Home > Store

Understanding .NET: A Tutorial and Analysis

Register your product to gain access to bonus material or receive a coupon.

Understanding .NET: A Tutorial and Analysis

Book

  • Sorry, this book is no longer in print.
Not for Sale

Description

  • Copyright 2002
  • Edition: 1st
  • Book
  • ISBN-10: 0-201-74162-8
  • ISBN-13: 978-0-201-74162-9

Microsoft's .NET is a collection of new technologies that are revolutionizing Windows-based software development. A major theme of .NET is the idea of Web services, allowing software to communicate directly with other software using Internet technologies. The .NET Framework and Visual Studio.NET, two more core aspects of this initiative, provide a multi-language environment in which developers can create Web services and other kinds of applications. .NET My Services, yet another aspect of .NET, offers a new kind of platform for creating a new class of applications. Taken as a whole, the .NET technologies will change the way nearly every Windows application is built.

Understanding .NET: A Tutorial and Analysis offers developers and technical managers a concise guide to the new landscape of Windows development. Margin notes, detailed diagrams, and lucid writing make this book easy to navigate and to read, while analysis sections explore controversial issues and address common concerns. The book's independent perspective and straightforward descriptions make clear both how the .NET technologies work and how they can be used.

Key topics include:

  • An overview of .NET and its goals
  • Web services technologies, including the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and more
  • The .NET Framework's Common Language Runtime (CLR)
  • C# and Visual Basic.NET
  • The .NET Framework class library
  • ADO.NET
  • ASP.NET
  • .NET My Services
  • The key to using a new technology is understanding it. Understanding .NET will help you make the right decisions and make the most of this revolutionary framework.



    0201741628B12052001

    Sample Content

    Online Sample Chapter

    .NET Languages

    Downloadable Sample Chapter

    Click below for Sample Chapter related to this title:
    chappellch04.pdf

    Table of Contents



    Preface.


    1. An Overview of .NET.

    Defining .NET.

    Web Services.

    The .NET Framework.

    The Common Language Runtime.

    CLR-Based Languages.

    The .NET Framework Class Library.

    The .NET Compact Framework.

    .NET My Services.

    The .NET Enterprise Servers.

    A .NET Scenario.

    Conclusion.



    2. Web Services.

    Describing Web Services.

    Applying Web Services.

    Access to Internet Applications.

    B2B Integration.

    A2A Integration.

    A Web Services Scenario.

    Web Services Technologies.

    Describing Information: XML.

    Defining Web Services: WSDL.

    Accessing Web Services: SOAP.

    Finding Web Services: UDDI.

    Future Directions for Web Services.

    Conclusion.



    3. The Common Language Runtime.

    Building Managed Code: The Common Type System.

    Introducing the Common Type System.

    A Closer Look at CTS Types.

    The Common Language Specification.

    Compiling Managed Code.

    Microsoft Intermediate Language (MSIL).

    Metadata.

    Organizing Managed Code: Assemblies.

    Metadata for Assemblies: Manifests.

    Categorizing Assemblies.

    Executing Managed Code.

    Loading Assemblies.

    Compiling MSIL.

    Securing Assemblies.

    Garbage Collection.

    Application Domains.

    Conclusion.



    4. .NET Languages.

    C#.

    A C# Example.

    C# Types.

    C# Control Structures.

    Other C# Features.

    Visual Basic.NET.

    A VB.NET Example.

    VB.NET Types.

    VB.NET Control Structures.

    Other VB.NET Features.

    C++ with Managed Extensions.

    A Managed C++ Example.

    Managed C++ Types.

    Other Managed C++ Features.

    Conclusion.



    5. The .NET Framework Class Library.

    An Overview of the .NET Framework Class Library.

    The System Namespace.

    A Survey of System's Subordinate Namespaces.

    Input and Output: System.IO.

    Serialization: System.Runtime.Serialization.

    Working with XML: System.Xml.

    The XML Technology Family.

    What System.Xml Provides.

    Reflection: System.Reflection.

    .NET Remoting: System.Runtime.Remoting.

    An Overview of the Remoting Process.

    Passing Information to Remote Objects.

    Choosing a Channel.

    Creating and Destroying Remote Objects.

    Enterprise Services: System.EnterpriseServices.

    Interoperability: System.Runtime.InteropServices.

    Accessing COM Objects.

    Accessing Non-COM DLLs.

    Windows GUIs: System.Windows.Forms.

    Building GUIs Using Windows Forms.

    Windows Forms Controls.

    Conclusion.



    6. Accessing Data: ADO.NET.

    .NET Data Providers.

    Direct Access to Data.

    Accessing Data with DataSets.

    Creating and Using DataSets.

    Accessing and Modifying a DataSet's Contents.

    Using DataSets with XML-Defined Data.

    Conclusion.



    7. Building Web Applications: ASP.NET.

    Browser Applications: System.Web.UI.

    How Browser Applications Work.

    Web Controls.

    Separating the User Interface from the Code.

    Other Topics.

    Web Services Applications: System.Web.Services.

    Web Services Servers.

    Web Services Clients.

    Options for Web Services Applications.

    Microsoft-Specific Support for Web Services Applications.

    Conclusion.



    8. .NET My Services.

    Defining .NET My Services.

    Applying .NET My Services.

    Assuring Privacy.

    The .NET My Services Business Model: Software as a Service.

    Describing .NET My Services.

    The Authentication Service: Passport.

    XML-Based Services.

    A .NET My Services Scenario.

    Conclusion.



    About the Author.


    Index. 0201741628T01162002

    Preface

    There’s no single way to write good software, and there’s no perfect platform for it, either. Yet the people who create platforms keep striving for that unreachable ideal, and so they regularly give us new technology foundations to build on. With very few exceptions, each change is better than what it replaces. But with no exceptions at all, each innovation makes the current contents of our heads at least partially obsolete. Change is the essence of working with software.

    .NET is the biggest single set of new technologies that Microsoft (or possibly any vendor) has ever presented to its technical customers. The tremendous changes wrought by .NET improve nearly every aspect of a developer’s life, but they also present a massive amount of new technology to understand. The goal of this book is to help you make the move to this big new world.

    Who This Book Is For

    .NET is huge. There will be plenty of books that provide detailed examinations of each facet of this enormous technology crystal, plenty of books with hardcore, hands-on information. This isn’t one of those books. I believe strongly that understanding .NET as a whole is essential before delving more deeply into any single part of the technology. Accordingly, my goal here is to provide a broad overview of the major .NET technologies. And because one of the greatest strengths of this family of software and services is the way one part exploits another, this book also tries to show how those technologies fit together.

    If you’re looking for a big-picture introduction and a perspective on the whole of .NET, this book is for you. Whether you’re a developer just getting started with .NET, a technical manager who needs to make decisions about these technologies, or a student seeing some of these ideas for the first time, this book should be a useful guide. There is enough detail here to satisfy many people completely, while others will use this book as a stepping-stone to more specific knowledge. In any case, I hope the book’s organization and content make it easier for you to come to grips with this mass of technology.

    Fact and Opinion

    Grasping a new technology requires learning the fundamentals. What are its main parts? How do they work? How do they fit together? But really understanding a technology requires more than this. You need to know not just how things work but also why they’re important, how they compare with what’s gone before, and what might happen next.

    This book provides all of these things. In the text itself, I’ve tried hard to remain strictly tutorial, focusing solely on describing what .NET is. In the analysis boxes, I give some broader perspective on various aspects of this technology. In every case, the analysis expresses my view of why things are the way they are or what the future is likely to hold. By separating the objective and the subjective, I hope to make it easier for you to distinguish between the two. By providing opinion as well as fact, I hope to make this book both more interesting and more enlightening.

    Acknowledgments

    If you’ve ever written a book, you know how much help you get from other people. If you haven’t, well, trust me: Without these people’s assistance, this book would be substantially less than it is. I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks to Bob Beauchemin, Keith Brown, Cori Day, Ted Demopoulos, Bill Estrem, Jeannine Gailey, Kit George, Greg Hack, Rob Howard, Maxim Loukianov, Juval Lvwy, Peter McKiernan, Yahya H. Mirza, John D. Mitchell, Christophe Nassare, Eric Newcomer, David Sceppa, Aaron Skonnard, and Mike Woodring for reading, commenting on, and often correcting various parts of this book. I’d like to single out Richard Monson-Haefel, a strong technologist and fine writer, who read and commented intelligently on every chapter.

    The attendees in the many .NET seminars I’ve presented have also contributed mightily to making this book better. By letting me practice my explanations, they helped me figure out which paths to understanding .NET worked. By asking insightful questions, they provided the inspiration for many of the analysis boxes scattered throughout this book.

    Many people at Addison-Wesley also deserve my profound thanks. Without Kristin Weinberger, neither the Independent Technology Guide series nor this book would exist. Without Stephane Thomas, I would never have finished this project. Without Cindy Kogut, my text would have been significantly less clear. And without Katie Noyes, the beautiful cover design wouldn’t have been created.

    I’d also like to thank my good friends Jim and Judy Moffitt for a hand-delivered care package of chocolate chip cookies that arrived just when I needed it most. And finally, I owe all manner of things to Diana Catignani, without whom my life would be so very much poorer.

    David Chappell
    www.davidchappell.com
    December 2001


    0201741628P01162002

    Updates

    Submit Errata

    More Information

    InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

    I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

    Overview


    Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

    This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

    Collection and Use of Information


    To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

    Questions and Inquiries

    For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

    Online Store

    For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

    Surveys

    Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

    Contests and Drawings

    Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

    Newsletters

    If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

    Service Announcements

    On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

    Customer Service

    We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

    Other Collection and Use of Information


    Application and System Logs

    Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

    Web Analytics

    Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

    Cookies and Related Technologies

    This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

    Do Not Track

    This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

    Security


    Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

    Children


    This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

    Marketing


    Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

    • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
    • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
    • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
    • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

    Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

    Correcting/Updating Personal Information


    If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

    Choice/Opt-out


    Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

    Sale of Personal Information


    Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

    While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

    Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


    California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

    Sharing and Disclosure


    Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

    • As required by law.
    • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
    • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
    • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
    • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
    • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
    • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
    • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
    • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

    Links


    This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

    Requests and Contact


    Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

    Changes to this Privacy Notice


    We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

    Last Update: November 17, 2020