Programming Windows and Smart Client Applications with .NET: Hands-On

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this course about? This course provides the tools you need to create desktop and smart-client applications using Microsoft Visual Basic, C# and the .NET Framework. Throughout the course, you learn how to create sophisticated Windows applications including MDI and Outlook-style applications. You also learn to create custom controls, bind to XML and databases, and access data over the Internet via Web services. In addition, you learn to capitalize on the features provided by the .NET Framework class library. What background do I need? Experience with a modern programming language, such as a .NET language, Java, Visual Basic 6, or C++ is assumed. For example, you should: Know how to program classes Have some experience creating user interfaces Be able to employ modern language constructs Prior experience with .NET is helpful, but not required. Who will benefit from this course? This course benefits: Programmers who want to add Windows Forms development to their skill set Visual Basic, MFC or Java Swing developers who want to move to .NET Web developers who want to learn how to develop desktop and smart client applications I already know ASP.NET. Is this course valuable for me? Yes. The .NET Framework allows you to build desktop applications called smart clients that can be deployed over the Internet and access data online using Web services. Therefore, you can develop sophisticated Windows applications with all of the features of your current Web-based applications without the limitations. I already know Visual Basic. Will I benefit from this course? Yes, absolutely. In this course, those with experience in Visual Basic learn important information about the new features of Visual Studio 2008. Those with Visual Basic experience gain a much better understanding of the .NET class library including file IO, data binding and custom control development. I use C#, not Visual Basic. Is C# covered in this class? Yes, both C# and Visual Basic are covered in class, and participants can do all the exercises in the language of their choice. What is Visual Studio 2008? Visual Studio 2008, which is used in this course, is the principal integrated environment for creating .NET applications. The environment is completely language-neutral, supporting languages from Visual Basic to C++ to JavaScript. You can use Visual Studio to create Windows and Web applications. Developers can use Visual Studio to create applications by combining the best of a wide variety of development tools. I use Visual Studio .NET 2003 or 2005. Is this course valuable for me? Yes. While this course uses Visual Studio 2008, the concepts are applicable in Visual Studio .NET 2003 and Visual Studio 2005. All solutions in the course are available for Visual Studio 2008 and Visual Studio 2005. What are .NET and the .NET Framework? They are the same thing. The .NET Framework is a programming platform that allows you to build Windows and Web applications that run on Microsoft operating systems. The .NET Framework 3.0 added the following technologies to .NET 2.0: Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) and Cardspace. The .NET Framework 3.5 added Language INtegrated Query (LINQ). Technically, .NET 3.0 and .NET 3.5 are not covered in this course because we do not cover WCF, WPF, WF, Cardspace or LINQ. However, all of the course content is applicable to those using .NET 3.0 or 3.5 to develop applications. For courses that focus on technologies that were new with .NET 3.0, you may be interested in Course 513, Windows® Communication Foundation (WCF): Creating .NET 3.5 Web Services, Course 514, Windows® Workflow Foundation (WF): Hands-On, or Course 975, Windows ® Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Silverlight Introduction: Hands-On. For courses that focus on technologies that were new with .NET 3.5, you may be interested in Course 973, Programming LINQ and C# Extended Features: Hands-On or Course 974, Programming LINQ with Visual Basic® Extended Features: Hands-On. Course 976, .NET 3.0/3.5 Architectural Overview: Hands-On, is intended to be an overview of the major technologies of .NET 3.0/3.5 and does not go into depth on any one technology. It does provide a working knowledge of the technologies and an understanding of how they can be integrated to build a system. Each of the technologies is covered in depth by individual Learning Tree courses. When I've finished this course, what sort of applications will I be able to create? After this course, you will be able to create MDI, Outlook-style and notification system tray applications. You will also be able to employ sophisticated controls and create your own custom controls. In addition, you will be able to bind your applications to data from XML databases, Web services, and files. How much time is spent on each topic? Content Hours Building Windows Forms Applications 4.0 Designing Windows User Interfaces 4.5 Architecting Advanced Applications 4.5 Automating Data Access with Data Binding 4.0 ClickOnce Deployment 2.0 Crafting Custom Controls 3.0 Printing and Reporting 1.0 Times, including the workshops, are estimates; exact times may vary according to the needs of each class. How much of the course is devoted to hands-on exercises? About 40 percent of the course is hands-on exercises. Throughout the course, you build several complete Windows applications using Visual Basic. You create a system tray application, an MDI application, an Outlook-style application, and a database application that uses data-bound controls and ADO.NET. You learn to create multithreaded UIs, custom controls, printed output, and globalize your application by creating multilingual forms. In addition, you use the .NET Framework to simplify application development. You also learn to take advantage of the Internet to use Web services and deploy your applications on the Web. What language is used for the exercises in this course? Course notes, sample code and exercises for this course are developed in both Visual Basic and C#. Does this course help me prepare for any Microsoft certification exams? Yes! This course includes material that helps you prepare for the following Microsoft exams: Exam 70-505: .NET Framework 3.5, Forms Application Development Exam 70-563: Designing and Developing Windows Applications using Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Exam 70-306: Developing and Implementing Windows-based Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Exam 70-316: Developing and Implementing Windows-based Applications with Microsoft Visual C# .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Exam 70-526: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 - Windows-Based Client Development Due to the difficulty of Microsoft certification exams, those who take Courses 509 would also need to study before taking these exams. Why should I take this course instead of one offered by Microsoft? Learning Tree is dedicated to helping accelerate the careers of our clients by providing them with world-class technology and management training. Our independence from Microsoft (and any other vendor) allows us to give an unbiased view of what works and what does not. This course is objective in its approach, having been developed independently from Microsoft by industry experts who bring their real-world experience to the classroom. How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses? You may also be interested in these courses: 503, Visual Basic® 2008 Programming: Hands-On offers experience in building robust, advanced .NET components using Visual Basic 2005 and then integrating those components to make applications. 974, Programming LINQ with Visual Basic® Extended Features: Hands-On  419, C# Programming: Hands-On provides the fundamentals in programming C# and using the .NET Framework to develop applications. 973, Programming LINQ and C# Extended Features: Hands-On  511, .NET Best Practices and Design Patterns: Hands-On provides the skills to solve real-world software development problems and deliver fast, reliable applications. 506, Programming Scalable Web Applications with .NET and ASP.NET AJAX: Hands-On shows you how to build enterprise Web applications using Microsoft's Visual Studio 2005 development environment. The course also offers comprehensive coverage of component development using Web services and enterprise database access using ADO.NET. 931, Agile Programming: Principles and Practices for Software Success offers the practical knowledge and skills to plan, code and implement a successful Agile software project Other courses of interest include: 512, Developing ASP.NET Web Applications: Hands-On  513, Windows® Communication Foundation (WCF): Creating .NET 3.5 Web Services  514, Windows® Workflow Foundation (WF): Hands-On  323, Object-Oriented Analysis and Design Using UML: Hands-On  131, SQL Server® 2005: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction

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