1. “An Introduction to .NET, C# and Visual Studio 2005”
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
“An Introduction to .NET, C# and Visual Studio 2005”
Joe Hummel, PhD Dept of Mathematics and Computer Science Lake Forest College
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

2. Introductions… Joe Hummel, PhD I wear 2 hats: Chicago, USA
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Joe Hummel, PhD
Chicago, USA
web:
blog:
I wear 2 hats:
Academic:
Associate Prof. of CS at Lake Forest College (
PhD from UC-Irvine (Optimizing Compilers, 1998)
Industry:
consultant and trainer for Microsoft and Pluralsight (
specializing in Microsoft Windows development and .NET training
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

3. And you? Name? Institution? 1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Name?
Institution?
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

4. Workshop Outline Topic Lecture Introduction to .NET and C# 1
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Topic
Lecture
Introduction to .NET and C# 1
Working with Visual Studio 2005 2
Working with C# 2.0 3
Intro to GUIs and the other .NET Languages 4
WinForms — Windows-based GUIs in .NET 5
Introduction to Web Applications 6
WebForms and ASP.NET 7
Web Services 8
OO and Application Design 9
Relational Databases, SQL, and Visual Studio 10
Database Programming with ADO.NET 11
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

5. Daily Schedule Sunday: lecture & lab #1 Monday: lectures & labs #2-5
6:00-8:00
Monday: lectures & labs #2-5
9am-noon
1:30-5:00
7:00-9:00
Tuesday: lectures & labs #6-9
Wednesday: lectures & labs #10-11

6. Resources Workshop materials are available here:
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Workshop materials are available here:
PPT, demos, and lab exercises
Past & future workshops available here as well
Blog discussing updates, new happenings, etc:
Other .NET sites:
Microsoft Developer Network:
MSDN Academic Alliance:
Microsoft’s sourceforge-like project site:
Good sites for .NET code, discussions, etc:
MSDN proper is for professional developers
MSDN Academic Alliance is specifically for academia: curriculum repository, MSDNAA software program, etc.
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

7. 1.1 Why use .NET Advantages How I use .NET 1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Advantages
How I use .NET
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

8. Advantages of .NET Support for multiple languages:
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Support for multiple languages:
C#, C++, VB, J# (aka Java 1.2), …
same concepts, same tools — from any language
Support for different types of applications:
console, desktop GUI, web-based GUI, web services, mobile, …
Industrial strength tools & technologies at reasonable price
Visual Studio .NET is a great environment that students like
Available from MSDNAA — MSDN Academic Alliance
allows you to legally distribute software to faculty & students
Visual Studio, Windows, SQL Server, Visio, SharePoint, …
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

9. .NET at Lake Forest College
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Lake Forest is a small, 4-year liberal arts college near Chicago
Standard Java-based intro sequence (CS0-1-2)
We use command-line and BlueJ
We do *not* use .NET since Java support is too far out-of-date
Upper-division courses:
Operating Systems: C on Linux
Programming languages: ML at command-line, SQL & VB.NET
Compiler class: J# or C# in .NET
Web development: LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, Perl)
Senior Capstone: students choose platform (most choose .NET)
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

10. Demos… Here are some of the applications students develop: Fun:
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Here are some of the applications students develop:
Fun:
Desktop GUI SlideShow app
Desktop GUI Google-based app (using Google’s web service)
CS 1-2:
GUI-based census data analyzer
Shape inheritance hierarchy within GUI-based app
AVL trees with GUI visualizer and NUnit test harness
Programming Languages:
Database-driven GUI apps
GUI front-ends to web services (Google, Amazon, etc.)
Senior capstone:
GUI-based scheduling program
Common theme: GUI-based applications (desktop or web) to make things more interesting…
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

11. 1.2 Quick Intro to .NET .NET at the command line 1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
.NET at the command line
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

12. Command-line Development
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Available via the Microsoft .NET Framework SDK
same idea as Java and the JDK
SDK = Software Development Kit (100 MB download)
free, complete set of command-line tools and docs
install as a standalone product
installed by default when you install Visual Studio
Note:
development requires a “modern” version of Windows
Windows NT, 2000, 2003, XP, or Vista
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

13. Example Program in C# Compute the maximum speed of a sailboat:
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Compute the maximum speed of a sailboat:
/* hullspeed.cs */
public class App {
public static void Main()
string input;
double len, speed;
System.Console.WriteLine("**Hullspeed Program **");
System.Console.WriteLine();
System.Console.Write("Enter sailboat length (feet): ");
input = System.Console.ReadLine();
len = System.Convert.ToDouble(input);
speed = 1.34 * System.Math.Sqrt(len);
System.Console.WriteLine("Hullspeed = " + speed + " knots"); }
}//class
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

14. Namespaces In .NET, everything is contained within a class
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
In .NET, everything is contained within a class
Classes nested within namespaces to help organize things
a namespace is a named collection of types
the System namespace denotes the outermost .NET namespace
Example:
System.Console.WriteLine("...");
System
namespace
in FxCL
Namespaces are the equivalent of Java packages
Console
class
WriteLine
method
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

15. FxCL .NET Framework Class Library contains 1000's of classes
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
.NET Framework Class Library contains 1000's of classes
Much like Java’s JCL
Organized by namespaces:
System
System.Data
System.Windows.Forms
etc.
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

16. Compile and Run To compile with Framework SDK, use the C# compiler
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
To compile with Framework SDK, use the C# compiler
open Visual Studio .NET Command Prompt so path is set
csc is the command-line C# compiler
use /t:exe option to build console-based EXE
use /out: option to specify name of EXE
c:\> csc /t:exe /out:HullspeedApp.exe hullspeed.cs
Microsoft (R) Visual C# .NET Compiler version
for Microsoft (R) .NET Framework version
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation All rights reserved.
c:\> HullspeedApp.exe
**Hullspeed Program**
Enter sailboat length (feet): 36.25
Hullspeed = knots
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

17. 1.3 Quick Intro to C# C# is essentially Java… 1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
C# is essentially Java…
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

18. Example — a Student Class in C#
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
/* student.cs */
public class Student {
private string ID;
private int Exam1, Exam2;
public Student(string ID, int exam1, int exam2) // constructor
this.ID = ID;
this.Exam1 = exam1;
this.Exam2 = exam2; }
public override string ToString()
double avg = (Exam1 + Exam2) / 2.0;
string msg = string.Format("Student {0}: average={1}", ID, avg);
return msg;
}//class
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

19. Example — Main Program in C#
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Input data, create Student object, and output to screen:
/* main.cs */
public class App {
public static void Main()
Student s;
string id;
int exam1, exam2;
System.Console.WriteLine("Please enter id and 2 exam scores:");
id = System.Console.ReadLine();
exam1 = System.Convert.ToInt32( System.Console.ReadLine() );
exam2 = System.Convert.ToInt32( System.Console.ReadLine() );
s = new Student(id, exam1, exam2);
System.Console.WriteLine( s ); // calls ToString to write obj }
}//class
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

20. Compile and Run
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Once again, we use the C# compiler at the command line:
remember to open Visual Studio .NET Command Prompt so path is set
c:\> csc /t:exe /out:StudentApp.exe main.cs student.cs
Microsoft (R) Visual C# .NET Compiler version
for Microsoft (R) .NET Framework version
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation All rights reserved.
c:\> StudentApp.exe
Please enter id and 2 exam scores:
123456 87 92
Student : average=89.5
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

21. 1.4 Execution Model How does .NET execute? 1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
How does .NET execute?
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

22. .NET Framework Class Library (FxCL) Common Language Runtime (CLR)
Architecture
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Multi-language, virtual machine driven… C#
C++ VB J# …
Your Application
.NET Framework Class Library (FxCL)
Common Language Runtime (CLR)
Operating System
Hardware
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

23. Execution Model .EXE is *not* a standalone program (think "Java")
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
.EXE is *not* a standalone program (think "Java")
When run .EXE, Windows loads CLR, which loads .EXE/FxCL
CLR is a VM that JITs native code on a per-method basis…
.EXE
OS Process
CLR
JIT Compiler
other FxCL components
Core FxCL
obj code
Underlying OS and HW
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

24. Viewing Compiled Code with ILDasm
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
ILDasm = IL Disassembler
IL = Microsoft's Intermediate Language
equivalent to Java bytecodes (abstract, stack-based, verifiable)
c:\> ildasm StudentApp.exe
Note once again that StudentApp only contains the classes we wrote; the FxCL classes are loaded dynamically by the CLR as needed.
Be sure to open Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Command Prompt to ensure path is set so ILDasm tool can be found.
Want to reverse engineer .NET back into C# or VB? See Reflector:
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

25. Where is .NET Installed? CLR is a normal Windows DLL
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
CLR is a normal Windows DLL
FxCL resides in the GAC
GAC = Global Assembly Cache
see the folder "C:\Windows\Assembly"
Observations:
some assemblies have been pre-JIT’d ("native image")
assemblies are tamper proof via digital signatures
GAC is version-aware — can hold different versions of component
Does .NET use a CLASSPATH like Java?
No!
.NET searches the GAC first, then the same folder as .EXE
Search can be customized with .config file
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

26. Implications? Users need CLR & FxCL to run .NET applications
1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Users need CLR & FxCL to run .NET applications
Available via Redistributable .NET Framework (20MB download)
runs on Windows 98 and above
.NET applications are version-specific:
app is dependent upon version of .NET it was compiled against
application will *NOT* run unless that version of .NET is installed
compiled with SDK 1.0 / VS .NET 2002? .NET v1.0 must be installed
compiled with SDK 1.1 / VS .NET 2003? .NET v1.1 must be installed
compiled with SDK 2.0 / VS .NET 2005? .NET v2.0 must be installed
Much like Java, .NET execution model is about trade-offs:
managed execution (more secure, memory protection, etc.)
portability
slower execution (10%?)
How can you tell if .NET has been installed on a machine?
Look for the presence of the GAC, and then the version numbers on the assemblies.
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel

27. .NET is Portable? Much of .NET is ECMA standardized
Available on a variety of platforms:
various flavors of Windows (including CE and Mobile versions)
Linux / OS X:
Mono project supported by Novell (very mature)
Unix:
dotGNU (much less mature)
FreeBSD / OS X:
Rotor / SSCLI
Microsoft's shared-source release of .NET for research purposes

28. 1.5 What's Next? Lab exercise #1 1. Introduction
An Introduction to .NET, C# and VS 2005
Lab exercise #1
Lake Forest College Workshop © 2006 Joe Hummel