Application Development Using Visual Basic and .Net,9780130933829

Application Development Using Visual Basic and .Net

by ; ;
Edition: 1st
ISBN13: 9780130933829
ISBN10: 0130933821
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 2002-06-24
Publisher(s): Prentice Hall
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Summary

Application Development Using Visual Basic and .NETgives experienced developers unprecedented insight for building .NET enterprise applications with Visual Basic .NET. A running case study covers the entire process from creating a monolithic VB.NET console application to adding a Windows Forms interface, isolating functionality inside components, providing database access and security, and delivering functionality through ASP.NET and Web services. The book includes a self-contained language overview for new Visual Basic .NET users.

Author Biography

DR. ROBERT J. OBERG is founder and President of Object Innovations, a leading developer of integrated courseware on .NET and other strategic software. He is editor of The Integrated .NET Series from Object Innovations and Prentice Hall PTR. Oberg's recent books include Introduction to C# Using .NET and (with Michael Stiefel) Application Development Using C# and .NET (both published by Prentice Hall PTR).

PETER THORSTEINSON is a systems analyst who has been programming and teaching developers for over a decade. He specializes in .NET, C#, C++, COM, and Java and is coauthor of .NET Architecture and Programming Using Visual C++ (Prentice Hall PTR).

DR. DANA L. WYATT formed EMCA Consulting in 1993 to deliver advanced object-oriented training, mentoring, and consulting services. She specializes in VB, C++, and COM/DCOM. Wyatt is also coauthor of Introduction to Visual Basic Using .NET (Prentice Hall PTR).

Table of Contents

Preface xxi
Acknowledgments xxiv
About This Series xxvii
PART ONE .NET ARCHITECTURE OVERVIEW 1(30)
What Is Microsoft .NET?
5(12)
Microsoft and the Web
6(2)
Applications in the Internet Age
6(1)
Web Services
7(1)
ASP.NET
7(1)
Open Standards and Interoperability
7(1)
Communications Protocols
8(1)
Windows on the Desktop
8(2)
Problems with Windows
8(1)
The Glass House and Thin Clients
9(1)
A Robust Windows
9(1)
A New Programming Platform
10(3)
.NET Framework
10(1)
Common Language Runtime
10(2)
Multiple Language Development
12(1)
Development Tools
12(1)
The Importance of Tools
12(1)
The Role of XML
13(1)
Success Factors for Web Services
13(1)
VB.NET and the .NET Framework
13(1)
Summary
14(3)
.NET Fundamentals
17(14)
Problems of Windows Development
17(1)
Applications of the Future
18(1)
.NET Overview
18(10)
The Magic of Metadata
18(3)
.NET Framework Class Library
21(1)
Interface-Based Programming
22(1)
Everything Is an Object
22(1)
Common Type System
22(1)
ILDASM
23(1)
Language Interoperability
24(1)
Managed Code
25(1)
Assemblies
26(1)
JIT Compilation
27(1)
Performance
28(1)
Summary
28(3)
PART TWO VB.NET LANGUAGE 31(188)
VB.NET Essentials, Part I
35(42)
Visual Studio .NET and Console Applications
36(5)
Visual Studio .NET
36(2)
Console Applications
38(1)
Console Applications Versus Windows Applications
39(2)
Hello World in VB.NET
41(5)
Compiling and Running (Command Line)
41(1)
Program Structure
42(1)
Namespaces and Imports
43(3)
Performing Calculations in VB.NET
46(11)
Variables
48(1)
Literals
48(1)
VB.NET Operators and Expressions
49(1)
Output and Formatting
50(2)
Control Structures
52(1)
Methods
53(1)
Console Input in VB.NET
54(3)
Classes
57(13)
Classes as Structured Data
57(5)
Methods
62(3)
Properties
65(2)
Shared Fields and Methods
67(2)
Shared Constructor
69(1)
Constant and Read Only Fields
69(1)
VB.NET Type System
70(6)
Overview of Types in VB.NET
71(1)
Value Types
71(3)
Reference Types
74(1)
Default Values
75(1)
Boxing and Unboxing
75(1)
Summary
76(1)
VB.NET Essentials, Part II
77(34)
Strings
77(11)
Characters
78(1)
String Class
79(1)
Language Support
80(2)
String Equality
82(1)
String Comparison
83(2)
String Input
85(1)
String Methods and Properties
85(2)
StringBuilder Class
87(1)
Arrays and Parameterized Properties
88(7)
Arrays
88(2)
System.Array
90(1)
Sample Program
90(1)
Interfaces for System.Array
91(1)
Random-Number Generation
91(1)
Jagged Arrays
92(1)
Rectangular Arrays
92(1)
Arrays as Collections
93(1)
Indexing With Default Parameterized Properties
93(2)
More about Methods
95(5)
Parameter Passing
95(1)
Value Parameters
96(1)
Reference Parameters
96(1)
Method Overloading
97(1)
Variable-Length Parameter Lists
98(2)
Optional Parameters
100(1)
VB.NET Utility Functions
101(9)
Overview
101(1)
Math Functions
102(1)
Financial Functions
103(1)
Informational Functions
103(1)
Conversion Functions
104(1)
Control Characters
104(1)
Character Manipulation Functions
104(1)
String Manipulation Functions
104(1)
Date and Time
104(2)
Format Functions
106(2)
Environment Functions
108(2)
Command-Line Arguments
110(1)
Summary
110(1)
Inheritance and Exceptions in VB.NET
111(48)
Review of Object-Oriented Concepts
112(4)
Objects
112(2)
Classes
114(1)
Polymorphism
115(1)
Acme Travel Agency Case Study: Design
116(7)
Designing the Abstractions
117(3)
Base Class Logic
120(2)
Designing the Encapsulation
122(1)
Inheritance in VB.NET
123(3)
Inheritance Fundamentals
124(2)
Access Control
126(2)
Class Accessibility
126(1)
Member Accessibility
126(1)
Access Control in the Case Study
127(1)
Acme Travel Agency Case Study: Implementation
128(7)
Running the Case Study
128(1)
HotelReservation
129(1)
HotelBroker
129(3)
Customers
132(1)
Namespace
133(1)
TestHotel
134(1)
More about Inheritance
135(11)
Employee Class Hierarchy
135(1)
Method Hiding
136(2)
Static Binding
138(1)
Virtual Methods
139(2)
The Fragile Base Class Problem
141(1)
Polymorphism
142(2)
Abstract Classes
144(1)
Non-Iheritable Classes
145(1)
Heterogeneous Collections
145(1)
Exceptions
146(11)
Exception Fundamentals
146(6)
User-Defined Exception Classes
152(2)
Structured Exception Handling
154(1)
Inner Exceptions
155(1)
Multiple Catch Handlers
156(1)
Summary
157(2)
VB.NET in the .NET Framework
159(60)
System.Object
160(4)
Public Instance Methods of Object
160(1)
Protected Instance Methods
161(1)
Generic Interfaces and Standard Behavior
161(1)
Using Object Methods in the Customer Class
162(2)
Collections
164(4)
ArrayList Example
165(3)
Interfaces
168(9)
Interface Fundamentals
169(3)
Multiple Interfaces
172(3)
Dynamic Use of Interfaces
175(2)
Resolving Ambiguity in Interfaces
177(2)
Acme Travel Agency Case Study: Step 2
179(4)
The Contracts
180(1)
The Implementation
181(2)
Generic Interfaces in .NET
183(13)
Collection Interfaces
183(6)
Copy Semantics and ICloneable
189(5)
Comparing Objects
194(2)
Understanding Frameworks
196(1)
Delegates
196(9)
Declaring a Delegate
197(1)
Defining a Method
197(1)
Creating a Delegate Object
198(1)
Calling a Delegate
198(1)
Combining Delegate Objects
198(1)
Complete Example
199(3)
Stock Market Simulation
202(3)
Events
205(8)
Events in Visual Basic and VB.NET
206(1)
Dynamic Event Handling
206(3)
Chat Room Complete Example (Step 1)
209(3)
Static Event Handling
212(1)
Attributes
213(4)
Attributes in .NET
214(3)
Summary
217(2)
PART THREE FUNDAMENTALS OF WINDOWS FORMS 219(108)
Windows Forms
223(50)
Windows Forms Hierarchy
223(1)
Windows Applications Using the .NET SDK
224(6)
Step 1: A Simple Form
224(1)
Step 2: Customizing the Form
225(2)
Windows Messages
227(1)
Controls
228(2)
Windows Forms Event Handling
230(6)
Step 3: Adding a Button to the Form
232(2)
Step 4: Using Label and TextBox Controls
234(2)
Visual Studio .NET and Forms
236(9)
Windows Forms Demonstration
236(5)
Design Window and Code Window
241(1)
Adding Event Handlers Using Visual Studio
242(1)
Life Cycle of a Windows Form
242(1)
Overriding Virtual Methods of a Form
243(2)
Under the Hood of a VS.NET Windows Application
245(3)
Code Generated by Windows Form Designer
245(3)
Dialog Boxes
248(11)
.NET Dialog Documentation
248(1)
MessageBox
249(1)
Custom Dialogs
250(1)
Step 1: Creating a New Dialog
251(3)
Step 2: Displaying a Dialog
254(1)
Step 3: Validating a Dialog's Data
255(2)
Step 4: Adding ToolTips for Controls
257(2)
Controls
259(3)
Common Properties
259(1)
Using a Radio Button with a Group Box
260(1)
Step 1: Drawing the Radio Button Group
261(1)
Step 2: Determining Which Radio Button is Selected
261(1)
Using a CheckBox
262(2)
Using List Controls (ListBox and ComboBox)
264(7)
Step 1: Adding Data to a ListBox
266(1)
Step 2: Selecting an Item in a ListBox
267(2)
Step 3: Removing Data from a ListBox
269(1)
Step 4: Changing Hotel Data
269(1)
Acme Travel Agency Case Study (Step 3)
270(1)
Summary
271(2)
Using Controls
273(54)
Menus
273(8)
MainMenu Control
273(1)
Step 1: Using the MainMenu Control
274(2)
Step 2: Responding to Menu Events
276(1)
Step 3: Controlling Menu Appearance
277(1)
ContextMenu Control
278(3)
Toolbars
281(5)
Step 1: Setting up the ImageList Control
282(1)
Step 2: Configuring the Toolbar Control
282(3)
Step 3: Responding to Toolbar Events
285(1)
Step 4: Controlling Toolbar Button Appearance
286(1)
Status Bars
286(4)
Step 1: Adding the StatusBar Control
287(1)
Step 2: Displaying Information in the Status Bar
288(1)
Step 3: Using the Timer Control to Display Time
288(2)
Calendar Controls
290(4)
DateTimePicker
290(1)
MonthCalendar
291(2)
Step 1: Setting Up Annually Bolded Dates
293(1)
Step 2: Programmatically Setting the Date
293(1)
Step 3: Determining the Selected Date
293(1)
Range Controls
294(7)
ProgressBar
294(2)
ScrollBar
296(2)
TrackBar
298(1)
NumericUpDown
299(2)
List Controls
301(12)
Domain UpDown
301(2)
CheckedListBox
303(2)
Step 1: Initializing the ArrayList
305(1)
Step 2: Adding Items to the CheckedListBox Control
306(1)
Step 3: Accessing Items in the Control
307(1)
ListView
308(2)
Step 1: Adding the ListView Control
310(1)
Step 2: Adding Items to the Control
311(1)
Step 3: Accessing the Selected Item
312(1)
DataGrid Control
313(3)
TreeView Control
316(6)
Interacting with TreeNodes
317(1)
Example: Using the TreeView Control
318(1)
Step 1: Initializing the Control
319(1)
Step 2: Handling the Context Menu
320(1)
Step 3: Adding a Node
320(1)
Step 4: Removing a Node
321(1)
Common Dialog Controls
322(3)
Summary
325(2)
PART FOUR FUNDAMENTALS OF THE .NET FRAMEWORK 327(116)
Assemblies and Deployment
331(42)
Components
331(7)
Components in .NET
332(1)
Class Libraries Using Visual Studio
333(5)
Assemblies
338(16)
Componentized Version of Case Study
338(3)
Contents of an Assembly
341(6)
Versioning an Assembly
347(2)
Strong Names
349(1)
Digital Signatures
349(2)
Digitally Signing an Assembly
351(3)
Private Assembly Deployment
354(3)
Shared Assembly Deployment
357(3)
Deploying a Shared Assembly
357(1)
Versioning Shared Components
358(2)
Assembly Configuration
360(4)
Resolving an Assembly Reference at Runtime
360(1)
Specifying the Version Policy in a Configuration File
361(1)
Finding the Assembly's Physical Location
362(2)
Multi-Module Assemblies
364(3)
Setup and Deployment Projects
367(5)
CAB Project
368(1)
Setup Project
369(1)
Merge Module Project
370(1)
Web-Based Deployment
371(1)
Summary
372(1)
.NET Framework Classes
373(70)
Metadata and Reflection
374(6)
Type
375(4)
Late Binding
379(1)
Input and Output in .NET
380(6)
Streams
381(1)
Primitive Datatypes and Streams
382(1)
TextReader and TextWriter
383(1)
File Manipulation
383(3)
Serialization
386(6)
Serialization Objects
387(3)
ISerializable
390(2)
.NET Application Model
392(14)
Threads
392(12)
Thread Isolation
404(1)
Synchronization of Collections
405(1)
Context
406(3)
Proxies and Stubs
407(1)
ContextBoundObject
408(1)
Application Isolation
409(5)
Application Domain
409(1)
Application Domains and Assemblies
410(1)
AppDomain Class
410(1)
Application Domain Events
411(1)
AppDomainTest Example
411(3)
Marshaling, Application Domains, and Contexts
414(1)
Asynchronous Programming
414(7)
The Asynchronous Design Pattern
414(2)
IAsyncResult
416(1)
Using Delegates for Asynchronous Programming
416(3)
Threading with Parameters
419(2)
Remoting
421(7)
Remoting Overview
422(1)
Remote Objects
422(1)
Activation
423(1)
Sample Remotable Object
423(3)
Metadata and Remoting
426(2)
Remoting Configuration Files
428(1)
Custom Attributes
428(4)
Using a Custom Attribute
428(2)
Defining an Attribute Class
430(1)
Defining a Base Class
431(1)
Garbage Collection and Finalization
432(9)
Finalize
432(1)
Unmanaged Resources and Dispose
433(4)
Garbage Collection and Generations
437(1)
Finalization and Stack Unwinding
438(1)
Controlling Garbage Collection with the GC Class
439(1)
Sample Program
440(1)
Summary
441(2)
PART FIVE ADVANCED UI PROGRAMMING USING VB.NET 443(78)
Introduction to GDI+
447(44)
Device-Independent Graphics and Abstraction
447(2)
GDI+Architecture
449(6)
Windows Forms Painting
449(3)
Graphics Class
452(1)
Pens and Brushes
453(1)
Text and Fonts
454(1)
Images, Bitmaps, and Metafiles
454(1)
Coordinates
454(1)
GDI+ Structures
455(5)
Point and PointF
455(1)
Size and SizeF
455(1)
Rectangle and RectangleF
456(2)
Color Structure
458(2)
Pens and Brushes
460(8)
Pens
460(4)
Brushes
464(4)
A Drawing Program
468(5)
Rubber-Band Drawing
468(2)
Multiple Shapes
470(3)
Clipping Rectangle
473(5)
Invalidating a Window Programmatically
476(1)
Invalidating a Specific Rectangle
477(1)
Who Does the Clipping?
478(1)
Bitmaps and Metafile
478(6)
Drawing an Image
478(2)
Saving a Bitmapped Image
480(2)
Saving to a Metafile (Version 4)
482(2)
Viewing the Metafile
484(1)
GDI+ Memory Management
484(1)
Text and Fonts
485(3)
Measuring Text
487(1)
Scrolling
488(1)
Summary
489(2)
Advanced Windows Forms
491(30)
Modeless Dialogs
491(3)
Step 1: Designing the GUI
492(1)
Step 2: Managing the Relationship between Forms
493(1)
Step 3: Programming the Apply and Close Buttons
493(1)
Step 4: Enabling and Disabling the Apply Button
494(1)
MDI Applications
494(9)
Step 1: Create an MDI Parent Form
495(1)
Step 2: Create an MDI Child Form
496(3)
Step 3: Coding the Window Menu
499(1)
Step 4: Interacting with the Active Child Form
500(1)
Step 5: Dealing with Menu Appearance
500(1)
Step 6: Finishing the Application
501(2)
Visual Inheritance
503(12)
Characteristics of the Base Form
503(1)
Step 1: Create a Project with the Base Form
503(1)
Step 2: Determine the Controls Customizable by the Derived Class
504(1)
Step 3: Implement the Base Form's Behavior
505(1)
Step 4: Building the Project
506(1)
Characteristics of the Derived Form
506(2)
Step 1: Create a Project that Uses Visual Inheritance
508(2)
Step 2: Adding an Inherited Form
510(3)
Step 3: Coding the Inherited Form
513(2)
ActiveX Controls
515(5)
Adding ActiveX Controls to the Toolbox
516(1)
Using an ActiveX Control without Using Visual Studio
517(1)
Programming with ActiveX Controls
518(2)
Summary
520(1)
PART SIX .NET APPLICATIONS 521(258)
Programming with ADO.NET
525(62)
A Visual Studio .NET Database Testbed
527(5)
Sample Database
527(1)
The Visual Studio .NET Server Explorer
527(1)
Creating a Database
528(1)
Creating Tables
529(1)
Inserting Data into a Table
529(1)
Performing Queries
529(3)
ADO.NET Architecture
532(2)
.NET Data Providers
533(1)
.NET Namespaces
534(1)
Connected Data Access
534(9)
Using a Connection
534(3)
Using Commands
537(1)
Using a Data Reader
538(2)
Sample Database Application Using Connected Scenario
540(3)
Parameters and Stored Procedures
543(2)
SqlDataAdapter and the DataSet Class
545(3)
Disconnected Mode
546(1)
DataSet Collections
546(2)
DataSet Fundamentals
548(4)
Updating the Data Source
550(1)
Auto Generated Command Properties
551(1)
Database Transactions and Updates
552(1)
Optimistic Versus Pessimistic Locking and the DataSet
553(2)
Working with DataSets
555(16)
Multiple Tables in a DataSet
556(2)
Table Creation without a Data Source
558(1)
Constraints and Relations
559(2)
Examining the Schema Information about a DataTable
561(6)
DataRow Editing
567(4)
Acme Travel Agency Case Study
571(1)
XML Data Access
571(2)
XML Schema and Data
572(1)
XmlDataDocument
572(1)
DataSet and XML
572(1)
AirlineBrokers Database
573(7)
DataSet and XML
573(4)
Creating an XML Doc from a DataSet
577(3)
Schema with Relationships
580(2)
Typed DataSet
582(3)
Generating Typed DataSets
582(1)
Fetching Data with a Typed DataSet
583(1)
Displaying Data with a Typed DataSet
584(1)
Modify Data with a Typed DataSet
584(1)
Summary
585(2)
ASP.NET and Web Forms
587(72)
What Is ASP.NET?
587(7)
Web Application Fundamentals
587(3)
An Echo Program
590(2)
ASP.NET Features
592(2)
Web Forms Architecture
594(11)
Page Class
595(1)
Web Forms Page Life Cycle
596(3)
View State
599(1)
Web Forms Event Model
599(1)
Page Processing
599(3)
Page Directive
602(2)
Tracing
604(1)
Request/Response Programming
605(8)
HttpRequest Class
605(5)
HttpResponse Class
610(3)
Web Applications Using Visual Studio .NET
613(13)
Hotel Information Web Page (Step 0)
614(8)
Deploying a Web Application Created Using Visual Studio
622(4)
Acme Travel Agency Case Study
626(8)
Configuring the Case Study
626(1)
Acme Web Site Step 1
627(2)
Acme Web Site Step 2
629(5)
ASP.NET Applications
634(2)
Sessions
634(1)
Global.asax
634(2)
State in ASP.NET Applications
636(5)
Shared Data Members
636(3)
Application Object
639(1)
Session Object
639(2)
ASP.NET Configuration
641(4)
Configuration Files
641(2)
Application Tracing
643(2)
Session Configuration
645(1)
Server Controls
645(8)
Web Controls
646(1)
HTML Server Controls
646(3)
Validation Controls
649(3)
Rich Controls
652(1)
Database Access in ASP.NET
653(5)
Data Binding in ASP.NET
654(3)
Acme Travel Agency Case Study (Database Version)
657(1)
Summary
658(1)
Web Services
659(36)
Protocols
660(3)
XML
660(1)
XML Namespaces
661(1)
XML Schema
662(1)
SOAP
662(1)
WSDL
663(1)
Web Service Architecture
663(13)
Setting up the Web Services Examples
664(1)
The Add Web Service Example
664(1)
A Client Program for the Add Web Service
665(4)
WSDL
669(2)
Proxy Classes
671(1)
Web Service Client with Raw SOAP and HTTP
672(4)
SOAP Differences
676(5)
WebService Class and Visual Studio
681(10)
Hello World Web Service
683(1)
Arithmetic Web Service
683(4)
Client Program for Arithmetic Web Service
687(4)
Hotel Broker Web Services (Case Study)
691(3)
Customer Web Service
692(1)
Hotellnfo Web Service
693(1)
Summary
694(1)
Security
695(60)
User-Based Security
696(1)
Code Access Security
697(2)
Security Policy
697(1)
Permissions
698(1)
Internet Security
699(2)
Internet Information Server
699(2)
Role-Based Security in .NET
701(21)
Principals and Identities
701(2)
.NET Windows Roles
703(3)
Other Identity Classes
706(1)
ASP.NET Roles
707(3)
Operating System Identity and CLR Identity
710(11)
Specifying Users and Groups for Access in Web.Config
721(1)
Forms-Based Authentication
722(2)
Forms Authentication and Authorization
722(2)
Code Access Permissions
724(13)
Simple Permission Code Request
725(1)
How a Permission Request Works
726(1)
Stategy for Requesting Permissions
727(1)
Denying Permissions
727(2)
Asserting Permissions
729(1)
Other Permission Methods
730(1)
SecurityPermission Class
730(2)
Calling Unmanaged Code
732(1)
Attribute-Based Permissions
732(1)
Principal Permission
733(2)
PermissionSet
735(2)
Code Identity
737(3)
Identity Permission Classes
737(1)
Evidence
738(2)
Security Policy
740(13)
Security Policy Levels
740(1)
Code Groups
740(1)
Named Permission Sets
741(1)
Altering Security Policy
742(11)
Summary
753(2)
Interoperability
755(24)
Calling COM Components from Managed Code
755(13)
The Tlbimp.exe Utility
756(2)
Demonstration: Wrapping a Legacy COM Server
758(6)
Wrapping a COM Component with a Pure V-Table Interface
764(4)
Calling Managed Components from a COM Client
768(5)
A Late Binding COM Client
769(4)
Platform Invocation Services (Plnvoke)
773(4)
A Simple Example
774(1)
Marshaling ByRef Parameters
775(2)
Summary
777(2)
APPENDIX A Visual Studio .NET 779(20)
Overview of Visual Studio .NET
779(5)
Toolbars
782(2)
Creating a Console Application
784(4)
Creating a VB.NET Project
784(1)
Adding a VB.NET Module
785(1)
Using the Visual Studio Text Editor
785(1)
Building the Project
786(1)
Running the Program
786(1)
Running the Program in the Debugger
787(1)
Project Configurations
788(1)
Debugging
788(10)
Just-in-Time Debugging
789(3)
Standard Debugging
792(6)
Summary
798(1)
APPENDIX B Tracing and Debugging in .NET 799(8)
The TraceDemo Example
800(1)
Enabling Debug and Trace Output
800(1)
Using the Debug and Trace Classes
801(1)
Using Switches to Enable Diagnostics
802(1)
Enabling or Disabling Switches
803(1)
Configuration File Switch Settings
803(1)
Programmatic Switch Settings
803(1)
Using Switches to Control Output
803(1)
TraceListener
804(1)
Listeners Collection
804(1)
Summary
805(2)
Index 807

Excerpts

PrefaceFor many years, Microsoft Visual Basic has been used as the ultimate rapid application development tool for Windows applications. Its ease of use revolutionized Windows programming, and successive generations of Visual Basic have progressively made it more powerful. VB6 can be used to implement complex multiple-tier applications using COM and COM+ components as well as traditional Windows desktop programs. But you could never quite do everything in Visual Basic that you could in a lower level language such as C++, and many projects would use a mixture of languages, with resulting complexity from interfacing between the diverse environments.Microsoft's .NET brings a sea change to software development. The powerful Common Language Runtime and the vast .NET Framework class library provide a consistent software platform forall.NET programming languages. Visual Basic now enjoys virtually identical capabilities to other languages, including the new Visual C# and the ever-popular Visual C++, while preserving the basic ease of use and strong RAD features that have made Visual Basic so popular. The Common Language Specification and the Common Type System make interoperability between the different .NET languages almost seamless, while the power of each is such that for most projects you will probably never have to use a mixed language approach, unless other factors such as legacy code or programmer skill sets steer you in that direction.Thereissubstantial change to the Visual Basic language itself, and VB6 code will not run unmodified in the .NET environment. Also, the new version of the language, Visual Basic .NET, or just VB.NET, is now a fully object-oriented language with features such as interfaces, inheritance, and polymorphism. The result is that there is a definite learning curve when moving to VB.NET from VB6. And learning the new programming language is only part of the challenge. The much greater challenge is learning the .NET Framework and all its capabilities, including Windows Forms, ADO.NET, ASP.NET Web Forms, and Web services.This book is written for the experienced programmer to help you quickly come up to speed on the VB.NET language and then go on to an in-depth study of the .NET Framework. It is a practical book for practicing professionals, and it has many examples and a realistic case study that continues through many of the chapters. The goal is to equip you to begin building significant applications using Visual Basic .NET and the .NET Framework.The book is part of The Integrated .NET Series from Object Innovations and Prentice Hall PTR. Other books in the series provide a more a more basic introduction to VB.NET, discuss the issues of migrating to VB.NET, and cover other important .NET languages and topics in the Framework. See the front of this book for a list of titles in the series. This book, in substance and structure, is quite close to the companion titlesApplication Development Using C# and .NETand.NET Architecture and Programming Using Visual C++. A major difference between those books and this, besides using VB.NET as the language, is extensive coverage of GUI programming, including three chapters on Windows Forms and a chapter on GDI+. OrganizationThe book is organized into six major parts and is structured to make it easy for you to navigate to what you need to learn. Part 1, consisting of the first two chapters, provides an overview that should be read by everyone. It answers the big question,What is Microsoft .NET?and outlines the programming model of the .NET Framework.Part 2, consisting of Chapters 3 to 6, covers the VB.NET programming language. Even if you know classic Visual Basic, you should read this part, paying attention to the changes in data types (Chapter 3) and the new object-oriented features (Chapters 5). Chapter 6 covers important interactions between VB.NET and the .NET Fram

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