Cordova App     38
Summary     40
2 The Visual Studio IDE     41
Installing Visual Studio     41
    Installing Optional Features     42
    Signing In to Visual Studio     43
Managing Your IDE Settings     44
    Specify Stored and Synchronized Settings     44
    Change Color Theme     45
    Manually Import/Export and Change Default IDE Settings     46
    Switch IDE User     50
Getting Started     51
    Startup Options     52
Creating Your First Project     53
    Targeting Your Environment     54
Navigating the IDE     56
    The Menus     57
    The Many Toolbars     63
    Customizing Toolbars     64
    The Solution Explorer     66
    The Text Editors     68
    The Visual Designers     72
    The Toolbox     72
    The Properties Window     73
Managing the Many Windows of the IDE     74
    Pinning     74
    Docking     75
    Custom Window Layouts     77
    Navigating IDE Windows     79
    Touch Support     81
    Customize Your IDE Font     81
Providing Feedback on Visual Studio     82
    The Customer Experience Program     84
Summary     84
3 The .NET Languages     85
What’s New in C# 6.0 and VB 14     85
    Null-Conditional Operators     86
    ReadOnly Auto Properties     88
    NameOf Expression     90
    Using (Imports) Statics     91
    String Interpolation     91
    Lambda Expressions as Methods (C# Only)     92
    Index Initializers (C# Only)     92
Language Primer     93
    Programming Objects     93
    Types, Variables, and Constants     109
    Understanding Operators     113
    Making Decisions and Branching Code     116
    Looping     119
    Working with Groups of Items     121
    Programming with Attributes     126
    Creating and Raising Events     128
Language Features     131
    Infer a Variable’s Data Type Based on Assignment     132
    Create an Object and Initialize Its Values (Object Initializers)     134
    Define a Collection and Initialize Its Values     136
    Creating an Instance of a Nonexistent Class     137
    Add Methods to Existing Classes (Extension Methods)     138
    Add Business Logic to Generated Code (Partial Methods)     139
    Access and Query Data Using the .NET Languages     142
    Write Simple Unnamed Functions Within Your Code (Lambda Expressions)     143
    Splitting an Assembly Across Multiple Files     145
    Working with XML Directly Within Your Code (VB Only)     146
    Removing Unused Arguments from Event Handlers (VB Only)     147
    Creating an Automatically Implemented Property     147
    Dropping the Underscore in VB for Line Continuation     148
    Working with Dynamic Languages/Objects     148
    Covariance and Contravariance     155
Asynchronous Programming     157
The .NET Framework     159
    A Map to the .NET Framework     159
Summary     161

Part II An In-Depth Look at the IDE

4 Solutions and Projects     163
Understanding Solutions     163
    Creating a Solution     164
    Working with Solutions     170
Getting Comfortable with Projects     177
    Creating a Project     177
    Working with Project Definition Files     181
    Working with Projects     183
Summary     189
5 Browsers and Explorers     191
Leveraging the Solution Explorer     191
    Visual Cues and Item Types     192
    Interacting with Items     194
    Inspecting Objects     198
Class View     201
    Toolbar     202
    Search Bar     203
    Objects Pane     203
    Members Pane     205
Server Explorer     206
    Data Connections     207
    Server Components     208
    Azure     212
Object Browser     213
    Changing the Scope     213
    Browsing Objects     215
Document Outline     216
    Editing Elements     218
Summary     218
6 Introducing the Editors and Designers     221
Getting Started with the Basics     221
    The Text Editor     222
    Visual Studio Designers     225
Coding with the Code Editor     225
    Opening an Editor     226
    Writing Code in the Code Editor     226
    Anatomy of the Code Editor Window     228
    Code Navigation Tools     233
    Searching Documents     237
    Debugging in the Text Editor     243
    Printing Code     248
    Using the Code Definition Window     250
Creating and Editing XML Documents and Schema     251
    Inferring Schema     252
    Designing XML Schemas     253
    Editing XSLT Style Sheets     256
Working with Cascading Style Sheets     257
    Adding Style Rules     258
    Defining Style Sheet Attributes     258
Developing Windows Client Applications     258
    Creating a Windows Forms Project     258
    Creating a Windows Presentation Foundation Project     268
Developing Web Forms     271
    Designing a Web Form Application     271
Authoring WinForms Components and Controls     277
    Creating a New Component or Control     278
    Further Notes on Writing Component Code     279
Creating Classes with the Class Designer     281
    Creating a Class Diagram     281
    Adding Items to the Diagram     282
    Defining Relationships Between Classes     284
    Defining Methods, Properties, Fields, and Events     286
Summary     288

Part III Working with the Visual Studio Tools

7 Working with Visual Studio’s Productivity Aids     289
Basic Aids in the Text Editor     291
    Change Tracking     292
    Coding Problem Indicators     293
    Active Hyperlinking     295
    Syntax Coloring     295
Outlining and Navigation     296
    Code Outlining     296
    Tag Navigation     299
Smart Tasks and Light Bulbs     301
    HTML Designer     301
    Windows Forms Designer     301
    Code Editor     302
IntelliSense     305
    Complete Word     306
    Quick Info     308
    List Members     309
    Parameter Info     310
    Organize Usings     311
    Code Snippets and Template Code     311
    Brace Matching     322
    Customizing IntelliSense     324
The Task List     325
    Shortcut Tasks     326
    Comment Tasks     326
Summary     328
8 Testing Code     329
Unit Testing Basics     330
    Creating a Test Project     330
    Writing a Unit Test     333
    Running Your Tests     336
    Controlling Test Settings     338
The Unit Testing Framework     339
    The TestContext Class     339
    The Test Attribute Classes     341
    Unit Test Setup and Teardown     342
    The Assert Classes     344
    Testing Your Exceptions     345
    Creating Data-Driven Unit Tests     346
Testing Web Applications     350
    Unit Testing MVC and Web API Projects     350
    Unit Testing ASP.NET Pages     355
Creating Ordered Tests     357
Summary     358
9 Refactoring Code     361
Visual Studio Refactoring Basics     362
    Invoking the Refactoring Tools     363
    Making (and Previewing) Changes     364
    Using the Class Designer to Refactor     366
Renaming Code     367
    Accessing the Rename Operation     368
    Working with the Rename Dialog Box     371
Refactoring Variable Assignments     372
    Introduce Constant     372
    Introduce Local     373
    Inline Temporary Variable     375
Extract Method     375
    Accessing the Extract Method Refactor     375
    Extracting Methods     376
    Extracting a Single Line of Code     380
    Generate Method Stub     382
Extract Interface     382
    Accessing the Extract Interface Refactor     383
    Extracting Interfaces     383
Change Signature     385
    Removing a Parameter     386
    Reorder Parameters     387
Encapsulate Field     387
    Accessing Encapsulate Field     387
Summary     389
10 Debugging Code     391
Debugging Basics     392
    The Scenario     392
    The Many Phases of Debugging     392
    Debugging the Application (Self-Checking)     393
    Debugging Basics Summary     404
The Visual Studio Debugger     405
    The Debug Menu and Toolbar     405
    Debug Options     413
    Stepping In, Out, and Over Code     413
    Indicating When to Break into Code     420
    Working with Tracepoints (When Hit Option)     431
    Viewing Data in the Debugger     433
    Using the Edit and Continue Feature     441
Advanced Debugging Scenarios     442
    Remote Debugging     442
    Debugging WCF Services     444
    Debugging Multithreaded Applications     444
    Debugging Parallel Applications     451
    Debugging a Client-Side Script     456
    Debugging Crash Information (Dump Files)     457
    Debugging Windows Store Apps     460
Summary     461
11 Deploying Code     463
An Overview of Client Deployment Options     464
    Introducing ClickOnce Deployments     464
    Introducing Windows Installer and InstallShield Deployments     465
Publishing a Project with ClickOnce     466
Publishing a Project with InstallShield Limited Edition     469
Publishing an ASP.NET Web Application     469
    Selecting a Target     469
    Configuring a Connection     471
    Configuring Deployment Settings     472
    Previewing the Publication     473
Summary     474
12 Developing Applications in the Cloud with Windows Azure     475
Create Your Azure Account     476
    Azure Account Sign-Up     476
    Link Your Account to Visual Studio     478
    Manage Azure Subscriptions     479
Create and Deploy an Azure Web Apps in Visual Studio     480
    The Azure Hosting Platform     481
    Create the ASP.NET Application and Azure Hosting     481
    Deploy/Publish an Application to Azure     484
    Set Up an Existing Application to Publish to an Azure web app     489
    Website Management with Azure Server Explorer     492
    Debug an Azure web app     494
Create Your Web App from the Azure Portal     494
    Create the Application Hosting Environment     494
    Configuring Your New Azure web app     496
    The Website Toolbar     499
    Creating a Database     500
    Deploying to the New Environment from Visual Studio     502
Monitor and Manage Applications in Azure     503
    Monitor and Manage a Website     503
    Monitor and Manage a SQL Database     518
The Azure SDK for Visual Studio 2015     522
    Download, Install, and Sign In     522
    QuickStart Templates     523
    Azure Resource Group Deployment Projects     526
Azure Cloud Services (PaaS)     529
    Creating a Cloud Service Project     530
    Running Your Cloud Service Project Locally     532
    Deploy the Cloud Service Project     532
Summary     534
13 Working with Databases     535
Creating Tables and Relationships     536
    Creating a New SQL Server Database     536
    Defining Tables     539
Working with SQL Statements     544
    Writing a Query     544
    Creating Views     548
    Developing Stored Procedures     549
    Creating Triggers     551
    Creating User-Defined Functions     551
Using Database Projects     553
    Creating a Database Project     554
    Changing the Database     557
    Building and Deploying     558
Creating Database Objects in Managed Code     559
    Creating a Stored Procedure in C#     560
Binding Controls to Data     564
    An Introduction to Data Binding     564
    Autogenerating Bound Windows Forms Controls     565
    Editing Typed Data Sets     570
    Manually Binding Windows Forms Controls     571
    Data Binding in WPF Applications     575
    Data Binding with Web Controls     579
Object Relational Mapping     584
    An Overview of LINQ     584
    Mapping Using the O/R Designer     586
    LINQ Code     588
    Working with the Entity Framework     591
    Querying Against the Entity Data Model     596
Summary     598

Part IV Extending Visual Studio

14 Introducing the Automation Object Model     601
An Overview of the Automation Object Model     601
    Object Model Versions     602
    Automation Categories     604
    The DTE/DTE2 Root Object     605
Solution and Project Objects     606
    Controlling Projects in a Solution     609
    Accessing Code Within a Project     610
Working with Windows     614
    Referencing Windows     614
    Interacting with Windows     615
    Text Windows and Window Panes     618
    The Tool Window Types     620
    Linked Windows     626
Command Bars     628
Documents     631
    Text Documents     632
Command Objects     645
    Executing a Command     647
    Mapping Key Bindings     648
Debugger Objects     649
Summary     650
15 Extending the IDE     651
Creating Your First Extension     652
    Setting Package Parameters     653
    Adding Project Items     653
The Structure of an Extension     658
    Defining and Reacting to Commands     660
A Sample Extension: Color Selector     668
    Getting Started     668
    Creating the User Control     668
    Finishing the Package     673
Summary     682
16 Extending the Code Editor     683
The Extensibility Problem     683
    Creating Dynamic Applications     684
MEF Architecture     684
    MEF Principles     685
    Working with MEF     685
The Visual Studio Editor and MEF     687
    Editor Extension Points     687
    Using the Visual Studio SDK     688
    Managing Extensions and Updates     695
Creating Your Own MEF-Based Editor Extension     697
Summary     706

Part V Building Web Applications

17 Building Modern Websites with ASP.NET 5     707
ASP.NET Website Fundamentals     708
Introducing ASP.NET 5     710
    The .NET Core Framework and Execution Environment     711
    Choosing an ASP.NET Project Template     713
    Understanding the ASP.NET 5 Project Template and Related Files     716
    ASP.NET 5 Dependencies and Package Managers     721
Creating a Web Application with ASP.NET 5/MVC 6     735
    Understanding the MVC Pattern     735
    Creating a New ASP.NET 5 MVC 6 Project     738
Writing ASP.NET Server Code (Models and Controllers)     744
    Defining a Model (Using Entity Framework 7)     744
    Developing Controllers     753
Coding for the UI (Views and Related Web UI Elements)     760
    The HTML Tags     760
    The Razor Syntax     763
    HTML Helpers     765
    Page Layout with Razor     768
    Strongly Typed Views     769
    User Input Validation     770
    Creating the Customer Example Pages     771
    View Components, View Models, and Partial Views     779
    Using Scaffolding to Generate a Controller and Views     788
Summary     791
18 Using JavaScript and Client-Side Frameworks     793
JavaScript Fundamentals     794
    Storing and Using Scripts     794
    Writing JavaScript     795
    Functions     797
    Objects     799
    Built-In Objects     802
    Working with the Browser Object Model (BOM)     805
    Document Object Model (DOM)     808
    Events     816
Developing with jQuery     819
    jQuery in Your Visual Studio Project     820
    Selecting Elements     821
    Acting on Your Selection     824
    Traversing Your Selections     824
    Accessing Selection Content     825
    Changing Elements/Attributes     826
    Handling Events     828
    Animations and Effects     829
    jQuery and AJAX     831
Building Single-Page Applications (SPAs) with Client-Side JavaScript Frameworks     831
    Selecting a Client Framework     832
    Responsive Web Layout with Bootstrap 3     835
    Minify Your JavaScript with Gulp     854
    Using Knockout     857
    Creating a Site with AngularJS     873
Summary     890
19 Building and Consuming Services with Web API and WCF     891
Service Fundamentals     892
    Why ASP.NET Web API and WCF     893
    Key Web Service Terms     895
Use ASP.NET Web API to Build HTTP Services     896
    Creating an ASP.NET Web API Project     897
    Defining a Model     898
    Creating the Services (Controller)     900
    Understanding Service Routing     911
    Consuming an ASP.NET Web API Service     912
WCF Service Applications     928
    The WCF Project Template     930
    Creating a WCF Service     932
    Running and Testing Your WCF Service     937
    Consuming a WCF Service     938
    Creating/Calling REST-Based WCF Services     942
    Hosting and Deploying a WCF Service     949
Summary     951

Part VI Building Windows Client Apps

20 Building Windows Forms Applications     953
The Basics of Form Design     953
    Considering the End User     954
    Understanding the Role of UI Standards     955
    Planning the User Interface     956
Creating a Form     957
    The Windows Forms Application Project Type     957
    Form Properties and Events     958
Adding Controls and Components     961
    Control Layout and Positioning     962
    Using Containers     967
    Control Appearance and Behavior     971
    Working with ToolStrip Controls     972
    Displaying Data     979
Creating Your Own Controls     982
    Subclassing an Existing Control     982
    Designing a User Control     983
    Creating a Custom Control     985
Summary     985
21 Building WPF Applications     987
The Windows Presentation Foundation Platform     987
    Programming Model     990
Introducing the WPF Designer     993
    XAML and Design Panes     993
Programming with WPF     998
    Layout     998
    Styles and Templates     1006
    Data Binding     1012
    Routed Events     1014
Building a Simple Image Viewer Application     1015
    Starting the Layout     1016
    Storing the Images     1023
    Binding to the Images     1025
    Button Event Handlers and Image Effects     1026
    Path Selection with a Common Dialog Box     1028
Summary     1035
22 Developing Office Business Applications     1037
An Overview of Office Extension Features     1038
    Office Features     1038
    Visual Studio Office Project Types     1041
Creating an Office Add-In     1042
    Customizing the Ribbon     1042
    Customizing the Task Pane     1046
    Creating Outlook Form Regions     1048
Creating an Office Document Extension     1053
    Hosting Controls     1053
    Creating an Actions Pane     1055
    Storing Data in the Data Cache     1056
Extending Office with Webpages     1059
    Starting with the App for Office Project Template     1059
Summary     1063

Part VII Creating Mobile Apps

23 Developing Windows Store Applications     1065
Introducing the Modern UI     1066
    Modern UI Attributes     1068
The Windows Runtime Library     1070
    Language Choices     1072
    The Application Model     1076
Building a Windows Store Application     1077
    Selecting the Project Type     1078
    Designing the Layout     1080
    Reacting to Lifecycle Events     1096
    Publishing to the Windows Store     1100
Summary     1111
24 Creating Windows Phone Applications     1113
Windows Phone Fundamentals     1113
    The UI Basics     1114
    The Programming Model     1116
Moving from Silverlight to WinRT     1123
    Porting a Simple Silverlight Phone App to WinRT     1124
Building a Universal App     1125
    The Universal Project Types     1126
    Creating the Data Model and View Model     1128
    Creating the Windows Phone UI     1130
    Creating the Windows UI     1141
Summary     1152
25 Writing Cross-Platform Mobile Applications with Apache Cordova     1153
Fundamentals of Cordova Development     1154
    How Cordova Works     1154
    Cordova Dependencies     1156
    The Cordova Project Template     1157
    Creating a Basic Cordova App     1160
    Running and Debugging Your App     1165
Using Cordova Frameworks and Plug-Ins     1174
    Choosing Cordova Client Frameworks     1174
    Cordova Plug-Ins (for Accessing Native Device Capabilities)     1175
Developing a Cordova App with Ionic and Angular     1176
    Set Up Your Project     1177
    Anatomy of the Ionic-Angular-Cordova App     1180
    Rebuild the Sample App     1181
    Support Storage     1193
    Running on Windows Phone     1196
    Additional Items to Consider     1197
Summary     1198

Index     1199

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