This course provides thorough coverage of the VB language and .NET Framework 4.5. The course runs on Visual Studio 2012 and Windows 8. All of the latest language features such as LINQ, extension methods, and lambda expressions, and dynamic variables are covered.
Course content:
Introduction to VB and .NET:
• .NET Framework building blocks: Hello world in VB: Using Visual Studio 2012: Namespaces and assemblies.
Core VB Programming Constructs:
• Variables, operators, and statements: Reference types vs. value types: Conversions: Nullable types: Using the Console and String classes: Flow-of-control: Using implicit types.
More VB Programming Constructs:
• Defining methods: Input, output, and optional parameters: Method overloading: Arrays: Structures.
Defining and Using Classes:
• Defining classes: Defining constructors and finalizers: Defining properties: Creating and disposing objects: Defining constants and read-only fields: Static members: Partial classes / methods.
Inheritance and Polymorphism:
• Defining base classes and derived classes: Overriding methods: Abstract classes: Interfaces.
Exception Handling:
• Defining Try / Catch / Finally blocks: Throwing exceptions: Defining new exception classes: Defining Using blocks
Creating Collections of Objects:
• Overview of generics: Using List collections: Using Dictionary collections
Delegates, Events, and Lambdas:
• Overview: Defining simple delegates: Defining and handling events: Using lambda expressions
Additional Language Features:
• Operator overloading: Extension methods: Object initializers: Anonymous types
Introduction to LINQ:
• The role of LINQ: Simple LINQ query expressions: Using LINQ with collections: LINQ query operators
File Handling:
• Using the DriveInfo, DirectoryInfo, and FileInfo classes: Using the Directory and File classes: Using stream readers and writers: Serialization
Managing Data:
• .NET data providers: Connecting to a database: Executing a query: Result sets: DataSets: Using the Entity Framework
Creating XAML-based User Interfaces:
• Overview of Windows Presentation Foundation: Getting started with XAML: Implementing event handlers: Data binding
WCF and Data Services:
• Overview of Windows Communication Foundation: Creating a service: Hosting a service: Creating a client: Implementing and using WCF data services.
Multithreading, Tasks, and Asynchronous Operations:
• Invoking methods asynchronously via delegates: Creating threads programmatically: Synchronization: Parallel programming: PLINQ: Asynchronous programmingprogrammatically.
Integrating with Unmanaged Code:
• Dynamic programming concepts: The Dynamic Language Runtime
Additional .NET Techniques:
• Reflection: Assembly management: Attributes: Encryption and decryption
Audience:
Developers who want to develop solutions for the .NET 4.5 platform using VB
Prerequisites:
• Experience using any contemporary OO language
Instructor: Andy Olsen
Andy is a freelance consultant and instructor based in the UK, working mostly in the City of London and Oxford. Andy has been working with .NET since the Beta 1 days and has extensive experience in many facets of .NET development including WCF, WPF, WF, ASP.NET MVC Web development, and mobile applications. Andy has designed and written many Microsoft Official Curriculum courses in the last decade, and has been engaged as author and technical reviewer with Apress on some of their biggest selling books.