Table of Contents

Learning to Program Using Visual C# 2008

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................INTRO-1
Prerequisites..................................................................................INTRO-2
Installing the Practice Files ............................................................INTRO-3
Software Requirements .....................................................INTRO-3
Installation..........................................................................INTRO-3
Demonstration Applications ...............................................INTRO-3
About the Authors ..........................................................................INTRO-4

GETTING STARTED WITH .NET ......................................................................1-1

Thinking about .NET ...............................................................................1-2
What Is .NET?.............................................................................1-2
Why .NET?..................................................................................1-3
Advantages of .NET....................................................................1-4
.NET Architecture........................................................................1-5
Examining a .NET Application: Introducing Assemblies .............1-8
What Kinds of Programs Can You Create? ................................1-9
Using the Command-Line Compiler to Build a
Console Application ..................................................................1-10
Revisiting Microsoft Intermediate Language.............................1-15
Using Visual Studio 2008......................................................................1-18
Working with Your Visual Studio Profile Settings......................1-18
Revisiting the .NET Console Application ..................................1-26
Debugging and Handling Exceptions....................................................1-43
Handling Errors .........................................................................1-53
Fixing the Logic Error................................................................1-56

LAB 1: GETTING STARTED WITH .NET........................................................1-61

Lab 1 Overview.....................................................................................1-62
Customize the Visual Studio Environment............................................1-63
Create a Console Application ...............................................................1-69
Use Visual Studio Debugging ...............................................................1-73

DATA TYPES AND VARIABLES........................................................................2-1

Introducing Variables and Data Types....................................................2-2
Variables .....................................................................................2-2
Data Types..................................................................................2-7

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Integer Data Types ...................................................................2-10

Floating-Point Data Types ........................................................2-13
Decimal Data Type ...................................................................2-13
Char Data Type.........................................................................2-17
String Data Type .......................................................................2-20
Bool Data Type .........................................................................2-22
Object Data Type ......................................................................2-23
Constants, Enumerations, and Structures ................................2-24
Working with Variables and Data Types...............................................2-29
Converting from One Data Type to Another .............................2-29
Operators ..................................................................................2-40

LAB 2: DATA TYPES AND VARIABLES.........................................................2-55

Lab 2 Overview.....................................................................................2-56
Calculate a Loan Payment....................................................................2-57
Compare Gasoline Costs of Cars .........................................................2-60
Create a Menu ......................................................................................2-66

USING THE .NET FRAMEWORK ......................................................................3-1

Using .NET Framework Classes.............................................................3-2
Generating Random Numbers ....................................................3-4
Getting Information about the Computer.....................................3-6
Working with XML .......................................................................3-8
File Input/Output .......................................................................3-12
Working with Strings .............................................................................3-19
Fields and Properties of the String Class..................................3-19
Methods of the String Class......................................................3-21
Formatting Strings.....................................................................3-29
Using the StringBuilder Class ...................................................3-34
Working with Dates and Times .............................................................3-38
Properties of the DateTime Structure .......................................3-38
Methods of the DateTime Structure ..........................................3-41
Using the TimeSpan Structure..................................................3-43

LAB 3: USING THE .NET FRAMEWORK .......................................................3-51

Lab 3 Overview.....................................................................................3-52
Work with Dates and Times..................................................................3-53
Write and Read XML ............................................................................3-57
Work with Strings..................................................................................3-63
Create a Menu ......................................................................................3-70

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BRANCHING AND FLOW CONTROL ...............................................................4-1

Branching in Code ..................................................................................4-2
Conditional Branching.................................................................4-2
Repeating Code Blocks ........................................................................4-11
Unbounded Looping..................................................................4-11
Looping a Specific Number of Times ........................................4-15
The foreach Loop......................................................................4-21
Unconditional Branching.......................................................................4-23
The break Statement ................................................................4-23
The Goto Statement..................................................................4-24
The Continue Statement ...........................................................4-26

LAB 4: BRANCHING AND FLOW CONTROL.................................................4-31

Lab 4 Overview.....................................................................................4-32
Use a For Loop to List All the Windows Services .................................4-33
Use a For Each Loop to List All the Windows Services........................4-38
Display Service Status Information.......................................................4-40

CLASSES AND OBJECTS.................................................................................5-1

Introducing Objects and Classes ............................................................5-2
Revisiting .NET Framework Classes ..........................................5-2
Using Class Properties ...............................................................5-8
Calling Class Methods ................................................................5-9
Creating Your Own Classes .................................................................5-12
Creating Your First Class..........................................................5-13
Adding XML Comments ............................................................5-17
Using the Class View Window ..................................................5-20
Using the Class Designer .........................................................5-21
Investigating the Code ..............................................................5-31
Adding the Code .......................................................................5-34
Add Another Method and Test the Class ..................................5-36
Working with the Object Test Bench.........................................5-40
Working with Classes ...........................................................................5-44
Value Types vs. Reference Types ............................................5-44
Setting Reference Variables to Null and Disposing ..................5-46
Providing for Deterministic Finalization.....................................5-50
Overriding Object Class Functionality.......................................5-55
Manipulating Object References...............................................5-57
Instance vs. Static Members.....................................................5-60
Thinking More about Static Members .......................................5-63
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LAB 5: CLASSES AND OBJECTS ..................................................................5-67

Lab 5 Overview.....................................................................................5-68
Create the LogFile Class ......................................................................5-69
Modify the LogFile Class Using the Class Designer.............................5-72

PROPERTIES AND METHODS.........................................................................6-1

Overview of Properties and Methods......................................................6-2
Properties ...............................................................................................6-3
Calculating Values for Properties................................................6-4
Validating Values in Properties ...................................................6-6
Methods ..................................................................................................6-9
Passing Arguments to Methods ................................................6-10
Methods in Classes...................................................................6-14
Class Constructors....................................................................6-15
Saving and Retrieving Information............................................6-18
Returning and Passing Arrays ..................................................6-26
Instance and Static Members ...................................................6-31

LAB 6: PROPERTIES AND METHODS ..........................................................6-39

Lab 6 Overview.....................................................................................6-40
Create the Order Class.........................................................................6-41
Validate and Calculate Property Values ...............................................6-48
Save and Retrieve Orders ....................................................................6-55

OBJECT-ORIENTED TECHNIQUES .................................................................7-1

Inheritance ..............................................................................................7-2
Derived Classes..........................................................................7-5
Abstract Classes and Members ................................................7-14
Sealed Classes and Members ..................................................7-19
Interfaces ..............................................................................................7-22
Implementing an Interface ........................................................7-24
Interfaces in the .NET Framework ............................................7-27
Organizing Classes...............................................................................7-30
Partial Classes ..........................................................................7-30
Nested Classes.........................................................................7-31
Namespaces .............................................................................7-35

LAB 7: OBJECT-ORIENTED TECHNIQUES ..................................................7-43

Lab 7 Overview.....................................................................................7-44
Derived Classes....................................................................................7-45

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Overriding and Overloading Members..................................................7-54

Implement an Interface .........................................................................7-59

WORKING WITH ARRAYS ................................................................................8-1

Introducing Arrays...................................................................................8-2
Creating and Filling Arrays..........................................................8-6
Initializing Arrays.......................................................................8-11
Retrieving Data from Arrays......................................................8-13
Arrays and Method Parameters ................................................8-15
Arrays in the .NET Framework..................................................8-17
Manipulating Arrays ..............................................................................8-19
Sorting Arrays ...........................................................................8-20
Allowing for More Flexible Sorting ............................................8-24
Searching in Arrays...................................................................8-35
Creating Indexers .................................................................................8-41
Adding an Enumerator ..............................................................8-48

LAB 8: WORKING WITH ARRAYS .................................................................8-55

Lab 8 Overview.....................................................................................8-56
Fill and Display an Array with Windows Services .................................8-57
Sort the Array of Services.....................................................................8-63
Display a Subset of Services ................................................................8-68

DELEGATES AND EVENTS ..............................................................................9-1

Motivating Delegates ..............................................................................9-2
Testing the FileSearch0 Class ....................................................9-7
FileSearch1: Modifying the FileSearch0 Class ...........................9-8
FileSearch1a: Inheritance is a Possible Solution........................9-9
Using an Event Interface Class.................................................9-12
Introducing Delegates...........................................................................9-18
Digging Deeper into Delegates .................................................9-22
Named vs. Anonymous Delegates............................................9-24
Delegate vs. MulticastDelegate ................................................9-28
Working with Events .............................................................................9-30
Declaring and Raising Events...................................................9-30
Multiple Event Handlers ............................................................9-33
Exceptions and Multiple Event Handlers ..................................9-34
Manually Invoking Each Listener ..............................................9-36
Using the .NET Event Design Pattern.......................................9-39

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LAB 9: DELEGATES AND EVENTS ...............................................................9-47

Lab 9 Overview.....................................................................................9-48
Use a .NET Delegate............................................................................9-50
Add a Visual Basic 6-Style Event .........................................................9-53
Add a .NET-Style Event........................................................................9-55

GENERICS.......................................................................................................10-1
Introducing Generics.............................................................................10-2
Generic Methods.......................................................................10-5
Generic Classes........................................................................10-8
Advantages of Generics..........................................................10-12
Generics and Arrays ...........................................................................10-13
Sorting Arrays .........................................................................10-13
Sorting with the IComparer Interface ......................................10-15
Sorting with Generic Comparisons .........................................10-18
Searching with Generic Predicates.........................................10-22
Generic Interfaces ..............................................................................10-26
Generic Constraints ............................................................................10-29
Generics and Lists ..............................................................................10-34
Using an ArrayList to Store a Collection of Items ...................10-34
Using a Generic List to Store a Collection of Items ................10-37
Sorting with the List Class.......................................................10-38

LAB 10: GENERICS ......................................................................................10-43

Lab 10 Overview.................................................................................10-44
Sorting and Searching Arrays with Generics ......................................10-45
Using Generic Interfaces and Constraints ..........................................10-55
Managing Collections with Generic Lists ............................................10-62

HANDLING EXCEPTIONS...............................................................................11-1
Perspectives on Exception Handling ....................................................11-2
Exception Handling in .NET ......................................................11-2
The Demonstration Code..........................................................11-4
Getting Started with Exception Handling ..............................................11-5
No Error Handling .....................................................................11-5
Adding a Simple Try/Catch Block .............................................11-8
Unhandled Exceptions ............................................................11-10
Using an Exception Object......................................................11-11
Catching Specific Exceptions .............................................................11-14

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Understanding the Exception Hierarchy .................................11-18

Raising Errors .....................................................................................11-21
Using the Throw Keyword.......................................................11-21
Exception-Handling Options ...................................................11-22
Passing Error Information .......................................................11-23
Running Code Unconditionally ...........................................................11-27
The Finally Block.....................................................................11-27
Cleaning Up: The Using Statement ........................................11-29
Creating Exception Classes................................................................11-32

LAB 11: HANDLING EXCEPTIONS ..............................................................11-39

Lab 11 Overview.................................................................................11-40
Add Simple Exception Handling .........................................................11-41
Handle Individual Exceptions..............................................................11-46
Run Code Unconditionally ..................................................................11-53

COLLECTION CLASSES .................................................................................12-1

Generics, Collections, and Interfaces ...................................................12-2
Introducing the Generic Collection Interfaces ...........................12-3
The Generic List ...................................................................................12-7
Working with the List Class.......................................................12-8
Working with Predicates .........................................................12-43
Working with Dictionaries, Stacks, and Queues .................................12-55
Storing Key/Value Pairs Using a Dictionary............................12-56
Using the SortedDictionary and SortedList Classes ...............12-63
Using Queues and Stacks ......................................................12-71
Creating Your Own Generic Collection Classes .................................12-78
Sample Scenario.....................................................................12-79
Creating the Custom Collection Class ....................................12-80
Consuming the Custom Collection..........................................12-85

LAB 12: COLLECTION CLASSES ................................................................12-92

Lab 12 Overview.................................................................................12-93
Create and Fill SortedDictionary.........................................................12-95
Add List with File Information............................................................12-100
Sort the FileInfo List..........................................................................12-102

NEW LANGUAGE FEATURES ........................................................................13-1

LINQ and Languages............................................................................13-2

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The Sample Application ............................................................13-2

Modifying the Sample ...............................................................13-4
Implicitly Typed Local Variables and Object Initializers ........................13-7
Implict Type Declarations..........................................................13-7
Object Initializers.......................................................................13-9
Lambda Expressions, Extension Methods, and Anonymous
Types ..................................................................................................13-14
Lambda Expressions ..............................................................13-14
Extension Methods .................................................................13-23
Anonymous Types ..................................................................13-28

LAB 13: NEW LANGUAGE FEATURES .......................................................13-35

Lab 13 Overview.................................................................................13-36
Add Implicit Type Declarations and Object Initializers........................13-37
Add Lambda Expressions...................................................................13-42

INDEX........................................................................................................INDEX-1

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