Softsteel Solutions

Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) (formerly known by its code name "Avalon") is a brand-new presentation framework for Windows XP and Windows Vista, the next version of the Windows client operating system. For developers, WPF is a cornucopia of new technologies, including a new graphics engine that supports 3-D graphics, animation, and more; an XML-based markup language (XAML) for declaring the structure of your Windows UI; and a radical new model for controls.

Programming Windows Presentation Foundation, authored by Microsoft Software Legend Chris Sells and WPF guru Ian Griffiths, is the book you need to get up to speed on WPF. By page two, you'll have written your first WPF application, and by the end of Chapter 1, "Hello WPF," you'll have completed a rapid tour of the framework and its major elements. These include the XAML markup language and the mapping of XAML markup to WinFX code; the WPF content model; layout; controls, styles, and templates; graphics and animation; and, finally, deployment.

Programming Windows Presentation Foundation features:

• Scores of C# and XAML examples that show you what it takes to get a WPF application up and running, from a simple "Hello, Avalon" program to a tic-tac-toe game
• Insightful discussions of the powerful new programming styles that WPF brings to Windows development, especially its new model for controls
• A color insert to better illustrate WPF support for 3-D, color, and other graphics effects
• A tutorial on XAML, the new HTML-like markup language for declaring Windows UI
• An explanation and comparison of the features that support interoperability with Windows Forms and other Windows legacy applications

The next generation of Windows applications is going to blaze a trail into the unknown. WPF represents the best of the control-based Windows world and the content-based web world; it's an engine just itching to be taken for a spin. Inside, you'll find the keys to the ignition.

Updated samples and change notes for the move from the February CTP to Beta 2 are now available from the example site: http://www.sellsbrothers.com/writing/avbook/

In this new edition of Jeffrey Richter’s popular APPLIED MICROSOFT .NET FRAMEWORK PROGRAMMING, you get focused, pragmatic guidance on how to exploit the common language runtime (CLR) functionality in .NET Framework 2.0 for applications of all types—from Web Forms, Windows® Forms, and Web services to solutions for Microsoft SQL Server™, Microsoft code names "Avalon" and "Indigo", consoles, NT Service, and more. Targeted to advanced developers and software designers, this book takes you under the covers of .NET for an in-depth understanding of its structure, functions, and operational components, demonstrating the most practical ways to apply this knowledge to your own development efforts. You’ll master fundamental design tenets for .NET, and get hands-on insights for creating high-performance applications more easily and efficiently. The book features extensive code examples in Microsoft Visual C#® 2005.

LINQ is the project name for a set of extensions to the .NET Framework that provide a generic approach to querying data from different data sources. LINQ will premier in Visual Studio 2008, and will become the next must-have skill for .NET developers.

Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 is all about code.

Literally, this book starts with code and ends with code. In most books, the author shows the simplest example demonstrating how to use a method, but they so rarely show how to use the more complex prototypes. Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 is different. Demonstrating the overwhelming majority of LINQ operators and protoypes, it is a veritable treasury of LINQ examples.

Rather than obscure the relevant LINQ principles in code examples by focusing on a demonstration application you have no interest in writing, Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 cuts right to the chase of each LINQ operator, method, or class. However, where complexity is necessary to truly demonstrate an issue, the examples are right there in the thick of it. For example, code samples demonstrating how to handle concurrency conflicts actually create concurrency conflicts so you can step through the code and see them unfold.

Most books tell you about the simple stuff, while few books warn you of the pitfalls. Where Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 returns your investment is in the hours, and sometimes days, spent by the author determining why something may not work as expected. Sometimes this results in an innocent looking paragraph that may take you a minute to read and understand, but took days to research and explain.

Face it, most technical books while informative, are dull. LINQ need not be dull. Written with a sense of humor, Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 will attempt to entertain you on your journey through the wonderland of LINQ and C# 2008.

• How to leverage all the new LINQ relevant C# 2008 language features including extension methods, lambda expressions, anonymous data types, and partial methods.
• How to use LINQ to Objects to query in-memory data collections such as arrays, ArrayLists, and Lists to retrieve the data you want.
• Why some queries are deferred, how a deferred query can bite you, and how you can make deferred queries work for you.
• How to use LINQ to XML to revolutionize your creation, manipulation, and searching of XML data.
• How to query DataSets with LINQ to DataSet so you can co-exist with legacy code and use LINQ to query databases other than SQL Server.
• How to query Databases with LINQ to SQL, write your own entity classes, and understand how to handle concurrency conflicts.

This is a concise yet thorough reference to C# 3.0 programming as implemented in Microsoft's Visual Studio 2008. C# 3.0 in a Nutshell gets right to the point, covering the essentials of language syntax and usage as well as the parts of the .NET base class libraries you need to build working applications. But unlike earlier editions, this book is now organized entirely around concepts and use cases, providing greater depth and readability. C# 3.0 introduces the most significant enhancements yet to the programming language, and C# 3.0 in a Nutshell delves deep into the subject while assuming minimal prior knowledge of C#-making it accessible to anyone with a reasonable background in programming. In addition to the language, the book covers the .NET CLR and the core Framework assemblies, along with the unified querying syntax called Language Integrated Query (LINQ), which bridges the traditional divide between programs and their data sources. Free of clutter and long introductions, this book provides a map of C# 3.0 knowledge in a succinct and unified style: Opening chapters concentrate purely on C#, starting with the basics of syntax, types and variables, and finishing with advanced topics such as unsafe code and preprocessor directives Later chapters cover the core .NET 3.5 Framework, including such topics as LINQ, XML, collections, I/O and networking, memory management, reflection, attributes, security, threading, application domains and native interoperability Designed as a handbook for daily use, C# 3.0 in a Nutshell is an ideal companion to any of the vast array of books that focus on an applied technology such as WPF, ASP.NET, or WCF. The areas of the language and .NET Frameworkthat such books omit, this one covers in detail.

The similarities between C# and Java are immediate and obvious, but Java programmers need to overcome certain challenges before they can get up to speed with C#. The expert authors of this title have written the perfect guide to help Java developers move past pitfalls and learn to make use of C#. The authors demonstrate the syntactical and architectural similarities between the two languages-and what's different in C#-to transform Java developers into productive C# developers as quickly and painlessly as possible.

You will learn how to build a complete e-commerce web site, following the entire design and build process. The website will be constructed following industry best practices in a modular manner&emdash;with a new module introduced and completed in each chapter.

Topics include an online catalogue and shopping cart, product searching and recommendation, and checkout/payment functionality. A distinguishing feature of this book is that it explains handling payments via PayPal, DataCash, and VeriSign Payflow Pro. By the end of the book, you will have created a fully-functioning e-commerce site, allowing you to sell merchandise and accept money from customers, at low cost to you.

In the three years since Microsoft made C# available, there have been lots of tweaks to the language. That's because C# is not only essential for making .NET work, it's a big way for Microsoft to attract millions of Java, C and C++ developers to the platform. And C# has definitely made some inroads. Because of its popularity among developers, the language received standardization from ECMA International, making it possible to port C# applications to other platforms. To bolster its appeal, C# 2.0 has undergone some key changes as part of Visual Studio 2005 that will make development with .NET quicker and easier. That's precisely what Visual C# 2005: A Developer's Notebook allows you to do. There are some great new features in C# and this unique "all lab, no lecture" guide covers them all with 50 hands-on projects. Each project explores a new feature, with emphasis on changes that increase productivity, simplify programming tasks, and add functionality to applications. C#'s component-based design combines the productivity of Microsoft's popular Visual Basic with the raw power of C++ for web-based applications. Many reviewers note a similarity between C# and Java--in fact, a new feature that took the Java development team five years to incorporate into Java is now available in C# 2.0. Called "generics", this feature enables developers to reuse and customize their existing code, so they can dramatically cut down the time it takes to develop new applications. Visual C# 2005: A Developer's Notebook is full of no-nonsense code without the usual page-filling commentary. You'll find suggestions for further experimentation, links to on-line documentation, plus practical notes and warnings. The book also tells developers how to acquire, install and configure Visual Studio 2005. Are you a coder to the core? Learn what C# 2.0 can do for you now.

"Essential C# 2.0 pulls off a very difficult task. The early chapters are comprehensible by beginning developers, while the later chapters pull no punches and provide the experienced developer with the detailed information they need to make the most of C# 2.0. Starting with the first chapter, Mark has successfully interwoven tidbits of information useful to even the most advanced developer while keeping the book approachable." --Chris Kinsman, chief architect, Vertafore, Microsoft Regional Director"How refreshing! This book deals with C# thoroughly, rather than skimming over the whole .NET framework. It is valuable to newcomers and professionals alike." --Jon Skeet, C# MVP"Essential C# 2.0 is a one-stop shop for an experienced programmer looking to ramp up on one of the hottest languages around today. Mark delivers an intelligent and detailed tour of C#, providing newcomers to the language with a solid foundation of skill on which to build their next generation of applications." --Stephen Toub, technical editor, MSDN Magazine"This book provides complete, up-to-date coverage of all the programming constructs in C#.Masterfully organized, it allows beginning programmers to get on board and leads more experienced programmers into the world of structured programming. Because of its unwavering focus on the essential programming constructs of C#--such as generics, delegates, and much more--this book is indispensable. For programmers who want to solve their day-to-day programming issues using the latest features this modern programming language has to offer, this book is indispensable." --Narendra Poflee, IT integration specialist, Itron Inc."Essential C# 2.0 is an ideal book for all programmers interested in C#. If you are a beginner, you will quickly learn the basics of C# programming and become familiar with the concepts. The flow of the text is easy to follow and does a great job of not repeating concepts that have already been covered. For the experienced programmer, this book has priceless nuggets embedded within its pages, making it a great read for programmers who are already familiar with C#. This will be a book that I will keep next to my computer for years to come." --Michael Stokesbary, software engineer, Itron Inc. Essential C# 2.0 is a clear, concise guide to C#--including the features new to C# 2.0. The book clearly presents material for beginners and experts and provides contrasts and comparisons between C# and other languages. The C# language is covered comprehensively and each important construct is illustrated with succinct code examples. Complete code examples are available online. Mark Michaelis has organized the material for quick access. Graphical "mind maps" at the beginning of each chapter show what material is covered and how each topic relates to the whole. Following the C# introduction, readers will learn about *C# primitive data types, value types, reference types, type conversions, and arrays *Operators and control flow, loops, conditional logic, and sequential programming *Methods, parameters, exception handling, and structured programming *Classes, inheritance, structures, interfaces, and object-oriented programming *Well-formed types, operator overloading, namespaces, and garbage collection *Generics, collections, and iterators *Reflection, attributes, and declarative programming *Threading, synchronization, and multi-threaded patterns *Interoperability and unsafe code *The Common Language Infrastructure that underlies C# C# 2.0 has a multitude of new features that make the language even more powerful, productive, and efficient. These new features are thoroughly covered in this book. A separate appendix on C# 2.0 topics helps readers quickly find new features of the language. Whether you're just starting out as a programmer, are an experienced developer looking to learn C#, or are a seasoned C# programmer interested in learning the new features of C# 2.0, Essential C# 2.0 gives you just what you need to quickly get up and running writing C# applications.

Get in-depth coverage and expert insights on advanced Visual C# programming topics such interfaces, delegates, generics, and much more. Targeting experienced, professional software developers who design and develop any kind of application, this book assumes that the reader knows and understands the basic functionality and concepts of Visual C# and that he or she is ready to move to mastering the development of components and assemblies and other uses of class libraries in the Microsoft .NET Framework version 2.0. This book includes extensive practical code samples.

This unique book examines up-to-the-minute uses of technology in financial markets and then explains how you can profit from that knowledge. To participate in mainstream .NET development, you must address the changes in financial markets by using the most sophisticated tools available, Microsoft .NET technology.

Software developers and architects, IT pros, and tech-savvy business users alike will find this book comprehensive and relevant. Each chapter presents problems and solutions that cover business aspects and relevant .NET features. Each aspect of .NET is analyzed in its proper context, so you'll understand why it is relevant and applicable in a real-life business case.

Toolset development is an extremely broad topic. Game Engine Toolset Development provides you with a core set of skills and a comprehensive insight that will aid you in the development of game engine utilities, significantly reducing the time period associated with the construction phase of a project. The book starts off with topics regarding development methodologies and best practices, and then proceeds into advanced topics like swap chain management and MVC object model automation with CodeDom. An introductory working knowledge of C# and the .NET 2.0 framework is expected, allowing the content of each topic to be directed towards the subject and avoiding trivial and introductory explanations. Readers are not required to have any experience developing game engine tools. Terminology and design fundamentals specific to toolset development are clearly depicted and explained. The companion Web site provides downloads of all source code from the book, as well as several bonus chapters.

Illustrated C# 2005 doesnt use the traditional dense prose format of most programming texts. Rather, it presents the C# programming language in a unique visual manner. The book uses three techniques to achieve this: concise text; tables that clarify and summarize language features; and frequent figures and diagrams. Each feature is also illustrated with concise, focused code samples.

The book starts with an overview of the .NET platform and the role played by C#, then quickly delves into the language. It covers the entire C# language, including new features added in C# 2.0 as well as the most complex topics. Its an ideal read if youre a migrating C++ or VB programmer who already knows how languages work.

Despite its titlewhich might give the impression that its a lightweight treatment of the languagethis book is anything but. With its clean visual format, youll be able to learn the material more quickly and retain it better than you would with a typical C# 2005 book. Even experienced programmers may come away from it with a deeper understanding of the language.

With the spread of web-enabled desktop clients and web-server based applications, developers can no longer afford to treat security as an afterthought. It's one topic, in fact, that .NET forces you to address, since Microsoft has placed security-related features at the core of the .NET Framework. Yet, because a developer's carelessness or lack of experience can still allow a program to be used in an unintended way, Programming .NET Security shows you how the various tools will help you write secure applications. The book works as both a comprehensive tutorial and reference to security issues for .NET application development, and contains numerous practical examples in both the C# and VB.NET languages. With Programming .NET Security, you will learn to apply sound security principles to your application designs, and to understand the concepts of identity, authentication and authorization and how they apply to .NET security. This guide also teaches you to:

• use the .NET run-time security features and .NET security namespaces and types to implement best-practices in your applications, including evidence, permissions, code identity and security policy, and role based and Code Access Security (CAS) use the .NET cryptographic APIs , from hashing and common encryption algorithms to digital signatures and cryptographic keys, to protect your data.
• use COM+ component services in a secure manner

The most up–to–date and comprehensive introductory ASP.NET book you’ll find on any shelf, Beginning ASP.NET 3.5 in C# 2008 guides you through Microsoft’s latest technology for building dynamic web sites. This book will enable you to build dynamic web pages on the fly, and it assumes only the most basic knowledge of C#.

The book provides exhaustive coverage of ASP.NET, guiding you from your first steps right up to the most advanced techniques, such as querying databases from within a web page and tuning your site for optimal performance. Within these pages, you’ll find tips for “best practices” and comprehensive discussions of key database and XML principles you need to know in order to be effective with ASP.NET. The book also emphasizes the invaluable coding techniques of object orientation and code behind, which will start you off on the track to building real–world web sites right from the beginning—rather than just faking it with simplified coding practices.

By the time you’ve finished the book, you will have mastered the core techniques and have all the knowledge you need to begin work as a professional ASP.NET developer.

Silverlight is a lightweight browser plug–in that frees your code from the traditional confines of the browser. It’s a rules–changing, groundbreaking technology that allows you to run rich client applications right inside the browser. Even more impressively, it’s able to host true .NET applications in non–Microsoft browsers (like Firefox) and on non–Microsoft platforms (like Mac OS X). Silverlight is still new and evolving fast, and you need a reliable guidebook to make sense of it.

With four–color graphics and screenshots throughout, Pro Silverlight 2 in C# 2008 is the perfect reference: you’ll learn about the features that put Silverlight in direct competition with Adobe Flash, such as rich support for 2D drawing, animations, and media playback, and best of all, you’ll experience the plumbing of .NET and the design model of WPF through Silverlight—all of the same .NET technology that developers use to design next–generation Windows applications. Author Matthew MacDonald provides an expertly crafted tutorial written from professional developer to professional developer. You’ll learn to create rich media applications using Silverlight in the environment you’re most productive in–no matter what the target platform.

What you’ll learn

• Develop rich media applications using Silverlight across browsers and platforms.
• Create a project, set up a layout, and use controls.
• Handle 2D drawing, animation, and media playback through Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF).
• Integrate web services support.
• Use Silverlight in conjunction with ASP.NET and its interactions with HTML.

Who is this book for?

.NET developers encountering Silverlight for the first time. No prior knowledge of WPF or ASP.NET is assumed.

About the Apress Pro Series

The Apress Pro series books are practical, professional tutorials to keep you on and moving up the professional ladder.

You have gotten the job, now you need to hone your skills in these tough competitive times. The Apress Pro series expands your skills and expertise in exactly the areas you need. Master the content of a Pro book, and you will always be able to get the job done in a professional development project. Written by experts in their field, Pro series books from Apress give you the hard-won solutions to problems you will face in your professional programming career.

With the release of .NET 2.0, the Visual Basic 2005 language has been updated with numerous new programming constructs (XML code documentation, operator overloading, generics, and partial types just to name a few!). Now more than ever, choosing a .NET language boils down to personal preference (rather than a language’s feature set).

However, to effectively make use of these new language features, developers must have a rock-solid grounding in object-oriented technology, assemblies, and the core .NET technologies. The purpose of Pro VB 2005 and the .NET 2.0 Platform, Second Edition is to provide you with such a foundation by diving deep into the language of VB 2005 and the platform of .NET. Thus, rather than simply showing how a code wizard can generate all the code on your behalf, this text will first show you how to author the code yourself so you can alter the generated code to your liking.

Beyond learning all the details of the VB 2005 programming language, you will also dive into the details of building desktop applications (using Windows Forms) and websites (via ASP.NET 2.0), and how to interact with relational databases (à la ADO.NET). Furthermore, you will explore how to build distributed applications using the .NET remoting layer and XML web services. Rest assured, this text will expose you to all the major services of the .NET platform and put you in the perfect position for further exploration.

Learn the basics and gain the ability to master the new C# programming language with this complete book. The new C# programming language from Microsoft combines many of the object-oriented programming concepts and syntax of C++ with the ease of programming offered by Visual Basic. This book will teach you to master C# programming in the .Net programming environment and the new Common Language Runtime. No programming experience is needed to get started with Rescued by C#, as this book teaches C# as a first programming language without using the parallels to C++ and Visual Basic to explain the constructs. You will first get an introduction to programming concepts and then jump into C# class early in the book. After learning about classes, readers then explore other C# programming concepts such as functions, structures, exceptions, and arrays. Whether you are new to programming or have some background in program and application development, C# is a new world of programming just waiting for you!

Takes a straightforward, hands-on approach to explain everything you need to know from development to deployment and maintenance for this platform-all from a developer's perspective. Softcover. CD-ROM included.

This guide is strikingly different from other books on Microsoft ADO.NET. Rather than load you down with theory, the new edition of ADO.NET 3.5 Cookbook gives you more than 200 coding solutions and best practices for real problems you're likely to face with this technology using Visual Studio 2008 and the .NET 3.5 platform. Organized to help you find the topic and specific recipe you need quickly and easily, this book is more than just a handy compilation of cut-and-paste C# code. ADO.NET 3.5 Cookbook also offers clear explanations of how and why each code solution works, and warns you of potential pitfalls so you can learn to adapt the book's problem-solving techniques to different situations. This collection of timesaving recipes covers vital topics including: Connecting to data Retrieving and managing data Transforming and analyzing data Modifying data Binding data to .NET user interfaces Optimizing .NET data access Enumerating and maintaining database objects Maintaining database integrity Ideal for ADO.NET programmers at all levels, from the relatively inexperienced to the most sophisticated, this new edition covers the significant 3.5 upgrade, including new programming tools such as LINQ. ADO.NET 3.5 Cookbook offers a painless way for those of you who prefer to learn by doing when it comes to expanding your skills and productivity.

.NET Windows Forms in a Nutshell offers an accelerated introduction to this next-generation of rich user interface development. The book provides an all-inclusive guide for experienced programmers using the .NET Windows Forms platform to develop Windows applications, along with a compact but remarkably complete reference to the .NET Framework Class Library (FCL) Windows Forms namespaces and types. .NET Windows Forms in a Nutshell offers an accelerated introduction to this next-generation of rich user interface development. The book provides an all-inclusive guide for experienced programmers using the .NET Windows Forms platform to develop Windows applications, along with a compact but remarkably complete reference to the .NET Framework Class Library (FCL) Windows Forms namespaces and types. The authors present solid coverage of the fundamental building blocks, such as Controls, Forms, Menus, and GDI+, and enough detail to help you build your own fully featured reusable visual components so you can write visual component libraries as well as standalone applications.

Microsoft Visual C# .NET 2003 Kick Start is a rapid-progression tutorial that presents the C# language to working programmers who are already familiar with another programming language or tool. This book speeds through basic concepts and focuses on practical examples showing the advantages of C# .NET 2003 in ASP programming, application design and creation, and .NET Web Services development. While Microsoft Visual C# .NET 2003 Kick Start assumes no knowledge of C# or the .NET Framework, it skips the handholding and basic programming instruction associated with entry-level tutorials. Full of code examples, tips, and profession insights, this book is about maximum payoff with minimum effort for the working programmer who wants to use Visual C# .NET 2003 now.

This tutorial guide provides information on how to design, debug, and deploy applications using component-based development and the new development tool from Visual Studio.NET -- Visual C#. Visual C# provides power and speed in an object-oriented environment so developers can create and deploy flexible applications quickly. The author also explains how to develop a wide variety of components, such as web controls, data access, enterprise level components, file service, multithreaded components, accessibility components, and more.

A practical tutorial to using Microsoft AJAX to enhance the user experience of your ASP.NET web applications covering the most up to date versions of the AJAX tools.

Microsoft AJAX Library Essentials is a practical reference for the client-side library of the ASP.NET AJAX Framework 1.0, and a tutorial for the underlying technologies and techniques required to use the library at its full potential. The main goal of this book is to get you comfortable with the Microsoft AJAX Library, a huge set of functions that can be used for developing powerful client-side functionality.

Beginning with a hands-on tour of the basic technologies associated with AJAX, JavaScript, XMLHttpRequest, JSON, and the DOM, you'll move on to a crash course in the Microsoft AJAX tools. You will learn, through numerous step-by-step exercises, how to create basic AJAX applications, how the object-based programming model of JavaScript works, and how Microsoft AJAX Library extends this model. You'll understand the architecture of the Microsoft AJAX components, how they all fit together, and exactly what they can do for you. Then you will learn how to use the Microsoft AJAX Library in your web projects, and a detailed case study will walk you through creating your own customized client components.

At every stage of your journey, you'll be able to try out examples to illuminate the theory, and consolidate your understanding. In addition to learning about the client and server controls, you'll also see how to handle errors and debug your AJAX applications.

To complement your new found skills, the book ends with a visual reference of the Microsoft AJAX Library namespaces and classes, including diagrams and quick explanations for all the classes mentioned in the book, providing an invaluable reference you will turn to again and again.

• A rapid and practical guide to including AJAX features in your .NET applications
• Learn practical development strategies and techniques
  
• Go through a case study that demonstrates the theory you learned throughout the book.
  

This book has been written for ASP.NET developers entering the world of the ASP.NET AJAX Framework, and for existing ASP.NET AJAX developers looking for a more detailed tutorial on the client-side of the framework: the Microsoft AJAX Library.

Standards, while being definitive, do not usually serve as the best reference to the use of a programming language. Books on languages usually are able to explain usage better, but lack the definitive precision of a standard. This book combines the two; it is the standard with added explanatory material.

* Written by members of the standards committee
* Annotates the standard with practical implementation advice
* The definitive reference to the C# International Standard

Foreword by Darryl Hogan, Architect Evangelist, Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft’s highly anticipated LINQ query technology makes it easy to retrieve any information programmatically from any data source, no matter where it comes from or how it’s stored. Using LINQ, developers can query objects, relational databases, XML documents, and ADO.NET datasets--and do it all directly from C# 3.0, leveraging the powerful capabilities of LINQ.

This is a definitive guide to getting real-world results with LINQ, using C# 3.0 and Visual Studio 2008. In LINQ Unleashed, Microsoft MVP Paul Kimmel covers every facet of LINQ programming, showing how LINQ can help you dramatically improve your productivity and build more reliable, maintainable applications.

Kimmel begins by reviewing the state-of-the-art C# programming techniques LINQ uses, including anonymous types, partial methods, and Lambda expressions. Next, using realistic examples and easy-to-adapt sample code, he details the most powerful new LINQ techniques for accessing objects, databases, and XML. You’ll gain a deep and practical understanding of how LINQ works “under the hood”--and learn how to do everything from selecting data through integrating XML with other data models.

• Build efficient LINQ queries to .NET objects, SQL databases, and XML content
• Utilize anonymous types to reduce design time, coding effort, and debugging time
• Automatically generate .NET state machines with the new yield return construct
• Master LINQ query syntax, operators, extension methods, sorting, grouping, aggregate and set operations, and more
• Make the most of select--and use it in the business layer of your n-tier applications
• Query relational data stored in Microsoft SQL Server
• Use nullable types to eliminate unnecessary database access plumbing code
• Use LINQ with ADO.NET 3.0 and Microsoft’s powerful new Entity Framework
• Extract XML data without the hassles or complexity of XPath
• Automatically construct XML from CSV files and other non-XML data
• Query Active Directory by extending LINQ

Introduction  1

Part I     Getting Ready for LINQ

       1     Programming with Anonymous Types 5

       2     Using Compound Type Initialization  29

       3     Defining Extension and Partial Methods  61

       4     yield return: Using .NET’s State Machine Generator  85

       5     Understanding Lambda Expressions and Closures  97

       6     Using Standard Query Operators  121

Part II    LINQ for Objects

       7     Sorting and Grouping Queries 137

       8     Using Aggregate Operations 151

       9     Performing Set Operations  167

       10   Mastering Select and SelectMany  185

       11   Joining Query Results  211

       12   Querying Outlook and Active Directory  239

Part III   LINQ for Data

       13   Querying Relational Data with LINQ 265

       14   Creating Better Entities and Mapping Inheritance and Aggregation  289

       15   Joining Database Tables with LINQ Queries  309

       16   Updating Anonymous Relational Data  349

       17   Introducing ADO.NET 3.0 and the Entity Framework  383

Part IV  LINQ for XML

       18   Extracting Data from XML 415

       19   Comparing LINQ to XML with Other XML Technologies  437

       20   Constructing XML from Non-XML Data  453

       21   Emitting XML with the XmlWriter  463

       22   Combining XML with Other Data Models  469

       23   LINQ to XSD Supports Typed XML Programming  485

Index

What do you need when you are coding in C#? If your answer is easily understood recipes for code that does something, then this is the book for you! You probably already have a handle on the basics of .NET programming and are in need of some shortcuts to make your job easier. How about 350 code recipes! The Microsoft Visual C# .NET 2003 Developer's Cookbook provides a practical reference for various programming tasks. Each chapter consists of a brief description of the topic at hand and then gives you the goods - recipes that explain a brief description of the task, the technique and comments about the technique chosen by C# experts, Mark Schmidt and Simon Robinson.

Created by world-renowned programming instructors Paul and Harvey Deitel, “Visual C# 2008 How to Program, Third Edition” introduces all facets of the C# 2008 language through the Deitels' signature "Live Code™ Approach", that features hundreds of working programs. This book has been thoroughly updated to reflect the major innovations Microsoft has incorporated in Visual C# 2008 and .NET 3.5; The many new platform features covered include: LINQ (Language Integrated Query), Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), ASP.NET Ajax and the Microsoft Ajax Library, Silverlight-based rich Internet application development, and creating Web services with Windows Communication Foundation (WCF). New language features introduced in this edition: automatic properties, object initializers, partial classes and methods, anonymous methods, Lambda expressions, extension methods, anonymous types, and collection initializers. Extensively updated coverage of delegates.and more sophisticated techniques, including searching, sorting, data structures, generics, and collections. Appendices provide essential programming reference material on topics ranging from number systems to the Visual Studio Debugger, UML 2 to Unicode and ASCII. Appropriate for all basic-to-intermediate level Visual C# 2008 programmers.

The second edition of Practical .NET 2 and C2 takes upon the success of the first edition which is the English adaptation of the best selling French title on the topic which has sold over 3800 copies in the French market since its release. With the recent release of .NET 3.0 in 2007 and the ever increasing popularity of the .NET platform, the second edition of Practical .NET 2 and C2 continues in the footsteps of the success of the first edition by offering revised and adapted content to meet the changes that came with the release of the .NET 3.0 Framework.

Establish immediate competency in the usage of Visual C#® .NET with the easy-to-understand tutorials contained in this book! Complete with current best coding practices, Hit the Ground Running With Visual C#® .NET provides the quality and depth of content that users of all abilities need for most academic and industrial programming projects. Designed to promote both basic and advanced programming skills for application and Web development, this book offers a reader-friendly approach and modular format that enables users to quickly become productive in C# .NET while creating programs that are interoperable with applications written in any of the .NET languages.

How would you like to build an Xbox game, use your Nintendo Wiimote to create an electronic whiteboard, or build your own peer-to-peer application? Coding4Fun helps you tackle some cool software and hardware projects using a range of free Microsoft software. Now you can code for fun with C#, VB, Lua, ASP.NET, WPF, XNA Game Studio, and Popfly. If you love to tinker, but don't have time to figure it all out, this book gives you clear, step-by-step instructions for building ten creative projects, including: Alien Attack: Create a 2D clone of Space Invaders with XNA for the PC, Xbox 360, and Zune LEGO Soldier: Create an action game using Popfly with a custom-built virtual LEGO character World of Warcraft RSS Feed Reader: Use WoW's customizable interface to have feeds pop up while you're gaming InnerTube: Download YouTube videos automatically and convert them to a file format for off-line viewing PeerCast: Stream video files from any PC TwitterVote: Create custom online polls on Twitter WHSMail: Build a website with ASP.NET for Windows Home Server that lets you view the messages stored on a computer with Outlook "Wiimote" Controlled Car: Steer your remote-controlled car by tilting the Wii Remote controller left and right Wiimote Whiteboard: Create an interactive whiteboard using a Wii Remote Holiday Lights: Synchronize your holiday light display with music to create your own light show

The perfect gift for any developer, Coding4Fun shows you how to use your programming skills in new and fun ways. "This book is amazing! The scope is so wonderfully broad that anyone who has an interest in designing games at any level should read this book." -- Alex Albrecht, Creator of Diggnation / TotallyRad Show / Project Lore