Sams Teach Yourself C# in 24 Hours

By James Foxall and Wendy Haro-Chun

• Table of Contents
  • Copyright
  • About the Authors
  • Acknowledgments
  • Tell Us What You Think!
  • Introduction
  • Audience and Organization
  • Conventions Used in This Book
  • Onward and Upward!
  • Part I. The Visual Studio Environment
  • Hour 1. A C# Programming Tour
  • Hour 2. Navigating C#
    • Using the Visual Studio .NET Start Page
    • Navigating and Customizing the C# Environment
    • Adding Controls to a Form Using the Toolbox
    • Setting Object Properties Using the Properties Window
    • Managing Projects
    • Managing Project Files with the Solution Explorer
    • Getting Help
    • Summary
    • Q&A
    • Workshop
  • Hour 3. Understanding Objects and Collections
  • Hour 4. Understanding Events
  • Part II. Building a User Interface
  • Hour 5. Building FormsPart I
  • Hour 6. Building FormsPart II
  • Hour 7. Working with the Traditional Controls
  • Hour 8. Advanced Controls
  • Hour 9. Adding Menus and Toolbars to Forms
  • Hour 10. Drawing and Printing
  • Part III. Making Things HappenProgramming!
  • Hour 11. Creating and Calling Methods
  • Hour 12. Using Constants, Data Types, Variables, and Arrays
  • Hour 13. Performing Arithmetic, String Manipulation, and Date/Time Adjustments
  • Hour 14. Making Decisions in C# Code
  • Hour 15. Looping for Efficiency
  • Hour 16. Debugging Your Code
  • Hour 17. Designing Objects Using Classes
  • Hour 18. Interacting with Users
  • Part IV. Working with Data
  • Hour 19. Performing File Operations
  • Hour 20. Controlling Other Applications Using Automation
  • Hour 21. Working with a Database
  • Part V. Deploying Solutions and Beyond
  • Hour 22. Deploying a Solution
  • Hour 23. Introduction to Web Development
  • Hour 24. The 10,000-Foot View
  • Appendix A. Answers to Quizzes/Exercises

Getting Help

Although C# was designed to be as intuitive as possible, you'll find that you occasionally need assistance in performing a task. It doesn't matter how much you know, C# is so complex and contains so many features that you'll have to use Help sometimes. This is particularly true when writing C# code; you won't always remember the command you need or the syntax of the command. Fortunately, C# includes a comprehensive Help feature.

To access Help from within the design environment, press F1. Generally speaking, when you press F1, C# shows you a help topic directly related to what you're doing. This is known as context-sensitive help, and when it works, it works well. For example, you can display help for any C# syntax or keyword (functions, objects, methods, properties, and so on) when writing C# code by typing the word into the code editor, positioning the cursor anywhere within the word (including before the first letter or after the last), and pressing F1. You can also get to help from the Help menu on the menu bar.

Help displays topics directly within the design environment instead of in a separate window. This is a new feature of .NET. Personally, I think this method is considerably inferior to the old style of Visual Studio having Help float above the design environment. When Help is displayed within the design environment, you can't necessarily see the code, form, or other object with which you're working. To make Help float above the design environment, choose Options from the Tools menu to display the Options dialog box, click Help in the Tree view on the left, and select External Help.

C# includes a Help feature called Dynamic Help. To display the Dynamic Help window, choose Dynamic Help from the Help menu. The Dynamic Help window shows Help links related to what it is you're working on (see Figure 2.24). For instance, if you select a form, the contents of the Dynamic Help window show you Help links related to forms. If you click a text box, the contents of the Dynamic Help window adjust to show you Help links related to text boxes. This is an interesting feature, and you may find it valuable.

Figure 2.24 Dynamic Help gives you a list of Help links related to the task you're performing.

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