Advanced Windows Forms Technologies with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005

Target Audience
This workshop provides students with the knowledge and skills to develop advanced Microsoft Windows Forms applications using Microsoft Visual Studio 2005. It 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.

Pre-Requisites
Before attending this course, students should have the following pre-requisites:Attended Workshop 2546, Core Windows Forms Technologies with Visual Studio 2005 or possess equivalent knowledge and skills.Ability to manage a solution environment using the Visual Studio 2005 integrated development environment (IDE) and tools.Ability to program an application using a Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 compliant language, including the use of delegates and events.Understand advanced concepts including serialization, reflection, application domains, and multithreading.

Purpose
After completing this workshop, students will be able to build MDI applications; customize Windows Forms and controls; create customized print components; perform drag-and-drop operations and implement Clipboard support; perform asynchronous tasks in Windows Forms by using multithreaded techniques; enhance the presentation of Windows Forms applications.

Course outline

1. Building MDI Applications
2. Customizing Windows Forms and Controls
3. Creating Customized Print Components
4. Performing Drag-and-Drop Operations and Implementing Clipboard Support
5. Performing Asynchronous Tasks by Using Multithreaded Techniques
6. Enhancing the Presentation of Windows Forms Applications

Module 1:Building MDI Applications

• Windows Forms Layout Options
• What Are MDI Applications?
• Lab: Building MDI Applications

• Compare the different layout styles for Microsoft Windows Forms applications.
  
• Explain the key concepts and processes involved in implementing an MDI application.
  
• Create MDI parent and child forms.
  
• Display and compare information on MDI child forms.
  
• Implement menu merging in an MDI application.
  

Module 2:Customizing Windows Forms and Controls

• What Are the Methods of Authoring Controls for Windows Forms?
• Ways to Draw a User Interface by Using GDI+
• Creating a Nonrectangular Windows Form
• Lab: Customizing Windows Forms and Controls

• Explain the methods of authoring controls for Windows Forms.
  
• Draw a user interface by using GDI+.
  
• Create a control that inherits from an existing control.
  
• Create a nonrectangular Windows Form.
  
• Create a custom user control.
  

Module 3:Creating Customized Print Components

• Printing Features that Are Supported by .NET Framework 2.0
• Drawing Print Document Content by Using GDI+
• Lab: Creating Customized Print Components

• Describe the printing features that are supported by .NET Framework 2.0.
  
• Explain how to use GDI+ to draw print document content.
  
• Print content by using GDI+.
  
• Describe best practices for creating custom print components.
  

Module 4:Performing Drag-and-Drop Operations and Implementing Clipboard Support

• Drag-and-Drop Operations in Windows Forms Applications.
• Adding Clipboard Support in Windows Forms Applications.
• Lab: Performing Drag-and-Drop Operations and Implementing Clipboard Support

• Describe the phases of a drag-and-drop operation.
  
• Describe the methods that you can use to provide Clipboard support.
  
• Implement drag-and-drop functionality in a Windows Forms application.
  
• Add Clipboard support to an application.
  

Module 5:Performing Asynchronous Tasks by Using Multithreaded Techniques

• Asynchronous Programming in Windows Forms Applications
• Creating Thread-Safe Applications
• Lab: Performing Asynchronous Tasks by Using Multithreaded Techniques

• Explain the concepts and processes that are involved in performing asynchronous programming.
  
• Load a bitmap into a Windows Forms application asynchronously.
  
• Perform multiple simultaneous calculations on a form by using multithreading.
  

Module 6:Enhancing the Presentation of Windows Forms Applications

• Enhancing Application User Interfaces
• Customizing the DataGridView Control
• Application Settings and the PropertyGrid Control
• Lab: Enhancing the Presentation of Windows Forms Applications

• Describe several key features involved in enhancing an application user interface.
  
• Describe how to customize the DataGridView control.
  
• Explain the concepts of Windows Forms application settings and the PropertyGrid control.
  
• Program the DataGridView control.
  
• View and persist application settings by using the PropertyGrid control.
  
• Implement a user interface in the style of Outlook by using rapid application development (RAD) features.