Visual C++ .NET: Developing C++/CLI Applications (4 day)

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Course Overview

The .NET platform offers unprecedented opportunities for integrated software development. Visual C++ 2005 enables C++ programmers to build on current skills, preserve existing code and rapidly incorporate .NET technology.

This hands-on course provides the skills required to create applications using C++ language extensions and the .NET class libraries.

Audience

This course is valuable for those interested in developing Visual C++ 2005 applications and those migrating legacy C++ code to the .NET platform. Experience with C++ at the level of Course 327, " C++ Programming Introduction ", is assumed.

Skills Gained

• Write .NET applications and components with Visual C++ 2005
• Migrate standard C++ to .NET using C++/CLI
• Leverage the .NET Framework classes to accelerate development
• Build Windows Forms with C++/CLI
• Enhance MFC applications with .NET Framework libraries
• Integrate legacy C++ and ActiveX components with .NET
• Write and deploy .NET components
• Employ XML and ADO.NET for data access

Course Outline

Introduction to .NET

The .NET architecture

• Common Language Runtime (CLR)
• The .NET Intermediate Language (IL)
• The role of C++/CLI

Visual Studio 2005

• Development environment features
• Debugging tools and strategies

C++ Language Extensions

The C++/CLI environment

• Managed heap and garbage collection
• Reference types vs. value types
• C++/CLI language features

Developing C++/CLI classes

• Defining C++/CLI classes
• Providing data access via properties
• C++/CLI operator overloading

Types, events and exceptions

• C++/CLI pointer concepts
• Event handling using delegates
• Responding to C++/CLI exceptions

Applying Advanced Class Features

C++/CLI class relationships

• .NET-compatible inheritance
• Class composition in C++/CLI

Interfaces and polymorphism

• Defining interfaces
• Abstract and sealed classes

Incorporating the .NET Class Libraries

Working with collections

• System::Collections namespace
• Sorting and enumerating collections

Multithreading

• Life cycle of a thread
• Thread priorities and scheduling
• Thread Synchronisation

Developing with generics

• Achieving type safety
• Comparing templates and generics

Creating Windows Forms

Establishing a user interface

• Windows Forms vs. MFC
• Designing forms with Visual Studio 2005

Working with controls

• Populating forms with controls
• Creating text and selection controls
• Organising menus and menu items

Implementing dialogues

• Built-in dialogues
• Custom dialogues and data exchange

Integrating Legacy C++ Code

Mixing C++/CLI and unmanaged code

• Applying /clr and "It Just Works" (IJW)
• Supporting standard C++ features
• Exposing C++/CLI classes with gcroot
• DLL access with PInvoke
• Marshalling data with InterOp

COM/ActiveX interoperability

• Accessing COM components from .NET
• COM client access to .NET components
• Integrating ActiveX controls

Developing .NET Components

Assembly structure

• Identifying assembly structures
• Building assemblies
• Shared vs. private assemblies
• Generating strong assembly names with digital signatures

Assembly administration

• Deploying components in the GAC
• Version control with policy files

Accessing Data with XML and ADO.NET

XML data manipulation

• .NET facilities for XML processing
• Reading, writing and modifying XML

Processing relational data

• The ADO.NET object model
• Connecting to a database
• Creating and executing commands

Visual C++ .NET: Developing C++/CLI Applications (4 day) / MVC-DA