Introduction


With Microsoft's introduction of the .NET platform, a new, exciting programming language was born. Visual C# is now the language of choice for developing on the .NET platform, and Microsoft has even written a majority of the .NET Framework using Visual C#. Visual C# is a modern object-oriented language designed and developed from the ground up with a best-of-breed mentality, implementing and expanding on the best features and functions found in other languages. Visual C# 2005 combines the power and flexibility of C++ with some of the simplicity of Visual Basic.

Audience and Organization

This book is targeted toward those who have little or no programming experience or who might be picking up Visual C# as a second language. The book has been structured and written with a purpose: to get you productive as quickly as possible. I've used my experiences from writing large commercial applications to create a book that I hope cuts through the fluff and teaches you what you need to know. All too often, authors fall into the trap of focusing on the technology rather than on the practical application of the technology. I've worked hard to keep this book focused on teaching you practical skills that you can apply immediately toward a development project. Feel free to post your suggestions or success stories at www.jamesfoxall.com/forums.

This book is divided into five parts, each of which focuses on a different aspect of developing applications with Visual C# 2005. These parts generally follow the flow of tasks you'll perform as you begin creating your own programs using Visual C# 2005. I recommend that you read them in the order in which they appear.

  • Part I, "The Visual C# 2005 Environment," teaches you about the Visual C# environment, including how to navigate and access Visual C#'s numerous tools. In addition, you'll learn some key development concepts such as objects, collections, and events.

  • Part II, "Building a User Interface," shows you how to build attractive and functional user interfaces. In this part, you'll learn about forms and controlsthe user interface elements such as text boxes and list boxes.

  • Part III, "Making Things HappenProgramming," teaches you the nuts and bolts of Visual C# 2005 programmingand there's a lot to learn. You'll discover how to create methods, as well as how to store data, perform loops, and make decisions in code. After you've learned the core programming skills, you'll move into object-oriented programming and debugging applications.

  • Part IV, "Working with Data," introduces you to working with text files and programming databases and shows you how to automate external applications such as Word and Excel. In addition, this part teaches you how to manipulate a user's file system and the Windows Registry.

  • Part V, "Deploying Solutions and Beyond," shows you how to distribute an application that you've created to an end user's computer. In Hour 24, "The 10,000 Foot View," you'll learn about Microsoft's .NET initiative from a higher, less-technical level.

Many readers of previous editions have taken the time to give me input on how to make this book better. Overwhelmingly, I was asked to have examples in new chapters build upon the examples in previous chapters. In this book, I have done that as much as possible. Now, instead of learning concepts in isolated bits, you'll be building a feature-rich Picture Viewer program throughout the course of this book. You'll begin by building the basic application, and, as you progress through the chapters, you'll add menus and tool-bars to the program, build an Options dialog box, modify the program to use the Windows Registry and a text file, and even build a setup program to distribute the application to other users. I hope you find this approach beneficial in that it allows you to learn the material in the context of building a real program.

Conventions Used in This Book

This book uses several conventions to help you prioritize and reference the information it contains:

  • Tips highlight information that can make your Visual C# programming more effective.

  • Cautions focus your attention on problems or side effects that can occur in specific situations.

  • Notes provide useful sidebar information that you can read immediately or circle back to without losing the flow of the topic at hand.

  • New Terms are set off in italic when they are first defined.

In addition, this book uses various typefaces to help you distinguish code from regular English. Code is presented in a monospace font. Placeholderswords or characters used temporarily to represent the real words or characters you would type in codeare typeset in italic monospace. If you are asked to type or enter text, that text will appear in bold.

Onward and Upward!

This is an exciting time to be learning how to program, and it's my sincerest wish that when you finish this book, you feel capable of creating, debugging, and deploying modest Visual C# programs using many of Visual C#'s tools. Although you won't be an expert, you'll be surprised at how much you've learned. And I hope this book will help you determine your future direction as you proceed down the road to Visual C# mastery.




Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft Visual C# 2005 in 24 Hours, Complete Starter Kit
Sams Teach Yourself Visual C# 2005 in 24 Hours, Complete Starter Kit
ISBN: 0672327406
EAN: 2147483647
Year: N/A
Pages: 248
Authors: James Foxall

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