The Visual Basic 2010 Programming Language

Microsoft's .NET Framework presents developers with unprecedented opportunities. From web applications to desktop and mobile platform applications – all can be built with equal ease, using substantially the same skill-set. But to make the most of this potential, developers must have a thorough grasp of core language skills and OO programming concepts.

This course is intended for developers who will use Visual Basic.NET to write .NET Framework applications and who are new to the Visual Basic.NET programming language. This includes those currently working with Visual Basic 6.0 or Java.

This four-day workshop concentrates on the Visual Basic programming language itself, to prepare delegates fully in readiness for exploring the .NET Framework. From basic procedural syntax to sophisticated object-oriented programming techniques, delegates will learn how to write .NET applications with code that is robust and maintainable.

The course is presented as a mixture of lectures and hands-on exercises. Practical sessions follow all main topics, designed to reinforce the points covered.

Additional information is provided in appendices to extend the learning experience after the course has been completed.

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Write efficient procedural code that includes sequence, selection and iteration constructs• Create and use classes and structures (types), including fields, properties and methods
• Use Private, Friend, Protected and Public visibility modifiers
• Build exception-handling into methods, to create robust, user-friendly applications
• Create derived classes that inherit from custom-written or .NET Framework classes
• Create interfaces and apply techniques of polymorphism effectively and appropriately
• Work with generic types
• Define and use Visual Basic default properties
• Understand the role of delegates in event handling
• Recognise the huge role of (generic) delegates in the .NET FCL beyond event handling
• Use lambda expressions effectively in Visual Basic code
• Make use of the major VB 2008 feature – LINQ (Language Integrated Query)
• Version assemblies and know how .NET searches and loads the correct DLL's(Appendix)
• Efficiently manage resources (Appendix)
• See the role of Attributes in .NET as metadata that can be 'reflected' upon (Appendix)

Module 1: Introduction to .NET & Visual Basic

• The .NET Framework; The Common Language Runtime; The Common Type System;• Visual Basic Features; Introduction to namespaces and assemblies

Module 2: Language Fundamentals

• Procedures and statements; Data types; Declaring variables; Assignments;• Conversion; Arithmetic and other operators;
• Control constructs; by value, by reference, named and optional parameters.

Module 3: Types I

• Type concepts; Classes; Reference types;• Fields, properties and methods; Visual Basic 2010 Auto-implemented properties;
• Accessibility modifiers; Construction and chaining;
• Instance members; Keyword 'Me';
•The 'nothing' reference;

Module 4: Types II

• Structures; Value types;• Object Initialisers;
• Keyword Shared; Const & ReadOnly;
• The Singleton & Factory patterns;
• Partial classes;
• Enumerated types;

Module 5: Exception Handling

• Errors vs. Exceptions; The 'try' block; The 'catch' block; The 'finally' block; Using 'throw';• Creating your own exceptions;

Module 6: Inheritance & Polymorphism

• Concept of inheritance; Substitutability; Extending a simple class;• Overridable, 'Overrides' and 'NotInheritable' modifiers
• Polymorphism;
• Upcasting and safe downcasting;

Module 7: Abstract Classes & Interfaces

• Abstract classes; Abstract methods and properties;• Polymorphism with interfaces; Multiple interfaces

Module 8: Generics & Collections

• Arrays vs Collections; Array syntax;• Generic concepts; Using Generic collection classes; List(of T);
• Generic interfaces; IComparable(of T), IComparer(of T) & sorting;
• Default Properties;
• Using generic methods;
• Co & Contra-variance;
• Constraints; Nullable types;
• Boxing / UnBoxing issues

Module 9: Delegates & Events

• Delegates explained; Working with delegates; Creating your own delegate types; Event handling delegates; Evolution of syntax for creating delegate instances; Key generic delegates of the FCL; Lambda expressions;
Module 10: Getting Started with LINQ

• The various Visual Basic language features that act as LINQ enablers;• The Func Delegate family including Func(of T, TResult)>;
• The LINQ API and query pattern;
• LINQ to Objects

Module 11: More LINQ

• Grouping; Joins; LINQ to XML;• LINQ to SQL;
• Overview of LINQ to Entities;

Module 12: The Way Ahead

• Review• Follow-on courses

Appendix Module: Namespaces & Assemblies

• Namespaces; The 'using' statement for namespaces; Assemblies;• DLLs at compile time and run Time; The Global Assembly Cache (GAC)
• Versioning using public/private key cryptography

Appendix Module: Operator Overloading

• Why operator overloading is useful; When to overload• Implicit conversions; explicit conversions

Appendix Module: Visual Basic & .NET timeline

• Which versions/functionality came when; Visual Basic syntax changes by version;
Appendix Module: Managing Resources

• Garbage collection and its impacts; Finalizers; The 'Dispose' pattern; IDisposable• The Using statement

Appendix Module: Working with Text

• Class String; Class StringBuilder; Formatting Strings; Regular Expression