DEV 307 Windows Forms Overview Building Smart Client

DEV 307: Windows Forms: Overview Building Smart Client Applications With The. NET Framework ® Mark Boulter Program Manager. NET Framework Microsoft Corporation

Introduction l An overview of Windows Forms Ø What is it? Ø Why? Ø Lots of Demos

Windows Forms Is… l A framework for building Windows applications that takes advantage of all the power of. NET Framework and the Win 32® API l An architecture for controls and containers l RAD design time experience - integrated designer support Ø Ø . NET Framework built with design-time in mind Design-time built using. NET Framework: VS. NET Property Browser, Server Explorer, Windows Forms Designer

Building A Windows Forms App Web. Service Customers. List (Collection)

Windows Forms Features l l l l Rich set of controls Advanced graphics support – GDI+ “Money 2000” flat look Advanced layout Visual inheritance Printing support Accessibility Extensible: Ø Ø Ø Extend and enhance controls and framework Easy to add design time behavior Drop into Win 32

l l l Transparency Non-rectangular Windows GDI+

Windows Forms l Can host Active. X® Controls l International Ø l Fully Unicode on Windows NT® and Windows 2000 Flexible licensing support

Smart Client l “No Touch” deployment Ø Ø l Secure Ø l Application isolation is the default No registration required Versioning – no side affects Web-based deployment Safe to run downloaded code Full integration with. NET Framework Ø Ø XML Web services aware Data aware

Security l l Code access security makes Windows Forms controls safe Execution controlled by: Ø Ø Permissions Permission Sets Code Groups (Zones) Code groups have permission sets

Browser Integration l l Controls can be hosted Internet Explorer 5. x Low impact Ø l Secure Ø Ø l Code access security prevents harm No Internet Explorer security dialogs! Lightweight Ø l No installation, registration or GUIDs “Hello World” ~ 3. 5 K Easily deployed Ø Dependent components download automatically

Demo – Controls In The Browser Client Web Server Chart. html HTTP Internet Explorer 5 x HTTP Web Server Charting. DLL Assembly Cache Customizer. DLL Chart. Engine. DLL

The Smart Client Auto Deployment l No installation Ø l Stored in the Download cache Ø l Use Assembly. Load. From Only downloaded when updated Dependent components download automatically Ø Application “trickles” onto the client

Demo – Auto Deployment Smart Client Web Server Form 1 Windows Forms App HTTP Assembly Cache Web Server Form 2

Summary l Windows Forms controls are secure, lightweight, and support hosting on Web pages l Windows Forms applications are easy to write and deploy

Resources l l Windows Forms Quick Start in the SDK http: //www. gotdotnet. com MSDN Online MSDN magazine

Recommended Sessions DEV 308 Creating Windows Forms User Controls DEV 414 Advanced Windows Forms DEV 300 Visual Basic. NET: What’s New DEV 304 Simplifying Deployment and Solving DLL DEV 316 Building Shared Controls Using the. NET Framework