Microsoft C#: Programming C# Extended Features: Hands-On

Course Overview

C# has evolved since its introduction into a full data-manipulation language. New .NET 3.5 extended features enable programmers to streamline code, increase productivity and improve overall performance of applications. In this course, you apply .NET 3.5 extended features, including LINQ, to effectively integrate the object-oriented and data-manipulation abilities of C# 3.0.

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Audience

Experienced C# programmers who want to improve their software development capabilities by using the new and extended language features, and in particular Language Integrated Query (LINQ). C# programming experience at the level of Course 419, "C# Programming: Hands-On", is assumed.

Skills Gained

• Streamline data-centric applications with C# extended features including LINQ
• Apply lambda expressions and extension methods for middle-tier data processing
• Exploit Language Integrated Query (LINQ) keywords to filter and order data
• Access databases with DataContext objects and advanced LINQ-to-SQL techniques
• Generate dynamic enumeration using IEnumerable within developer-written generic classes
• Leverage LINQ to write stored procedures in C# and simplify XML processing

Course Outline

Introduction

• Review of object-oriented programming
• Implementing to an interface
• Existing data-access technologies
• Generic and non-generic collections

Harnessing New .NET 3.5 C# Language Features

Language shortcuts

• Applying auto-implemented properties
• Benefiting from implied-type declaration

Streamlining program logic

• Instantiating entity objects
• Simplifying construction with object initialisers
• Anonymous object construction

Employing Extension Methods for Middle-Tier Data Manipulation

Filtering and ordering data with lambda expressions

• Constructing lambda expressions
• Comparing delegates and lambda expressions
• Calling Where and OrderBy extension methods
• Passing types and functionality into methods

Applying extended features

• Making code more flexible with delegates
• Sorting with delegates
• Streamlining code with anonymous types

Leveraging LINQ Query Keywords

Syntax and semantics

• Coding LINQ queries
• Ordering data and objects
• Filtering using from, where and order by

Iterating collections

• Interfacing between C# and LINQ using IEnumerable
• Converting from IEnumerable to List

Adapting LINQ to SQL

Comparing ADO.NET with LINQ

• DataSet objects vs. generic lists
• SqlDataReader vs. IEnumerable
• Processing data-tier information

Connecting to and reading from a database

• Establishing a DataContext
• Attaching to a database with LINQ
• Correlating entity classes and data tables
• Preserving the object-oriented paradigm

The Object Relational Designer tool

• Publishing data tables to entity classes
• Establishing inheritance relationships

Updating a database

• Inserting, updating and deleting data
• Error handling and exceptions
• Committing and rolling back transactions

Enumerations and Generic Classes

Examining enum

• Comparing IEnumerable and IEnumerator
• Generating dynamic enumeration
• The yield keyword

Writing generic classes

• Reducing duplicate classes
• Implementing a generic fast enumerator

Processing Data with LINQ Queries

Manipulating data

• Combining and aggregating similar data with group by
• Performing inner and outer joins
• Generating data subsets with the into clause

Advanced LINQ techniques

• Creating anonymous query results
• Retrieving composite views using nested from clauses
• Simplifying LINQ queries using delegates and lambda expressions

Applying LINQ to Stored Procedures and XML

Exploiting stored procedures

• Writing stored procedures in C#
• Calling stored procedures

Processing XML

• Retrieving the document, elements and attributes
• Parsing an XML document using LINQ

Hands-on Training

Exercises using a progressive case study provide experience applying C# extended features and include:

• Applying implied properties and object initialisers
• Writing lambda expressions and extension methods
• Implementing the data tier with LINQ
• Employing DataContext objects and LINQ query keywords to access and update a database
• Publishing entity classes using the O/R Designer
• Achieving dynamic enumerations with yield
• Parsing XML documents using LINQ
• Installing C#/LINQ stored procedures