425. Windows Forms Using Visual
Basic
Rev. 2.0
This course provides a practical, hands-on introduction to GUI
development using Windows Forms and Visual Basic 2005. This five-day version of
the course introduces database programming in Windows and includes extensive
coverage of powerful new Windows Forms features in.NET 2.0, such as new
controls, new data binding, and ClickOnce deployment for creating smart client
applications. A shorter four-day version of the course covering.NET 1.1 is also
available.
The course begins with a fundamental discussion of Windows Forms
architecture and programming simple Windows Forms applications “from scratch.”
Then the use of Visual Studio 2005 and the Forms Designer is introduced, which
is used throughout the remainder of the course. Simple controls are covered,
such as buttons, labels, textboxes, checkboxes, radio buttons and group boxes. List
controls are surveyed, including list box, combo box, list view, and DomainUpDown.
Dialogs are discussed in detail, including modal and modeless dialogs and
associated controls. Menus, toolbars and status bars are covered. Advanced
topics are introduces, including parent/child and owner/owned relationships,
MDI, programming the Clipboard, and visual inheritance. Advanced controls are
introduced, including the tree view and tab control. Resources are discussed,
including their use in localization. The Application class is covered.
Applications settings are discussed, including use of configuration files and
the Registry. The course concludes with an introduction to data access in
Windows applications and with coverage of new Windows Forms features in .NET
2.0.
Numerous programming examples and exercises are provided. The
student will receive a comprehensive set of notes and all the programming
examples.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
·
Understand the fundamentals of Windows Forms
architecture
·
Acquire proficiency in the use of Visual Studio
to create professional class Windows applications
·
Gain a thorough grounding in the important
controls provided by Windows Forms
·
Learn how to implement dialogs, menus, toolbars
and status bars
·
Learn how to use advanced controls, such as tree
views, splitters and tabbed dialogs
·
Understand the use of resources and application
settings in Windows Forms applications
·
Learn how to implement data access using ADO.NET
and binding of controls
·
Gain an understanding of new controls, data
binding and ClickOnce deployment in .NET 2.0
Course Duration: 5
days
Audience: This course is
designed for experienced application developers and architects responsible for Windows
applications in a Microsoft environment.
Prerequisites: Experience
programming the .NET Framework using Visual Basic.
1.
Introduction to Windows Forms
What Are Windows Forms?
Windows Forms Class Hierarchy
Building a Form
The Application Class
Trapping Events
Buttons
Labels and Textbox Controls
2.
Visual Studio and the Forms Designer
Using the Forms Designer
Code Generated by Forms Designer
Adding Event Handlers
Creating Attractive Forms
Creating Easy To Use Forms
3.
Using Controls
Checkbox, Radio Button, and Group Box
Numeric Up/Down
Trackbar
Progress
MonthCalendar
DateTimePicker
4.
List Controls
Listbox and Combo box
DomainUpDown
ListView
Storing Objects in List Controls
5.
Working with Dialogs
Modal vs. Modeless Dialogs
Message Boxes
Common Dialogs
Creating a Modal Dialog
Configuring the Dialog Result
Access Data from the Dialog
Validating Data
Error Provider Control
Modal Dialogs
Creating a Modeless Dialog
6.
Menus, Toolbars and Status Bars
Main Menus
Context Menus
Building a Status Bar
Building a Toolbar
Using the Timer Control
7.
Advanced
Windows Forms Topics
Parent/Child Relationships
Owner/Owned Relationships
Top-Most Forms
Multiple Document Interface
Managing Parent/Child Menus
Programming the Clipboard
Visual Inheritance
8.
Using Advanced Controls
Panel
TreeView
Splitter
Tab Control
9.
Resources
Image Resources
Resource Files
String Resources
Working with Resources in Visual Studio
Resource Managers
Cultures and Internationalization
Building Localizable Forms
10. Applications
and Settings
Application Class
Processing and Filtering Windows Messages
Application Lifetime and Events
Configuration Files
Windows Registry
11. Data
Access and Data Binding
ADO.NET Overview
.NET Data Providers
Using DataReaders
Data Sets
Data Tables
Data Views
Data Binding
Interacting with XML Data
12. Windows
Forms in .NET 2.0
ToolStrip Control
SplitContainer Control
Web Browser Control
DataGridView Control
Other New .NET 2.0 Controls
New Data Binding
Application Settings
BackgroundWorker Component
ClickOnce Deployment
Appendix A. Learning Resources
System Requirements
Course exercises require Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 and MSDN on
Windows 2000 or XP. SQL Server 2005 is required for the database chapter. IIS
is required to demonstrate ClickOnce deployment. See the appropriate course
Setup Guide for details.
A good minimal hardware profile for this course would have a Pentium
1 GHz or equivalent CPU, 512 MB of RAM, and at least 4 GB of free disk space
for tools installation and courseware.