Introduction

Microsoft Visual C# 2005 includes several enhancements to earlier versions of the language. If you want to learn the new features of the language, Programming Microsoft Visual C# 2005: The Language offers detailed explanations of each improvement. One of the most awaited additions to the .NET environment is generics. Other additions include anonymous methods, static classes, and new classes that affect garbage collection. This book introduces these new features, provides context, and displays sample code.

Enhancements are not limited to the language. The Microsoft Visual Studio IDE has also been enhanced in Visual Studio 2005. Microsoft continues to expand upon the impressive assortment of rapid application development (RAD) tools that are available. The Exception Assistant, code snippets, and visualizers are some of the more notable advancements, where the emphasis is on providing helpful information that markedly increases developer productivity. This book details these and other improvements to previous versions of Visual Studio.

A larger portion of the lifetime of an application is spent in maintenance and debugging. Efficient and effective debugging tools and techniques can facilitate a more robust application, which reduces the need to debug. You can also resolve problems more quickly when they inevitably occur. A managed application has a managed veneer and an unmanaged underpinning. Debugging requires an understanding of both realms where a managed application exists: managed and unmanaged. From a debugging context, Chapter 12 examines both realms of a managed application and helps developers understand how to effectively debug a managed application.

Who Is This Book For?

Programming Microsoft Visual C# 2005: The Language is for developers who want a comprehensive explanation of Visual C# 2005 or want to explore a specific aspect of the language. It is a composite of chapters sequenced to provide a rational and complete review of the language. Each chapter is also reviewable as an independent unit that encapsulates a specific topic.

This book targets both professional and casual developers. Practical, in-depth explanations are offered for even the most ardent developers. Sample code is provided as a complement to the content. For casual developers, code is often the clearest explanation of in-depth concepts. Actually, even for professional developers, sample code is often invaluable. For this reason, this book contains reams of code examples.