Core Windows Forms Technologies with Microsoft
Visual Studio 2005
Workshop 2546: Three days; Instructor-Led
Introduction
Elements of this syllabus are subject to change.
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:
•
Be
able to manage a solution environment using the Visual Studio 2005 integrated
development environment (IDE) and tools
•
Understand
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 and the Common Language Runtime
•
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.
Course 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
•
Exercise
1. Adding and Configuring Windows Forms and Controls
•
Exercise
2. Creating Event Handlers and Monitoring Events
•
Exercise
3. Adding Controls and Handlers at Run Time
•
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.
•
Add
and configure Windows Forms and controls.
•
Create
event handlers and monitor events.
•
Add
controls and handlers to a form at run time.
•
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
•
Exercise
1. Creating the EmployeeViewer Form
•
Exercise
2. Creating the ReportGenerator Form
•
Exercise
3. Creating the ReportGeneratorHelp Form
After completing this unit, students
will be able to:
•
Explain
the functions of the major categories of Windows Forms controls.
•
Create
a form to select and view images by using the SplitContainer,
TreeView, PictureBox, ToolStrip, and other controls.
•
Create
a form to specify report criteria by using the TableLayoutPanel,
ListView, MonthCalendar, ComboBox, and other controls.
•
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
•
Menus
in Windows Forms
Lab 3: Building Menus
•
Exercise
1. Creating and Configuring a MenuStrip Control
•
Exercise
2. Creating and Configuring a ContextMenuStrip
Component
•
Exercise
3. Hiding and Disabling a ToolStripMenuItem
•
Exercise
4. Creating and Configuring a ToolStripComboBox (if
time permits)
After completing this unit, students
will be able to:
•
Explain
the structure of a menu in a Windows Forms application.
•
Create
and configure a MenuStrip control.
•
Create
and configure a ContextMenuStrip component.
•
Hide
and disable a ToolStripMenuItem.
•
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
•
Binding
Data to a Control
•
DataGridView Control
Lab 4: Displaying and Editing Data by
Using Data-Bound Controls
•
Exercise
1. Adding a Data Source to a Project
•
Exercise
2. Binding Data to a Control
•
Exercise
3. Creating a Bound Form by Using the BindingSource
and BindingNavigator Components
•
Exercise
4. Displaying Data by Using the DataGridView Control
•
Exercise
5. Binding to Data at Run Time (if time permits)
After completing this unit, students
will be able to:
•
Explain
simple and complex data binding.
•
Describe
the scenarios in which the DataGridView control is
used.
•
Add
a data source to a project.
•
Bind
data to a control at run time.
•
Use
the BindingSource component and BindingNavigator
control to create a data-bound Windows Form.
•
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
•
Providing
User Assistance
•
Implementing
Accessibility Features
•
Implementing
Globalization and Localization
Lab 5: Providing User Assistance and
Enhancing Usability
•
Exercise
1. Adding and Configuring User Assistance Controls
•
Exercise
2. Implementing Accessibility Features
•
Exercise
3. Implementing Globalization and Localization
•
Exercise
4. Running a Procedure at Set Intervals (if time permits)
•
Exercise
5. Displaying Data Source Errors (if time permits)
After completing this unit, students
will be able to:
•
Describe
the components that can be used to provide user assistance.
•
Add
and configure user assistance controls on a Windows Form.
•
Explain
the accessibility features available to implement in a Windows Forms
application.
•
Implement
accessibility features within a Windows Forms application.
•
Explain
the high-level processes involved in globalization and localization in a
Windows Forms application.
•
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
•
Dialog
Boxes in a Windows Forms Application
•
Windows
Forms Inheritance
Lab 6: Creating Consistent Applications
by Using Dialog Boxes and Forms Inheritance
•
Exercise
1. Adding and Configuring Dialog Box Components
•
Exercise
2. Creating a Custom Dialog Box
•
Exercise
3. Implementing Windows Forms Inheritance
•
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.
•
Explain
the concept of Windows Forms inheritance and the reasons for using inheritance.
•
Add
and configure dialog box controls on a Windows Form.
•
Create
a custom dialog box.
•
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
•
Printing
in a Windows Forms Application
•
Reporting
in a Windows Forms Application
Lab 7: Printing Content and Creating
Reports
•
Exercise
1. Adding Print Capability to a Windows Forms Application
•
Exercise
2. Implementing Reporting by Using the CrystalReportViewer
Component
After completing this unit, students
will be able to:
•
Explain
how to print a report in a Windows Forms application.
•
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.
•
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
•
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
•
ClickOnce Technology Overview
Lab 9: Deploying Applications by Using ClickOnce
•
Exercise
1. Publishing a ClickOnce Application
•
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.
•
Explain
the key concepts of ClickOnce technology.
•
Publish
a ClickOnce application.
•
Install
and test a ClickOnce application.
•
Describe
best practices for using ClickOnce deployment.
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