Using XML for VB.NET Developers

Overview:

The Internet has brought a huge difference in the way we develop and use software applications.

Applications are becoming more and more distributed, connecting heterogeneous systems. With such a radical change, the role of XML is highly significant. XML has already established itself as a standard way of data encoding and transfer. No wonder that Microsoft's .NET Framework provides such a strong support for XML. Data access, raw parsing, configuration, code documentation, and web services are some of the examples where .NET harnesses the power and flexibility of XML.

The .NET Framework comes with a plethora of classes that allow you to work with XML data. Aspect Training's Using XML for VB.NET Developers demystifies XML and allied technologies. Reading and writing XML data, using DOM, ADO.NET integration with XML, SQL Server XML features, applying XSLT style sheets, SOAP, web services, and configuration systems are some of the topics that this course explores in detail. Real-world examples will help you understand the practical use of the topic under consideration.

Prerequisites:

Experience with developing applications using VB.NET

Course Topics

Introducing XML and the .NET Framework

What Is XML?

Benefits of XML

XML-Driven Applications

Rules of XML Grammar

DTDs and XML Schemas

Parsing XML Documents

XSLT

XPath

The .NET Framework

.NET and XML

Working with Visual Studio

Manipulating XML Documents by Using the Document Object Model

Using the DOM Parser

Knowing When to Use DOM

Opening an Existing XML Document for Parsing

Navigating Through an XML Document

Looking for Specific Elements and Nodes

Modifying XML Documents

Adding New Content

Using Helper Methods

Understanding Events of the XmlDocument Class

Reading and Writing XML Documents

What Are XML Readers and Writers?

Opening XML Documents

Reading Attributes, Elements, and Values

Improving Performance by Using Name Tables

Dealing with Namespaces

Moving Between Elements

Moving Between Attributes

Reading Content

Writing XML Documents

Exporting Columns As Elements

Exporting Columns As Attributes

Formatting the Output

Serializing Data

Unserializing Data

Accessing XML Documents by Using the XPath Data Model

Overview of XPath

Location Path

Axis

Node Tests

Predicates

XPath Functions

The XPath Data Model

Validating XML Documents

Providing Structure for XML Documents

Document Type Definitions (DTDs)

XML Data Reduced Schemas (XDR Schemas)

XML Schema Definition Language Schemas (XSD Schemas)

Creating the DTD

Creating the XSD Schema

Creating Schemas by Using the Schema Object Model (SOM)

The Core SOM Classes.

Creating an XSD Schema by Using the SOM

Validating XML Documents Against DTDs and XSD Schemas

Transforming XML with XSLT

Overview of XSLT

Applying Templates

Branching

Transforming Elements and Attributes

Performing Transformations by Using XslCompiledTransform

Passing Arguments to a Transformation

Using Script Blocks in an XSLT Style Sheet

Using Extension Objects

XML in ADO.NET

Overview of ADO.NET Architecture

Connected Data Access

Disconnected Data Access

ADO.NET Data Providers

Basic ADO.NET Classes

XML and Connected Data Access

XML and Disconnected Data Access

Generating Menus Dynamically Based On an XML File

Reading Only the Schema Information

Creating a Typed DataSet

The XmlDataDocument Class

Converting Between DataRow and XmlElement

XML Serialization

Understanding the Flavours of Serialization

Classes Involved in the Serialization Process

Serializing and Deserializing Objects by Using XML Format

Handling Events Raised During Deserialization

Serializing and Deserializing Complex Types

Serialization and Inheritance

Customizing the Serialized XML

Serializing Data in SOAP Format

Customizing SOAP Serialization

XML Web Services

What Are Web Services?

Creating and Consuming Web Services

Creating a Proxy for a Web Service

Creating a Form That Consumes a Web Method

Calling a Web Method Asynchronously

Understanding SOAP

Using SOAP Headers

Understanding the WSDL Document

XML in SQL Server

Using XML Extensions to the SELECT Statement

The FOR XML Clause

Using OPENXML

Using SQLXML Features

Inserting, Modifying, and Deleting XML Data

XML Data Modification Language (XML DML)

XQuery Support in the XML Data Type

Native Web Services

Use of XML in the .NET Framework

Understanding Remoting

Remoting Architecture

Object Activation

Channels and Formatters

Flavors of Marshalling

Remoting Assemblies and Namespaces

Creating a Remoting-Enabled Application

Using XML in ASP.NET

The XML Data Source Control

Working with Site Maps

Using the XML Control

Using the .NET Framework Configuration System

Documenting XML Code

Creating a Class Library

Generating Documentation