Course Overview
The goal of
this course is to provide Microsoft Visual Basic developers with the
knowledge and skills needed to develop Microsoft .NET based
applications by using Visual Basic 2005.
Audience
This course is intended primarily for developers who use Visual
Basic 4.0 or later as their primary language, who use Microsoft
technologies such as Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) and Active
Server Pages (ASP) to develop applications, and who plan to use
Visual Basic .NET for future application development.
At Course Completion
After completing this course, students will be able to:
• List the major elements of the .NET Framework and describe some of
the major enhancements to the new version of Visual Basic.
• Describe the basic structure of a Visual Basic .NET project and
use the main features of the integrated development environment
(IDE).
• Use the new language features and syntax in Visual Basic .NET.
• Explain the basic concepts and terminology of object-oriented
design specifically for Visual Basic .NET.
• Explain and use the basic concepts and terminology of
object-oriented programming in Visual Basic .NET.
• Create applications by using Microsoft Windows Forms.
• Create Internet applications that use Web Forms and Web Services.
• Create applications that use ADO.NET.
• Create components in Visual Basic .NET.
• Set up and deploy various types of Visual Basic .NET-based
applications.
• Prepare existing Visual Basic-based applications for upgrade to
Visual Basic .NET.
Prerequisites
Before attending this course, students must meet the following
prerequisites:
• Experience developing applications with Visual Basic 4.0 or later
• Successful completion of Course 1013, Mastering Microsoft Visual
Basic 6 Development, or equivalent knowledge
OR
• Successful completion of Course 1016, Mastering Enterprise
Development Using Microsoft Visual Basic 6, or equivalent knowledge
• Familiarity with basic concepts of object-oriented programming
• Familiarity with Extensible Markup Language (XML) concepts
• Familiarity with Microsoft's .NET strategy and .NET Framework
Course Outline
Introduction
What Is Visual Basic
2008?
Visual Basic .NET
Versions
Upgrading from
Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0
Finding Your Best
Starting Point in This Book
Visual Studio 2008
System Requirements
Prerelease
Software
Installing and Using
the Practice Files
Installing the
Practice Files
Customizing IDE Settings to Match Step-by-Step Exercises
Setting the lDE for Visual Basic Development
Checking Project and Compiler Settings
One Step
Further: Exiting Visual Studio
Chapter 1 Quick
Reference
Part I Getting
Started with MS Visual Basis 2008
The Visual Studio Development Environment
Sidebar: Projects and Solutions
The Visual Studio Tools
The Designer
Running a Visual Basic Program
Sidebar: Thinking About Properties
The Properties Window
Moving and Resizing the Programming Tools
Moving and Resizing Tool Windows
Docking Tool Windows
Hiding Tool Windows
2 Writing Your First Program
Lucky Seven: Your First Visual Basic Program
Programming Steps
Creating the User Interface
Setting the Properties
Sidebar Reading Properties in Tables
The Picture Box Properties
Writing the Code
A Look at the Button1_Click Procedure
Running Visual Basic Applications
Sample Projects on Disk
Building an Executable File
Deploying Your Application
One Step Further: Adding to a Program
Chapter 2 Quick Reference
3 Working with Toolbox Controls
The Basic Use of Controls; The Hello world Program
Using the Date Time Picker Control
The Birthday Program
Controls for Gathering Input
The Input Controls Demo
Looking at the Input Controls Program Code
One Step Further: Using the Linkable Control
Chapter 3 Quick Reference
4 Working with Menus, Toolbars, and Dialog boxes
Adding Menus by Using the Menu Strip Control Adding Access keys to
Menu Commands
Sidebar: Menu Conventions
Processing Menu Choices
Sidebar; System Clock Properties and Functions
Adding Toolbars with the Too/Strip Control
Using Dialog Box Controls
Event Procedures That Manage Common Dialog Boxes
Sidebar:
Controlling Color Choices
by Setting Color
Dialog Box Properties
Sidebar: Adding
Nonstandard Dialog Boxes to Programs
One Step
Further: Assigning Shortcut Keys to Menus
Chapter 4 Quick
Reference
Part ll Programming Fundamentals
5 Visual Basic Variables and Formulas, and The NET Framework
The Anatomy of a Visual Basic Program Statement
Using Variables to Store Information
Setting Aside Space for Variables: The Dim Statement
Implicit Variable Declaration
Using Variables in a Program
Sidebar: Variable Naming Conventions
Using a Variable to Store Input
Sidebar; What Is a Function?
Using a Variable tor Output
Working with Specific Data Types
Sidebar: User—Defined Data Types
Constants: Variables That Don't Change
Working with Visual Basic Operators
Basic Math: The +, —, *, and / Operators
Sidebar: Shortcut Operators
Using Advanced Operators: \, Mod, ^, and &
Working with Methods in the Microsoft .NET Framework
Sidebar: What's New in Microsoft NET Framework 5.57
One Step Further: Establishing Order of Precedence
Using Parentheses in a Formula
Chapter 5 Quick Reference
6 Using Decision Structures
Event-Driven Programming
Sidebar: Events Supported by Visual Basic Objects
Using Conditional Expressions
If…Then Decision Structures
Testing Several Conditions in an lf…Then Decision Structure
Using Logical Operators in Conditional Expressions
Short-Circuiting by Using AndAlso and OrElse
Select Case Decision Structures
Using Comparison Operators with a Select Case
Structure
One Step Further: Detecting Mouse Events
Chapter 6 Quick Reference
7 Using Loops and Timers
Writing For…Next Loops
Displaying a Counter Variable in a TextBox Control
Creating Complex For…Next Loops
Using a Counter That Has Greater Scope
Sidebar: The Exit For Statement
Writing Do Loops
Avoiding an Endless Loop
Creating a Digital Clock by Using a Timer Control
Using a Timer Object to Set a Time Limit
One Step Further: Inserting Code Snippets
8 Debugging Visual Basic Programs
Finding and Correcting Errors
Three Types of Errors
Identifying Logic Errors
Debugging 101: Using Debugging Mode
Visualizers Debugging Tools That Display Data
Using the Immediate and Command Windows
Switching to the Command Window
One Step Further: Removing Breakpoints
Chapter 8 Quick Reference
9 Trapping Errors by Using Structured Error Handling
Processing Errors by Using the Try...Catch Statement
When to Use Error Handlers
Setting the Trap: The Try...Catch Code Block
Path and Disc Drive Errors
Writing a Disc Drive Error Handler
Using the Finally Clause to Perform Cleanup Tasks
More Complex
Try...Catch Error Handlers
Chapter 9 Quick
Reference
10 Creating Modules and Procedures
Working with Modules
Creating a Module
Working with Public Variables
Sidebar: Public Variables vs. Form Variables
Creating Procedures
Sidebar: Advantages of General-Purpose Procedures
Writing Function
Procedures
Function Syntax
Calling a Function Procedure
Using a Function to Perform a Calculation
Chapter 10 Quick Reference
11: Using Arrays to Manage Numeric and String Data
Working with Arrays of Variables
Creating an Array
Declaring a Fixed-Size Array
Setting Aside Memory
Working with Array Elements
Creating a Fixed-Size Array to Hold Temperatures
Sidebar: The UBound and LBound Functions
Creating a Dynamic Array
Preserving Array Contents by Using ReDim Preserve
Three-Dimensional Arrays
One Step Further: Processing Large Arrays by Using Methods
In the Array Class
Chapter 11 Quick Reference
12 Working with Collections
Working with Object Collections
Referencing Objects in a Collection
Writing For Each...Next Loops
Experimenting with Objects in the Controls Collection
Using the Name Property in a For Each...Next Loop
Creating
Your Own Collections
Declaring New Collections
One Step Further: VBA Collections
Entering the Word Macro
Chapter 12 Quick Reference
13 Exploring Text Files and String Processing
Displaying Text Files by Using a Text Box Object
Opening a Text File for Input
The FileOpen Function
Using the StreamReader Class and My.Computer.FileSystem
to Open Text Files
The StreamReader Class
The My Namespace
Creating a New Text File on Disk
Processing Text Strings with Program Code
The String Class and Useful Methods and Keywords
Sorting Text
Working with ASCII Codes
Sorting Strings in a Text Box
One Step Further: Examining the Sort Text Program Code
Chapter 13 Quick Reference
Part III Designing the User Interface
14 Managing Windows Forms and Controls at Run Time
Adding New Forms to a Program
How Forms Are Used
Working with Multiple Forms
Positioning Forms on the Windows Desktop
Minimizing, Maximizing, and Restoring Windows
Adding Controls to a Form at Run Time
Organizing Controls on a Form
One Step Further: Specifying the Startup Object
Sidebar: Console Applications
Chapter 14 Quick Reference
15 Adding Graphics and Animation Effects
Adding Artwork by Using the System. Drawing Namespace
Using a Forms Coordinate System
The System.Drawing.Graphics Class
Using the Form’s Paint Even
Adding Animation to Your Programs
Moving Objects on the Form
The Location Property
Creating Animation by Using a Timer Object
Expanding and Shrinking Objects While a Program Is Running
One Step Further: Changing Form Transparency
Chapter 15 Quick Reference
16 lnheriting Forms and Creating Ease Classes
lnheriting a Form by Using the Inheritance Picker
Creating Your Own Base Classes
Sidebar: Nerd Alert
Adding a New
Class to Your Project
One Step Further: lnheriting a Base Class
Sidebar: Further Experiments with Object-Oriented
Programming
Chapter 16 Quick Reference
17 Working with Printers
Using the PrintDocument Class
Printing Text from a Text Box Object
Printing Multipage Text Files
One Step Further: Adding Print Preview and Page Setup Dialog Boxes
Chapter 17 Quick Reference
Part IV Database and Web Programming
18 getting started with ADO.NET
Database Programming with ADO.NET
Database Terminology
Working with an Access Database
The Data Sources Window
Using Bound Controls to Display Database Information
One Step Further; SQL Statements, LINQ, and Filtering Data
Chapter 18 Quick Reference
19 Data Presentation Using the DataGridView Control
Using DataGridView to Display Database Records
Formatting DataGridView Cells
Datacentric Focus: Adding a Second Grid and Navigation Control
One Step Further: Updating the Original Database
Sidebar:
Data Access in a Web Forms Environment
Chapter 19 Quick Reference
20 Creating Web Sites and Web Pages by Using Visual Web Developer and ASP.NET
Inside ASP.NET
Web Pages vs. Windows Forms
Server Controls
HTML Controls
Building a Web Site by Using Visual Web Developer
Considering Software Requirements for ASP.NET Programming
Using the Web Page Designer
Adding Server Controls to a Web Site
Writing
Event Procedures for Web Page Controls
Sidebar:
Validating lnput Fields on a Web Page
Adding
Additional Web Pages and Resources to a Web Site
Displaying Database Records on a Web Page
One Step Further: Setting the Web Site Title in Internet
Explorer
Chapter 20 Quick Reference