Bachelor of Information

Technology
WINDOWS PROGRAMMING
Introduction to Programming and
Visual C# 2008
(Week 1)
PowerPoint Slides
by Tengku Hasliza

Learning Objective(s)
1. Explain the process of visual program design and
development
2. Explain the term object-oriented programming
3. Explain the concepts of classes, objects, properties,
methods, and events
4. List and describe the three steps for writing a C# program
5. Describe the various files that make up a C# project
6. Identify the elements in the Visual Studio environment
7. Define design time, run time, and debug time
8. Write, run, save, print, and modify your first C# program
9. Identify syntax errors, run-time errors, and logic errors

Last Updated: 3/7/15

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Learning Outcome(s)
1. Describe the process of visual program design and
development
2. Explain the term object-oriented programming
3. Explain the concepts of classes, objects, properties,
methods, and events
4. Identify the three steps for writing a C# program
5. Describe the various files that make up a C# project
6. Identify the elements in the Visual Studio environment
7. Define design time, run time, and debug time
8. Write, run, save, print, and modify your first C# program
9. Identify syntax errors, run-time errors, and logic errors

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Writing Windows Applications

Your C# programs will look and
act like standard Windows
programs
Use tools to create:

Labels
Text boxes
Buttons
Radio buttons
Picture box
Check box
Menu Bar
Drop-down list
List box
Group box
Bradley (2009, Figure)

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Windows Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Windows GUI defines how elements look and function

Windows are called forms
Elements are called controls
Add controls to your forms using the toolbox
C# projects follow the object-oriented programming
(OOP) technique

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Programming Languages
Procedural and Object Oriented
Procedural Basic, C, Cobol, Fortran, PL/1, Pascal
Program specifies exact sequence of operations
Object Oriented Programming (OOP) C#, Java,

Visual Basic

Last Updated: 3/7/15

User controls the sequence

User actions cause events to occur which trigger
methods

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The Object Model

Objects have properties, methods and events
An object is based on a class

Objects (noun or thing)

Properties (adjectives)

Click, KeyPress, Scroll, Close window

Classes (template or blueprint)

Last Updated: 3/7/15

Close, Show, Clear

Events (occurs when user takes action)

Name, Color, Size, Location

Methods (verbs)

Forms, Controls

Contain definition of all available properties, methods and

events

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OOP Terminology
Object.Property
SalesForm.Text
Object.Method
BillingForm.Show
exitButton.Show

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Object Model Analogy

Class = automobile
Object = one individual automobile
Object is an instance of the automobile class
Properties = make, model, color, engine, number of doors
Methods = start, speedup, slowdown, stop
Events = arrive, crash

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Microsofts Visual Studio 2008

.NET 3.5 Framework

Environment that allows objects from different

languages to operate together, standardizes
references to data and objects
.NET languages all compile (translate) to Microsoft
Intermediate Language (MSIL)
MSIL runs in the Common Language Runtime (CLR)

Programming Languages

Visual C#, Visual C++, Visual Basic

C# Versions

Last Updated: 3/7/15

Express Edition, Standard Edition, Professional

Edition, Team System

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Writing C# Programs
The Three-Step Process (Planning)
Planning
Design the user interface

Plan the properties

Plan the C# code

Last Updated: 3/7/15

Sketch screens
Show forms and all controls
Name forms and objects on form
Consult with user

Plan classes and methods

Write pseudocode

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Writing C# Programs
The Three-Step Process (Programming)
Define user interface
Create forms and controls
Set the properties
Name each object and define its attributes
Write the code
Define the actions of the program

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C# Application Files
Solution file
A C# application is called a solution and can consist
of one or more projects
.sln extension
Project file
Describes project and lists files included
.csproj extension
Form files
.cs, .Designer.cs, .resx extensions
The Visual Studio environment creates several more files

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The Visual Studio Environment

Integrated development environment (IDE)
Includes various tools

Last Updated: 3/7/15

Form designer
Editor for entering and modifying C# code
Compiler
Debugger
Object Browser
Help

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Default Environment Settings

Visual Studio 2008 allows selection of default IDE profile
Available with full version of Visual Studio
Choose Visual C# Development Settings

Last Updated: 3/7/15

Text uses the Visual C# settings

Settings can be saved for more than one language
To switch between the settings for languages:
Select Tools/Import and Export Settings
Choose Reset all settings

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The New Project Dialog

Select File/New Project
New Project Dialog Box Opens

Select the Windows Forms

Application template

Select Visual C#
Windows

Enter the Project

Name

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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The IDE Main Window

Toolbo
x

Solution
Explorer

Properti
es
window

Main
Document
window

Each window can be moved, resized, closed, or customized

Bradley (2010, Figure)
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The Toolbars
Toolbar buttons are shortcuts
Each buttons command is also a menu selection
Select View/Toolbars to display or hide a toolbar
Three commonly used toolbars
Standard
Layout
Text Editor

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Document Window
Use tabs to switch between open documents
Items in Document window
Form Designer
Code Editor
Project Designer
Database Designer
Object Browser

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The Form Designer

Design forms for user interface
Change size of form using sizing handles or selection
border
A new default form is added when a new C# application is
started

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The Solution Explorer and

Properties Windows
Solution Explorer window
Holds filenames for project files
Lists classes referenced
Holds name of solution (.sln) file
Properties Window
Used to set properties for objects in project

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Toolbox
Holds tools to place controls on
form
Tools vary depending on edition
of C#

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Help
Help with specific tasks

Filte
r

Help
Index

Last Updated: 3/7/15

Selected Topic

Help
Contents

Help
Favorites

Help
Search

Index Results

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Design Time, Run Time, Debug Time

Design Time
Design user interface (forms)
Write code
Run Time
Testing project
Running project
Debug Time
Run-time errors
Pause program execution

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Writing Your First C# Project - 1

Run Visual Studio
Start a New Project
Select File/New/Project

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Visual C# and Windows must be selected for Project types

Select Windows Forms Application for the template

Enter Hello World as the project name

Click the OK button

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Writing Your First C# Project - 2

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Writing Your First C# Project - 3

Set Up Your Environment

Click Window/Reset Window

Layout, Click Yes
Point to toolbox icon

Pushpin icon toggles Auto Hide

feature for toolbox

Optional

Tools/Options
Options dialog box
Startup under Environment
At startup list

Show empty environment

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Writing Your First C# Project - 4

Plan the project

Design the user interface

Plan the properties
Plan the code

(Planning the properties and

code have been done for the
first sample project)
Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Writing Your First C# Project - 5

Define the User Interface
Set Up the Form

Drag handle to resize

form

Place Controls on the

Form

Double-click the Label tool

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Writing Your First C# Project - 6

Draw a button on the form
Click the button tool and
draw with the crosshair
pointer
Create a second button
Double-click the Button tool
in the toolbox
Use snap lines to align all three
controls

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Writing Your First C# Project - 7

Controls
Select, Delete, Move or Resize

Select a control

Click on it

Delete a selected control

Select control and press the Delete key

Move a selected control

Point inside control (not on a handle)

and drag to a new location
Point to a resizing handle and drag to
resize

Resize a selected control

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Writing Your First C# Project - 8

Set Properties
Press F4 key if Properties window is not displayed
Click title bar of Properties window to make active
window
Click on control to change its properties
Click Alphabetical button to sort properties
Select Name property

Select AutoSize property

Choose True or False

Select Text property

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Enter Name for Control (used in code)

Change value for display on form

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Writing Your First C# Project - 9

Lock the Controls

When controls are in desired location, lock them in

place
Unlock controls by clicking again on Lock Controls on
the context menu

Right-click on the form

and select Lock
Controls
A button that is selected and
locked

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Writing Your First C# Project - 10

Set Button Properties
button1
Name - displayButton
Text - Display
button2
Name exitButton
Text Exit

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Writing Your First C# Project - 11

Change Properties of the Form
Text property appears in the forms title bar
Set StartPosition property to CenterScreen

Icon indicates that the forms controls are locked

Forms Text property appears in the title bar

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Changing a Forms Name

You must change the name of the forms file and the name
of the class
If you change the filename first, the IDE automatically
changes the name of the class
The reverse is not true

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HelloForm.cs

Name of
the forms
file

File name

Name of
the form
class

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Write Code
C# Events
While a project is running the user can perform
actions, each of which causes an event to occur
C# will execute a method when code has been written
for an event
C# ignores events for which no methods are written

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C# Event Handlers
Write C# code in methods
Each begins with the words private void
Code in method is enclosed in braces { }
C# names the event-handling method as the object name,
an underscore (_) and the name of the event
displayButton_Click

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C# Code Statements
Comment statements
Sometimes called remarks
Ending a statement
Code statements are terminated by a semicolon (;)
Assignment statements
Executing a Method
Methods always have parentheses
Use this keyword to execute method of the current
form

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The Comment Statement

Comments or remarks are for project documentation
Explain purpose of the program
Provide identifying information
Non-executable statements within the code
Automatically colored green by the editor
Single-line comments begin with two slashes
// Display a message to the user.
Multiline comments begin with /* and
/* First line
...
Last line */

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end with */

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Ending a Statement
Most C# statements end with a semicolon (;)
A statement can appear on multiple lines
The semicolon determines the end of the statement
Comments and a few other C# statements do not end with
a semicolon

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The Assignment Statement

Assigns a value to a property or variable

Operates from right to left
The value on the right side of the equal sign is
assigned to the property on the left side of the
equal sign
Enclose text (a literal) in quotation marks (" ")

Last Updated: 3/7/15

messageLabel.Text = "Hello
World";
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Ending a Program by Executing a Method

To execute a method of an object, write:
Object.Method();
Methods are always followed by parentheses
Can help distinguish methods from properties
To execute a method of the current form use the this
keyword
this.Close();
this.Close() is used to end a program in the eventhandling method for an Exit button or menu choice

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Code Event-Handling Methods - 1

Double-click the Display button
The Editor window opens
The header line for the method is in place
The insertion point appears inside the opening and closing
braces
private void displayButton_Click(object sender,
EventArgs e)
{
|
}

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Code Event-Handling Methods - 2

Editor
tab

Form Designer tab

Commen
t
statemen
Assignme
t
nt
statement
Execute the
Close
method to
end the
program

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Run the Project - 1

Use one of three

techniques to run

IDE Title bar indicates

program is in run time

Open the Debug

menu / Start
Debugging
Press the Start
Debugging toolbar
button
Press F5, the
keyboard shortcut

Editor and Form Designer locked

tabs

Form for the

running
application

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Run the Project - 2

Click the Display

button

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Hello World
message appears
in the label

Click the Exit button

to end the project
and return to Design
time

48

Save Your Work

File menu/Save All
Saves the current form, project and solution files
Click Save All toolbar button to quickly save all files
File menu/Close Solution
If file has not been saved since last change, prompt to
save appears

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Open the Project

Three ways to open a project
File menu/Open Project

Choose project from File/Recent Projects menu

Start Page (if available)

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Browse to find .sln file (small 9 as part of files icon)

View/Other Windows/Start Page

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Modify the Project

Modify the project by making changes to the

design (including properties) and/or the code
(including comments)
Double-click on a button to open the editor

Editor will open in corresponding click event

code

Click to
expand Font
list

Properties button

Settings
box

Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Print the Code

Print

Open Editor window

File/Print

View Event Handlers

Select a button control

Click Events button (lightning bolt) on Properties
window
Double-click on the event name

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Code Editor window opens inside template for event handler

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Automatically Generated Code

Using Statements
Provide references to classes from the language
library

System.Windows.Forms
Allows program to refer to all Windows controls

Namespace Statement
.NET Framework requires every program component
to have a namespace
Class Statement
A new class can inherit from another class

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Finding and Fixing Errors

Syntax errors
Breaking the rules of the language
Editor finds most, compiler reports remainder
Editor identifies syntax errors with a red squiggly
line
Run-time errors or exceptions
Program halts due to statements that cannot execute
For example, impossible arithmetic operations
Logic errors
Program runs but produces incorrect results
Carefully proof output to make sure it is correct
Computations, text and spacing
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Project Debugging
Program errors are bugs
Editor highlights syntax and run-time errors
Programmer must locate logic errors
C# allows edit-and-continue
Fix error and press F5 or Debug/Continue
Clean Compile
No errors during the compile process

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Modifying an Event Handler -1

Deleting an Event Handler
Select form or control
Click Events button in
Properties window
Select and delete name
of the method

Select the
event

Delete the method

name
Bradley (2010, Figure)

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Modifying an Event Handler - 2

Renaming a Control
Change the name of the control in the design window
Switch to Editor window
Right-click name of event-handling method
Select Refractor/Rename
Enter new name in Rename dialog box
Click Apply in Preview Changes dialog box

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Naming Rules and Conventions for

Objects

Follow C# rules for naming objects, methods and

variables
Good programmers follow naming rules and conventions
Most programming shops have standards that must be
followed
When programmers consistently follow standards,
programs are easier to read and to maintain, by both the
original programmer and by others

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The Naming Rules

Name must begin with a letter or an underscore

Name can contain letters, digits, and underscores
Name cannot include a space, punctuation mark or be a
reserved word
Names are case sensitive
exitbutton, ExitButton and exitButton refer to
three different objects

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The Naming Conventions -1

Follow standard naming conventions
Use camel casing
Begin name with lowercase character
Capitalize each additional word in name
Use meaningful names, indicate purpose of object
Append full name of controls class
Examples

Last Updated: 3/7/15

messageLabel, exitButton, discountRateLabel

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The Naming Conventions - 2

Do not keep C# default names
Exception is labels that never change during
execution
Use pascal casing to name forms and classes
Capitalize first letter of name and first letter of all
other words in name
Examples

Last Updated: 3/7/15

HelloForm, MainForm, AboutForm

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Visual Studio Help

Installing and Running MSDN
Can be run from a hard drive or online
Viewing Help Topics
Help window opens on top of IDE window
Filter by C# and either Express or Professional
Edition
Context-Sensitive Help
Select a C# object (i.e. form or control)
Place insertion point in a word in the editor
Press F1

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References:
Julia Case Bradley, Anita Millspaugh. 2010, Programming
in Visual C# 2008, Mc Graw Hill.

Last
updated: 3/7/15
Last
Updated:

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Key Terms:
Term

Definition

Forms

Windows are called forms

Controls

Elements are called controls

NET 3.5 Framework

Environment that allows objects from different

languages to operate together, standardizes
references to data and objects

Syntax errors

Breaking the rules of the language

Run-time errors or
exceptions

Program halts due to statements that cannot execute

Logic errors

Program runs but produces incorrect results

Carefully proof output to make sure it is correct
Computations, text and spacing

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