Introduction to Visual Basic Using .NET

by Wyatt, Dana L.; Oberg, Robert J.

• ISBN13: 9780130418043
• ISBN10: 0130418048
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-03-22
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

Using real-world examples and a detailed case study,Introduction to Visual Basic Using .NEThelps you master VB.NET from the ground up, or rapidly migrate from VB6. The authors introduce the .NET Framework and Visual Studio.NET from the VB developer's perspective, examine VB.NET's basic coding constructs, and thoroughly explore both object-oriented programming and Windows Forms development. Coverage also includes: ADO.NET, threads, collections, delegates, attributes, and much more.

Author Biography

DANA L. WYATT, Ph. D. formed EMCA Consulting in 1993 to provide advanced object-oriented training, mentoring, and consulting services. She received a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Texas A&M University and taught computer science for 13 years at Texas A&M, TCU, and the University of North Texas, receiving a NASA-ASEE fellowship for research at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

ROBERT J. OBERG is founder and President of Object Innovations, a leading developer of integrated courseware on fundamental software including Microsoft .NET, COM+, and Java. His books include Understanding and Programming COM+, Introduction to C# Using .NET and Application Development Using C# and .NET (Prentice Hall PTR). He is editor of The Integrated .NET Series. Oberg holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University.

Table of Contents

Preface.
Acknowledgment.
About This Series.

I. INTRODUCTION TO .NET AND VB.NET.

1. .NET Framework.
2. First VB.NET Programs.
3. Visual Studio.NET.

II. VB.NET AS A VISUAL BASIC LANGUAGE.

4. Fundamentals of VB.NET.
5. Control Structures.
6. Procedures.
7. Advanced Data Types.
8. VB.NET Utility Functions.
9. Exception Handling.

III. OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING IN VB.NET.

10. Object-Oriented Programming.
11. Classes.
12. Inheritance.
13. Interfaces.
14. The VB.NET Type System.

IV. WINDOWS PROGRAMMING IN VB.NET.

15. Introduction to Windows Forms.
16. Windows Forms, Part II.
17. Windows Forms, Part III.

V. VB.NET AND THE .NET FRAMEWORK.

18. Using the .NET Framework.
19. NET Collections.
20. Database Access.
21. File I/O.
22. Advanced Features.
23. Components and Assemblies.
Appendix A. Case Study: Object-Oriented Programming.
Index.

Excerpts

PrefaceMicrosoft's .NET is a revolutionary advance in programming technology that greatly simplifies application development. In addition to providing support for traditional desktop Windows applications, it provides tremendous support for Web-based services.Microsoft's popular Visual Basic programming language has been upgraded to take advantage of the new .NET features. Visual Basic.NET, or simply VB.NET, has become a full object-oriented programming language with capabilities comparable to C++, Java, and Microsoft's new language C# (pronounced "C sharp").This book is a practical introduction to programming in VB.NET and using services provided by .NET. It emphasizes the VB.NET language and is part of The Integrated .NET Series from Object Innovations and Prentice Hall PTR.An important thrust of this book is to teach VB.NET programming from an object-oriented perspective. This book introduces object-oriented concepts early and includes a case study on object-oriented programming. The book is intended to be fully accessible to programmers who do not already have a background in object-oriented programming. Previous knowledge of Visual Basic is not essential.The book may also be read by more experienced programmers who desire a simple introduction to VB.NET with many example programs. Although designed for working professionals, the book includes enough detail, careful explanations, and sample programs so that it can be useful as a college textbook.VB.NET is now a fully object-oriented language. It supports classes, interfaces, interface and implementation inheritance, and polymorphism. It is also highly integrated with the .NET Framework. These features make VB.NET a compelling language for developing object-oriented and component-based systems. This book provides thorough coverage of all these features.One of the strengths of Visual Basic, and the reason it has enjoyed such widespread use, is the ease with which Windows application can be developed. Microsoft has revamped the way that Windows applications are built under .NET. Windows Forms, used by .NET languages, represents a class library that brings uniformity to the components of a Windows application. The book includes substantial coverage of using Windows Forms in VB.NET.VB.NET, as a language, is elegant and powerful. However, to fully utilize its capabilities, you must have a good understanding of how it works with the .NET Framework. The book examines several important interactions between VB.NET and the .NET Framework, and includes an introduction to major .NET classes for collections, files, databases, and threads. Organization of This BookThis book is organized into five major parts and is structured to make it easy for you to isolate what you most need to know.Part 1, which everyone should read, begins with an introduction to the .NET Framework. The second chapter provides a short introduction to hands-on programming using VB.NET, so that you can start writing code on .NET right away. The third chapter introduces Visual Studio.NET. It is the latest version of Microsoft's popular Visual Studio development environment and has many features that make application development easier and more pleasant. These chapters will equip you to use Visual Studio throughout the rest of the book.Part 2 covers the core features of VB.NET. If you know Visual Basic, you will have a definite leg up in learning VB.NET, and you can quickly skim this section, paying attention to the information in the sidebars. Sidebars alert you to either (1) the first time a concept new to VB.NET is introduced, or (2) a significant change to the VB.NET language that experienced VB programmers should note. If you are not familiar with Visual Basic, this section is for you. It will quickly bring you up to speed on the core topics of data types, operators, and control structures.Part 3 examines the obje