Professional C# 2008 starts by reviewing the overall architecture of .NET in Chapter 1 in order to give you the background you need to be able to write managed code. After that the book is divided into a number of sections that cover both the C# language and its application in a variety of areas.

Part I: The C# Language gives a good grounding in the C# language itself. This section doesn't presume knowledge of any particular language, although it does assume you are an experienced programmer. You start by looking at C#'s basic syntax and data types, and then explore the object-oriented features of C# before moving on to look at more advanced C# programming topics.

Part II: Visual Studio looks at the main IDE utilized by C# developers world-wide: Visual Studio 2005. The two chapters in this section look at the best way to use the tool to build applications based upon either the .NET Framework 2.0 or 3.0. In addition to this, this section also focuses on the deployment of your projects.

Part III: Base Class Libraries looks at the principles of programming in the .NET environment. In particular, you look at security, threading localization, transactions, how to build Windows services, and how to generate your own libraries as assemblies.

Part IV: Data looks at accessing databases with ADO.NET and LINQ, and at interacting with directories and files. This part also extensively covers support in .NET for XML and on the Windows operating system side, and the .NET features of SQL Server 2008. Within the large space of LINQ, particular focus is put on LINQ to SQL and LINQ to XML.

Part V: Presentation focuses on building classic Windows applications, which are called Windows Forms in .NET. Windows Forms are the thick-client version of applications, and using .NET to build these types of applications is a quick and easy way of accomplishing this task. In addition to looking at Windows Forms, you take a look at GDI+, which is the technology you will use for building applications that include advanced graphics. This section also covers writing components that will run on Web sites, serving up Web pages. This covers the tremendous number of new features that ASP.NET 3.5 provides. Finally, this section also shows how to build applications based upon the Windows Presentation Foundation and VSTO.

Part VI: Communication covers Web services for platform-independent communication, .NET Remoting for communication between .NET clients and servers, Enterprise Services for the services in the background, and DCOM communication. With Message Queuing asynchronous, disconnected communication is shown. This section also looks at utilizing the Windows Communication Foundation and the Windows Workflow Foundation.

Part VII: Appendices (Online): This section includes three appendices focused on how to build applications that take into account the new features and barriers found in Windows Vista. Also, this section looks at the upcoming ADO.NET Entities technology and how to use this new technology in your C# applications. You can find these three appendices online at www.wrox.com.

Updated for .NET 3.5 and Visual Studio 2008, this book is the ultimate guide to C# 2008 and its environment. Beginning with a look into the architecture and methodology of .NET, the team of superlative authors explains why the C# language must be considered in parallel with the .NET Framework. Completely new chapters on LINQ, SQL, ADO.NET entities, Windows Communication Foundation, Windows Workflow Foundation, Windows Presentation Foundation, arrays, and event logging deliver essential information to help you gain a clear and thorough understanding of all that C# 2008 has to offer.

Professional C# 2008

Updated for .NET 3.5 and Visual Studio® 2008, this book is the ultimate guide to C# 2008 and its environment. Beginning with a look into the architecture and methodology of .NET, the team of superlative authors explains why the C# language cannot be viewed in isolation, but rather, must be considered in parallel with the .NET Framework. After gaining an understanding of the foundation of C#, you'll then go on to examine the fundamentals of C# programming with each successive chapter.

New examples provide helpful explanations on how to use C# to solve various tasks. Plus, completely new chapters on LINQ, SQL, ADO.NET entities, Windows Communication Foundation, Windows Workflow Foundation, Windows Presentation Foundation, arrays, system transactions, tracing, and event logging all deliver essential information to help you gain a clear and thorough understanding of all that C# 2008 has to offer.

What you will learn from this book

• How to write Windows® applications and Windows® services

• Ways to use ASP.NET 3.5 to write web pages

• Techniques for manipulating XML using C#

• How to use ADO.NET to access databases

• Ways to generate graphics using C# 2008

• Numerous C# add-ins

• How to use LINQ to easily work with your SQL Server databases and XML

Who this book is for

This book is for experienced developers who are interested in learning the latest version of the number one developer language: C#.

Wrox Professional Guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job.

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

Part I: The C# Language.

Chapter 1: .NET Architecture.

Chapter 2: C# Basics.

Chapter 3: Objects and Types.

Chapter 4: Inheritance.

Chapter 5: Arrays.

Chapter 6: Operators and Casts.

Chapter 7: Delegates and Events.

Chapter 8: Strings and Regular Expressions.

Chapter 9: Generics.

Chapter 10: Collections.

Chapter 11: Language Integrated Query.

Chapter 12: Memory Management and Pointers.

Chapter 13: Reflection.

Chapter 14: Errors and Exceptions.

Part II: Visual Studio.

Chapter 15: Visual Studio 2008.

Chapter 16: Deployment.

Part III: Base Class Libraries.

Chapter 17: Assemblies.

Chapter 18: Tracing and Events.

Chapter 19: Threading and Synchronization.

Chapter 20: Security.

Chapter 21: Localization.

Chapter 22: Transactions.

Chapter 23: Windows Services.

Chapter 24: Interoperability.

Part IV: Data.

Chapter 25: Manipulating Files and the Registry.

Chapter 26: Data Access.

Chapter 27: LINQ to SQL.

Chapter 28: Manipulating XML.

Chapter 29: LINQ to XML.

Chapter 30:.NET Programming with SQLServer.

Part V: Presentation.

Chapter 31: Windows Forms.

Chapter 32: Data Binding.

Chapter 33: Graphics with GDI+.

Chapter 34: Windows Presentation Foundation.

Chapter 35: Advanced WPF.

Chapter 36: Add-Ins.

Chapter 37: ASP.NET Pages.

Chapter 38: ASP.NET Development.

Chapter 39: ASP.NET AJAX.

Chapter 40: Visual Studio Tools for Office.

Part VI: Communication.

Chapter 41: Accessing the Internet.

Chapter 42: Windows Communication Foundation.

Chapter 43: Windows Workflow Foundation.

Chapter 44: Enterprise Services.

Chapter 45: Message Queuing.

Chapter 46: Directory Services.

Chapter 47: Peer-to-Peer Networking.

Chapter 48: Syndication.

Part VII: Appendices.

Appendix A: ADO.NET Entity Framework.

Appendix B: C#, Visual Basic, and C++/CLI.

Appendix C: Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.

Index.