Introduction
This three-day
instructor-led workshop provides students with
the knowledge and skills to develop Microsoft(
Windows( Forms applications using Microsoft
Visual Studio( 2005. The workshop focuses on
user interfaces, program structure, and
implementation details.
Audience
This workshop
is intended for corporate or independent
software vendor (ISV) application developers who
have a desire to learn more about specific
technology areas in Windows application
development.
At Workshop
Completion
After
completing this workshop, students will be able
to:
|
• |
Create a
simple Windows Forms application. |
|
• |
Configure
standard controls. |
|
• |
Build
menus. |
|
• |
Display
and edit data by using data-bound
controls. |
|
• |
Provide
user assistance and enhance usability. |
|
• |
Create
consistent applications by using dialogs
and forms inheritance. |
|
• |
Add print
and report functionality to a Windows
Forms application. |
|
• |
Perform
asynchronous tasks by using the
BackgroundWorker component. |
|
• |
Deploy a
Windows Forms application by using
ClickOnce. |
Prerequisites
Before
attending this workshop, students must:
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• |
Be able to
manage a solution environment using the
Visual Studio 2005 integrated
development environment (IDE) and tools |
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• |
Understand
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 and the
Common Language Runtime |
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• |
Be able to
program an application using a .NET
Framework 2.0 compliant language |
|
• |
Know how
to make assemblies available to other
applications |
|
• |
Have a
basic understanding of XML, including
XML declaration, elements, attributes,
and namespaces. |
Workshop
Outline
Unit 1:
Creating a Simple Windows Forms Application
This unit
introduces the fundamental skills required to
create a simple Windows Forms application. It
explains how to configure form properties and
how to add controls to a form. It also deals
with events and explains how to create event
handlers at design time and run time.
Lessons
|
• |
Components
of a Windows Forms User Interface |
|
• |
Event
Handling in a Windows Forms Application |
Lab 1:
Creating a Simple Windows Forms Application
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• |
Exercise
1. Adding and Configuring Windows Forms
and Controls |
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• |
Exercise
2. Creating Event Handlers and
Monitoring Events |
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• |
Exercise
3. Adding Controls and Handlers at Run
Time |
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• |
Exercise
4. Adding a Form Keyboard Handler (if
time permits) |
After
completing this unit, students will be able to:
|
• |
Describe
the various components of a Windows
Forms application. |
|
• |
Explain
how to handle events in a Windows Forms
application. |
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• |
Add and
configure Windows Forms and controls. |
|
• |
Create
event handlers and monitor events. |
|
• |
Add
controls and handlers to a form at run
time. |
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• |
Apply best
practices when designing forms. |
Unit 2:
Configuring Standard Controls
This unit
introduces many of the controls from the Visual
Studio Toolbox. It teaches how to add and
configure these controls and explains how to
group them into different categories by
function.
Lesson
|
• |
Windows
Forms Controls by Function |
Lab 2:
Configuring Standard Controls
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• |
Exercise
1. Creating the EmployeeViewer Form |
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• |
Exercise
2. Creating the ReportGenerator Form |
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• |
Exercise
3. Creating the ReportGeneratorHelp Form |
After
completing this unit, students will be able to:
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• |
Explain
the functions of the major categories of
Windows Forms controls. |
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• |
Create a
form to select and view images by using
the SplitContainer, TreeView,
PictureBox, ToolStrip, and other
controls. |
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• |
Create a
form to specify report criteria by using
the TableLayoutPanel, ListView,
MonthCalendar, ComboBox, and other
controls. |
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• |
Create a
form to view a Hypertext Markup Language
(HTML) Help file by using a WebBrowser
control. |
Unit 3:
Building Menus
This unit
introduces the MenuStrip control and the
ContextMenuStrip component. It explains how to
create and configure form menus and context
menus in an application. It also deals with the
ToolStripItems that can be added to the
container of a MenuStrip or ContextMenuStrip.
Lesson
Lab 3:
Building Menus
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• |
Exercise
1. Creating and Configuring a MenuStrip
Control |
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• |
Exercise
2. Creating and Configuring a
ContextMenuStrip Component |
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• |
Exercise
3. Hiding and Disabling a
ToolStripMenuItem |
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• |
Exercise
4. Creating and Configuring a
ToolStripComboBox (if time permits) |
After
completing this unit, students will be able to:
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• |
Explain
the structure of a menu in a Windows
Forms application. |
|
• |
Create and
configure a MenuStrip control. |
|
• |
Create and
configure a ContextMenuStrip component. |
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• |
Hide and
disable a ToolStripMenuItem. |
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• |
Apply best
practices for menu design and
development. |
Unit 4:
Displaying and Editing Data by Using Data-Bound
Controls
This unit
introduces the controls that can be used to
display data from a data source. It shows how to
use Visual Studio 2005 to create data sources
and add data-bound controls to a form. It also
demonstrates how to use the DataGridView control
to display and update data retrieved by using a
data source.
Lessons
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• |
Binding
Data to a Control |
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• |
DataGridView Control |
Lab 4:
Displaying and Editing Data by Using Data-Bound
Controls
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• |
Exercise
1. Adding a Data Source to a Project |
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Exercise
2. Binding Data to a Control |
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• |
Exercise
3. Creating a Bound Form by Using the
BindingSource and BindingNavigator
Components |
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Exercise
4. Displaying Data by Using the
DataGridView Control |
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Exercise
5. Binding to Data at Run Time (if time
permits) |
After
completing this unit, students will be able to:
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• |
Explain
simple and complex data binding. |
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• |
Describe
the scenarios in which the DataGridView
control is used. |
|
• |
Add a data
source to a project. |
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• |
Bind data
to a control at run time. |
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• |
Use the
BindingSource component and
BindingNavigator control to create a
data-bound Windows Form. |
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Use the
DataGridView control to display and
update tabular data from a data source. |
Unit 5:
Providing User Assistance and Enhancing
Usability
This unit
introduces many of the controls and techniques
that can be used to create an application that
is flexible and intuitive and that provides
timely feedback to the user. It shows how to add
and configure the available user assistance
controls to provide ToolTips, Help, and
information about errors. It also describes the
accessibility features of Windows Forms and
explains how to implement globalization and
localization in an application.
Lessons
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• |
Providing
User Assistance |
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• |
Implementing Accessibility Features |
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Implementing Globalization and
Localization |
Lab 5:
Providing User Assistance and Enhancing
Usability
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• |
Exercise
1. Adding and Configuring User
Assistance Controls |
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• |
Exercise
2. Implementing Accessibility Features |
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• |
Exercise
3. Implementing Globalization and
Localization |
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Exercise
4. Running a Procedure at Set Intervals
(if time permits) |
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• |
Exercise
5. Displaying Data Source Errors (if
time permits) |
After
completing this unit, students will be able to:
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• |
Describe
the components that can be used to
provide user assistance. |
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• |
Add and
configure user assistance controls on a
Windows Form. |
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• |
Explain
the accessibility features available to
implement in a Windows Forms
application. |
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• |
Implement
accessibility features within a Windows
Forms application. |
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• |
Explain
the high-level processes involved in
globalization and localization in a
Windows Forms application. |
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• |
Implement
globalization and localization in a
Windows Form. |
Unit 6:
Creating Consistent Applications by Using Dialog
Boxes and Forms Inheritance
This unit
introduces the built-in dialog boxes that can be
used to prompt users when they are performing
common tasks and to provide users with a
familiar interface. It explains how to add and
configure dialog boxes that enable users to open
and save files and to set font and color
properties. This unit also explains how to
create and use a custom dialog box. In addition,
this unit explains the concept of forms
inheritance and describes how to create a
consistent interface for Windows Forms
applications.
Lessons
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• |
Dialog
Boxes in a Windows Forms Application |
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Windows
Forms Inheritance |
Lab 6:
Creating Consistent Applications by Using Dialog
Boxes and Forms Inheritance
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• |
Exercise
1. Adding and Configuring Dialog Box
Components |
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• |
Exercise
2. Creating a Custom Dialog Box |
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Exercise
3. Implementing Windows Forms
Inheritance |
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Exercise
4. Modifying an Existing Form to Inherit
from a Base Form (if time permits) |
After
completing this unit, students will be able to:
|
• |
Describe
the various standard preconfigured
dialog boxes available to a Windows
Forms application. |
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• |
Explain
the concept of Windows Forms inheritance
and the reasons for using inheritance. |
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• |
Add and
configure dialog box controls on a
Windows Form. |
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• |
Create a
custom dialog box. |
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• |
Implement
Windows Forms inheritance. |
Unit 7:
Printing Content and Creating Reports
This unit
provides an introduction to the components that
can be used to preview and print reports from a
Windows Forms application. This unit covers the
predefined dialog boxes that simplify the
processes involved, and it explains how to use
these dialog boxes to retrieve print settings
and page setup options from the user.
In addition,
this unit explains how to display a report in a
Windows Forms application by using the
CrystalReportViewer component
Lessons
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• |
Printing
in a Windows Forms Application |
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• |
Reporting
in a Windows Forms Application |
Lab 7:
Printing Content and Creating Reports
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• |
Exercise
1. Adding Print Capability to a Windows
Forms Application |
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• |
Exercise
2. Implementing Reporting by Using the
CrystalReportViewer Component |
After
completing this unit, students will be able to:
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• |
Explain
how to print a report in a Windows Forms
application. |
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• |
Describe
how to create and view reports in a
Windows Forms application. |
|
• |
Use the
components provided with Visual Studio
2005 to add print capability to a
Windows Forms application. |
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• |
Display a
Crystal report by using the
CrystalReportViewer component. |
Unit 8:
Performing Asynchronous Tasks by Using the
BackgroundWorker Component
This unit
introduces the main concepts of asynchronous
programming and then focuses on the
BackgroundWorker component. It explains how to
work with the methods and events of the
BackgroundWorker component to add asynchronous
functionality to a Windows Forms application.
Lesson
|
• |
Asynchronous Tasks in Windows Forms
Applications |
Lab 8:
Performing Asynchronous Tasks by Using the
BackgroundWorker Component
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• |
Exercise
1. Running and Canceling a Background
Process by Using the BackgroundWorker
Component |
After
completing this unit, students will be able to:
|
• |
Explain
the concepts and processes involved in
asynchronous programming. |
|
• |
Run and
cancel a background process by using the
BackgroundWorker component. |
|
• |
Describe
best practices for using the
BackgroundWorker component. |
Unit 9:
Deploying Applications by Using ClickOnce
This unit
explains how to deploy a Windows Forms
application by using ClickOnce. It covers the
steps required to prepare, publish, install, and
test an application. Finally, this unit explains
how to update an application and how to use the
automatic update feature of ClickOnce.
Lessons
|
• |
Windows
Forms Application Deployment Options |
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• |
ClickOnce
Technology Overview |
Lab 9:
Deploying Applications by Using ClickOnce
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• |
Exercise
1. Publishing a ClickOnce Application |
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• |
Exercise
2. Installing and Testing a ClickOnce
Application |
After
completing this unit, students will be able to:
|
• |
Explain
the options for deploying a Windows
Forms application. |
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• |
Explain
the key concepts of ClickOnce
technology. |
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• |
Publish a
ClickOnce application. |
|
• |
Install
and test a ClickOnce application. |
|
• |
Describe
best practices for using ClickOnce
deployment. |
