Naming Variables

 

Help

The helps in the v1.0 and 1.1 releases of Visual C# were difficult to use, but it appears that much improvement has been made in the v2.0 release. Hopefully, if a programmer is writing in the C# language, the only helps that he will see are the C# helps ” not C, not C++, not Basic, not J#, etc.

To save time, the programmer must limit the scope of the search in these helps. Click on Help on the main menu and move immediately to the Edit Filters item in the submenu. When the filter window opens in the middle of the IDE, pick .NET Compact Framework in the filter list at the top of the window. Immediately save this setting. (The helps won t allow you to choose Visual C# as a filter at this time. If you do, the helps revert to .NET Compact Framework. )

Click on Help in the main menu again, then click on the Index submenu item. At the top right of the IDE you will find a Filtered By text box. Click on the down arrow and pick Visual C# in the list. Now your index search will be limited to C#, which is a subset of .NET Compact Framework.

In the master index there are so many categories for executable statements that you find yourself clicking on each one sequentially to find the information you need. From my viewpoint, all that a programmer needs is a list of the basic and overloaded forms of each executable statement in Visual C#, plus an indication of how to bring that state-ment s machine code into play (which using statement will bring the code in). All the other stuff is peripheral information. Many of the executable statements have samples to show you how to use the statement (hooray!), but some do not, and you are left out in the cold.

Here are all the helps offered to you by the Help main menu item:

  1. Dynamic Help . These are code samples, getting started tips, explanations about Visual Studio .NET, etc. These are general helps.

  2. Contents . Introduction to Visual Studio .NET, getting assistance (product support), etc.

  3. Index . This is the big Kahuna! This alphabetical index for all statements in all Microsoft languages is a combo box: As you type characters into the text box the alphabetical list slides up and down to match the characters you have entered.

  4. Search . This is a search of everything in the Helps arena. This search is seldom useful if you have already done the Index search above.

  5. Index Results . Search Contents (item #2 above), search Index (item #3 above), or search Search (item #4 above). This adds nothing to your search; the combo box in #3 is still your best bet.

  6. Search Results . Same as #5.

  7. Edit Filters . The choice you enter here helps to limit the scope of any search you perform in the Index search (#3).

  8. Show Start Page . Exits help mode.

  9. Check for Updates . This is useful from time to time if your PC is online and can accept updates to the help texts .

  10. Technical Support . This is information on how to get paid technical support, third-party software, and Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) help. Entrance into the MSDN via the Internet is free, but you have to register to use its helps. You will find Microsoft technical support very reasonable.

  11. Help on Help . A discussion on how to use the helps.

In summary, be sure to set the filters in Help and use the Index search to locate help on programming topics.

 


Unlocking Microsoft C# V 2.0 Programming Secrets
Unlocking Microsoft C# V 2.0 Programming Secrets (Wordware Applications Library)
ISBN: 1556220979
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 129

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