In just 24 sessions of one hour or less, learn how to build great Windows Store apps, Windows desktop applications, and Web applications with C# 5.0. Using this tutorial’s straightforward, step-by-step approach, you’ll master everything from the absolute basics to the newest innovations, so you can solve real problems with C#. One step at a time, you’ll learn core techniques like flow control and error handling, construct complete solutions with Visual Studio, use advanced features like attributes and dynamic types, and even build engaging, immersive Windows Store apps. Each lesson builds on what you’ve already learned, giving you a strong real-world foundation for success, even if you’ve never programmed with C# 5.0 before! Step-by-step instructions carefully walk you through the most common C# programming tasks. Quizzes and exercises at the end of each chapter help you test your knowledge. Notes and tips present interesting information related to the discussion. Cautions alert you to possible problems and give you advice on how to avoid them. Learn how to... Gain a holistic understanding of C# 5.0, .NET, and Visual Studio 2012 Use classes and objects “the C# way” Master the C# type system, inheritance, interfaces, and abstract classes Define, initiate, respond to, and send data through events Work with loops, strings, regular expressions, and collections Ensure type safety and promote code reuse with generics and collections Work with data in all forms, from file systems and streams to XML and databases Use advanced features such as attributes, dynamic types, and anonymous functions Build and debug C# applications with Visual Studio 2012 Create state-of-the-art Windows Store apps with the async pattern Improve performance and reliability by managing memory more effectively Build more responsive software with threads, concurrency, and parallelism

Table of Contents:
Introduction     1 Part I: C# Fundamentals HOUR 1: The .NET Framework and C#     5 The .NET Framework     5 The C# Language     13 Summary     20 Q&A     21 Workshop     21 Exercises     23 HOUR 2: Introducing Visual Studio     25 Introducing the Visual Studio Editions     26 Writing Your First Program     28 Debugging in Visual Studio     32 Visualizing Data     43 Commenting Your Code     44 Summary     46 Q&A     46 Workshop     47 Exercises      47 HOUR 3: Understanding C# Types     49 An Overview of Types     49 The C# Predefined Types      51 Other Commonly Used Types     55 Working with Operators     60 Default Values     66 Null and Nullable Types     67 Casting and Conversion     69 Summary     72 Q&A     73 Workshop     74 Exercises     75 HOUR 4: Understanding Classes and Objects the C# Way     77 Object-Oriented Programming     78 Component-Oriented Programming     79 Classes in C#     79 Scope and Declaration Space     79 Nested Classes     101 Partial Classes     101 Static Classes     102 Object Initializers     104 Summary     104 Q&A      105 Workshop     105 Exercises     107 HOUR 5: Inheritance, Interfaces, and Abstract Classes     109 Inheritance and Polymorphism     109 Abstract Classes and Members     120 Working with Interfaces     122 Summary     126 Q&A     126 Workshop     127 Exercises     128 HOUR 6: Creating Enumerated Types and Structures     129 Enumerated Types     129 Working with Structures     135 Summary     143 Q&A     143 Workshop     144 Exercises     144 HOUR 7: Events and Event Handling     147 Understanding Events     147 Subscribing and Unsubscribing      148 Publishing an Event     152 Raising an Event     154 Summary     157 Q&A     157 Workshop     158 Exercises     158 PART II: PROGRAMMING IN C# HOUR 8: Controlling Program Flow     159 Understanding the Selection Statements     159 Iteration Statements     165 Jump Statements     171 Summary     175 Q&A     175 Workshop     176 Exercises     177 HOUR 9: Using Strings and Regular Expressions     179 Strings     180 Mutable Strings Using StringBuilder     189 Type Formatting     191 Regular Expressions     199 Summary     201 Q&A     202 Workshop     202 Exercises     204 HOUR 10: Working with Arrays and Collections     205 Single and Multidimensional Arrays     205 Indexers     211 Generic Collections     213 Collection Initializers     227 Collection Interfaces     229 Enumerable Objects and Iterators     230 Summary     233 Q&A     233 Workshop     234 Exercises     235 HOUR 11: Handling Errors Using Exceptions     237 Understanding Exceptions     238 System.Exception     238 Throwing Exceptions     240 Handling Exceptions     241 Rethrowing Caught Exceptions     250 Overflow and Integer Arithmetic     252 Exceptions, Code Contracts, and Parameter Validation     253 Summary     258 Q&A      258 Workshop     259 Exercises     260 HOUR 12: Understanding Generics     261 Why You Should Use Generics     261 Using Generic Methods     269 Creating Generic Classes     271 Combining Generics and Arrays     273 Variance in Generic Interfaces     274 Working with Tuples     278 Summary     279 Q&A     280 Workshop     280 Exercises     281 HOUR 13: Understanding Query Expressions     283 Introducing LINQ     283 Using LINQ to Manipulate Data     284 Standard Query Operator Methods     296 Deferred Execution     300 Summary     301 Q&A     302 Workshop     302 Exercises     302 PART III: WORKING WITH DATA HOUR 14: Using Files and Streams     303 Files and Directories     303 Reading and Writing Data     314 Summary     322 Q&A     322 Workshop     323 Exercises     323 HOUR 15: Working with XML     325 Understanding the XML DOM     326 Using LINQ to XML     327 Selecting and Querying XML     334 Modifying XML     338 Summary     341 Q&A     341 Workshop     342 Exercises     342 HOUR 16: Working with Databases     343 Prerequisites     343 Understanding ADO.NET     346 Understanding LINQ to ADO.NET     351 Summary     361 Q&A     362 Workshop     363 Exercises     363 PART IV: BUILDING AN APPLICATION USING VISUAL STUDIO HOUR 17: Building a Windows Application     365 Understanding WPF     365 Creating a WPF Application     372 Styling the Layout     381 Summary     383 Q&A     383 Workshop     384 Exercises     384 HOUR 18: Using Data Binding and Validation     385 Understanding Data Binding     385 Converting Data     392 Validating Data     396 Working with Data Templates     399 Summary     400 Q&A     400 Workshop     401 Exercises     401 HOUR 19: Building Windows Store Apps     403 Understanding the Windows Runtime     404 What’s a Windows Store App?      405 Working Asynchronously     408 Building an App     412 Summary     417 Q&A     417 Workshop     417 Exercises     417 HOUR 20: Building a Web Application     419 Understanding Web Application Architecture     419 Working with ASP.NET     420 Creating a Web Application     423 Understanding Data Validation     432 Summary     435 Q&A     435 Workshop     436 Exercises     436 PART V: DIVING DEEPER HOUR 21: Programming with Attributes     437 Understanding Attributes     437 Using the Caller Info Attributes     440 Working with the Common Attributes     442 Using Custom Attributes     446 Accessing Attributes at Runtime     447 Summary     448 Q&A     449 Workshop     449 Exercises     449 HOUR 22: Dynamic Types and Language Interoperability     451 Using Dynamic Types     451 Understanding the DLR     456 Interoperating with COM     459 Reflection Interoperability     461 Summary     462 Q&A     462 Workshop     463 Exercises     463 HOUR 23: Memory Organization and Garbage Collection     465 Memory Organization     465 Garbage Collection     466 Understanding the IDisposable Interface     467 Using the Dispose Pattern     469 Declaring and Using Finalizers     470 Summary     472 Q&A     472 Workshop     473 Exercises     474 HOUR 24: Understanding Threads, Concurrency, and Parallelism     475 Understanding Threads and Threading     475 Concurrency and Synchronization     476 Understanding the Task Parallel Library     481 Working with Parallel LINQ (PLINQ)      487 Potential Pitfalls     488 Summary     489 Q&A     490 Workshop     491 Exercises     492 Index     493