Java developers—learn C# quickly and thoroughly with this book!

Although Java and C# share many similarities, there are fundamental differences between them. What’s more, C#—the language designed from the ground up for programming the Microsoft® .NET Framework—offers a wealth of new features that enable programmers to tap the full power of.NET. This is the ideal guide to help any Java developer master .NET programming with C#. The authors—two Java and C# experts—reveal the similarities and differences between the two platforms these languages support. Then they show you how to leverage your Java experience to get up to speed in C# development with a minimum of difficulty. It’s the definitive programming resource as you tackle the .NET class libraries and learn to write applications for .NET with C#. Topics covered include:

OVERVIEW
• Introduction to Microsoft .NET
• Comparing Java and .NET technologies

THE C# LANGUAGE
• Creating assemblies
• Language syntax and features
• Data types
• Advanced language features

PROGRAMMING .NET WITH C#
• Strings and regular expressions
• Numbers and dates
• Collections
• Streams, files, and I/O
• XML processing

ADVANCED TOPICS
• Reflection
• Threading and synchronization
• Networking
• Remoting
• Database connectivity
• Security and cryptography
• Graphics and UI
• Introduction to XML Web services

PRAISE FOR THIS BOOK FROM THE MICROSOFT VISUAL C# TM .NET TEAM:
The two tech veterans who wrote this book can help you master C# quickly. They do an admirable job of describing the basics of the .NET initiative: its goals, structure, and capabilities. Then they help you leap the biggest hurdle of all—understanding the structure and purpose of the .NET class libraries. Their book presents the underlying concepts, explains the challenges you’ll face, and guides you past the pitfalls with ease.
—Prashant Sridharan, Product Manager, Microsoft Visual C# .NET team

Table of Contents

Introduction	xxi
PART I
1  Introduction to Microsoft .NET	3
Background	3
Goals of .NET	5
System Integration Using XML	5
Platform Neutrality	5
Language Neutrality	6
Technology Consolidation	7
Overview of .NET	7
The .NET Framework	7
Development Tools	9
Server Products	12
Devices and Clients	13
Building Block Services	13
Platform Migration and Integration	14
Web Services and Open Standards	14
Java User Migration Path to Microsoft .NET	15
Third-Party Products	15
Skills Transfer	16
2  Comparing Java and .NET Technologies	17
Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition	18
Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition	20
PART II  THE C# LANGUAGE
3  Creating Assemblies	25
Using the C# Compiler	25
Other .NET Framework Tools	28
Assemblies	29
Contents of an Assembly	29
Single-File and Multifile Assemblies	31
4  Language Syntax and Features	37
General Program Structure	37
The Main Method	38
Comments	39
Documentation Comments	39
Case Sensitivity	39
Naming Conventions	40
Source Code Character Sets and Unicode	40
Identifiers	41
Source File Names and Contents	41
Keywords	41
Package and Namespace Keywords	41
Simple Type and Constant Keywords	42
Type Declaration, Access, and Manipulation Keywords	43
Modifier Keywords	45
Flow Control Keywords	46
Exception Handling Keywords	47
Unmanaged Code Keywords	48
Keywords as Identifiers	48
Operators	49
Precedence and Associativity	50
Literals	51
Modifiers	52
Access Modifiers	52
Inheritance Modifiers	53
Other Modifiers	54
Namespaces	56
Declaring Namespaces	56
Using Namespaces	57
Statements	58
Labeled Statements	59
Selection and Iteration Statements	59
Jump Statements	61
Other Statements	62
5  Data Types	65
Types	65
Unified Type System	66
Value Types	68
Reference Types	76
Conversion	85
Members	88
Member Types and Declaration Context	88
Versioning and Inheritance of Members	89
Static Members	91
Member Attributes	91
Member Modifiers	91
Constants	91
Fields	92
Static and Instance Constructors	95
Destructors	97
Methods	98
Events	100
Properties	105
Indexers	108
Operators	111
Nested Types	116
Variables	116
Value Parameters	117
Reference Parameters	118
Output Parameters	119
6  Advanced Language Features	121
Threading and Synchronization	121
Exceptions and Exception Handling	122
Declaring Exceptions	122
Catching Exceptions	122
Throwing Exceptions	123
The Exception Hierarchy	124
The System.Exception Class	124
Attributes	126
Attribute Names	127
Attribute Specification	127
Custom Attributes	129
Compile-Time Attributes	131
Assertions	133
Preprocessor Directives	133
#define and #undef	134
#if, #elif, #else, and #endif	134
#region and #endregion	136
#warning and #error	136
#line	137
Unsafe Code	137
The unsafe Modifier	137
The /unsafe Compiler Flag	138
Managed and Unmanaged Types	138
The sizeof Operator	139
Pointers	139
The fixed Statement	142
The stackalloc Command	143
PART III  PROGRAMMING .NET WITH C#
7  Strings and Regular Expressions	147
Strings	147
Creating Strings	148
Comparing Strings	149
Copying Strings	150
String Length	150
String Concatenation	150
Changing Case	151
Working with Characters	151
Working with Substrings	152
Splitting Strings	153
Strings as Keys	153
Parsing Strings	153
Formatting Strings	154
Encoding Strings	157
Dynamically Building Strings	162
Regular Expressions	164
Compiling Regular Expressions	164
Manipulating Text	166
Ad Hoc Regular Expressions	171
8  Numbers and Dates	173
Numbers	173
Numbers as Objects	173
Converting Numbers	177
Formatting Numbers	177
Mathematical Functions	181
Random Numbers	182
Dates and Times	183
Creating Dates	184
Manipulating Dates	185
Formatting Dates	186
Parsing Strings	186
9  Collections	187
Indexers	187
Collection Interfaces	189
ICollection	190
IEnumerable, IEnumerator, and the foreach Keyword	190
IComparer and IComparable	193
Other Collection Interfaces	194
Basic Collections	194
Arrays	194
Hashtable	196
ArrayList	198
Queue	199
Stack	200
SortedList	201
Specialized Collections	202
Strongly Typed Collections	202
Unusual Collections	203
The CollectionsUtil Class	203
Synchronization	204
Custom Collections	205
10  Streams, Files, and I/O	207
Working with the Console	207
Writing to the Console	208
Reading from the Console	209
Changing the Console Streams	209
Console Summary	209
The File System	210
Paths	210
Files and Directories	212
Streams	218
The Foundation of Streams	218
Base Streams	219
Pass-Through Streams	222
Readers and Writers	222
Synchronizing Streams	225
Streams Summary	225
Asynchronous I/O	225
Asynchronous I/O Summary	228
Isolated Storage	228
Obtaining and Managing the Isolated Stores	229
Reading and Writing Isolated Data	231
Isolated Storage Summary	232
Object Serialization	232
Simple Serialization	233
Selective Serialization	235
Custom Serialization	235
11  XML Processing	239
XmlNameTable	240
XmlReader	241
XmlTextReader	241
XmlValidatingReader	251
XmlNodeReader	255
XmlWriter	255
XmlTextWriter	256
Document Object Model	260
Key Classes	260
Document Creation	261
Other Key Differences	262
XPath	262
IXPathNavigable	262
XPathDocument	263
XPathNavigator	263
XSL Transformations	269
Creating a Transformer	269
Loading a Style Sheet	270
Transforming XML Data	270
Extensibility	271
PART IV  ADVANCED TOPICS
12  Reflection	275
Dealing with Types	275
Local Types	275
Foreign Types	276
Inspecting Types	277
Inspecting Constructors and Methods	280
Inspecting Properties	282
Inspecting Events	283
Inspecting Parameters	283
Inspecting Fields	284
Inspecting Attributes	285
Late Binding	285
Instantiation	286
Manipulation	286
13  Threading and Synchronization	289
Threads	290
Creating and Starting Threads	290
Suspending and Resuming Threads	291
Stopping Threads	292
Setting Thread Priorities	294
Thread States	294
Interrupting a Thread	296
Local Thread Data	297
Timers	298
Basic Threading Summary	301
The ThreadPool Class	302
Explicit Thread Alternative	302
Waiting for an Event	303
Synchronization	304
Basic Locking	305
Waiting and Notifying	306
ReaderWriterLock	307
WaitHandle	308
14  Networking	311
Accessing the Internet	312
URLs and URIs	312
The WebClient Class	315
WebRequest and WebResponse	318
HTTP Connection Features	323
Names and Addresses	325
Sockets	329
Creating a TCP Client	329
Creating a TCP Server	332
Using UDP	334
Programming with Native Sockets	335
Creating Sockets	335
Client Sockets	335
Server Sockets	336
Configuring Sockets	337
Asynchronous Sockets	338
15  Remoting	341
First Steps	341
Creating the Server	342
Creating the Client	344
Building and Testing the Example	346
Copies and References	347
Channels	348
Creating a Channel	349
Registering a Channel	351
Using More than One Channel	351
Publishing and Activation	353
Client Activation	354
Server Activation	354
Using Configuration Files	356
Publishing Limitations and Scope	360
Lifetime Leases	360
Configuring a Lease	361
Renewing a Lease	362
Setting Lease Defaults	364
16  Database Connectivity	365
Data Providers	366
Interfaces and Implementations	366
Data Provider Sample Code	368
Connections	372
Transactions	374
Commands	376
DataSet	386
DataSet Component Classes	387
Creating a DataSet	388
Managing a DataSet with a Data Adapter	389
Manually Managing a DataSet	391
XML Support	392
17  Security and Cryptography	397
Code Access Security	397
Programming for CAS	398
Declarative CAS Statements	399
Imperative Security Demands	404
CAS Policies	405
Role-Based Security	406
Cryptography	409
Encrypting and Decrypting Data	409
Hash Codes	413
Digital Signatures	415
18  Graphics and UI	419
Windows Forms	419
Using Windows Forms	420
Control Overview	421
Docking and Anchoring	424
Handling Events	426
Drawing with GDI+	427
Obtaining a Graphics Instance	427
Lines, Shapes, and Curves	428
Drawing Strings	431
Drawing Images	432
Double Buffering	433
19  Introduction to XML Web Services	435
Creating XML Web Services	436
Building and Deploying XML Web Services	438
Deployment Directory	438
Compiling	438
Creating the Directive	439
Configuring XML Web Services	439
Testing XML Web Services	441
Summary	441
State Management	441
Application State Management	442
Session State Management	442
XML Web Service Clients	443
Creating a Proxy Class	443
Using a Proxy Class	444
Asynchronous Programming	445
A  Platform Integration	447
Runtime Environment	447
Command-Line Arguments	448
Environment Variables	448
Drives and Directories	448
Machine and Operating System Information	449
Process Control	450
Creating New Processes	450
Obtaining a Reference to an Existing Process	451
Terminating Processes	452
Information About Existing Processes	452
Process Synchronization and Events	453
Windows Registry	454
The Registry Class	454
The RegistryKey Class	455
Remote Registry Access	456
Windows Event Log	456
Writing to the Event Log	456
Reading from the Event Log	458
Creating and Deleting Custom Logs	460
Event Log Notifications	460
Windows Services	462
The Service Application	462
Service Installer	466
Service Controller	469
B  Shared Assemblies	473
Creating a Shared Assembly	473
The Global Assembly Cache	474
Assembly Versions	475
Assembly Probing	478
Codebase Probing	479
C  Configuring Applications	481
Application Configuration Files	481
Specifying a CLR Version	482
Using Concurrent Garbage Collection	482
Managing Assembly Versions and Locations	483
Registering Remote Objects	483
Application Settings	483
Simple Settings	483
Complex Settings	484
D  Garbage Collection	489
Controlling the Garbage Collector	489
Forcing a Collection	489
Generations	490
Concurrent Collection	491
Finalizing and Disposing	491
Destructors	492
Resurrection	493
Weak References	494
E  Cross-Language Code Interoperability	495
The Common Type System	496
The Common Language Specification	496
Writing CLS-Compliant Code in C#	496
The CLSCompliant Attribute	497
F  Java to .NET API Reference	501
The java.awt Package	501
The java.awt.color Package	504
The java.awt.datatransfer Package	504
The java.awt.dnd Package	504
The java.awt.event Package	504
The java.awt.font Package	505
The java.awt.geom Package	506
The java.awt.im Package	506
The java.awt.im.spi Package	506
The java.awt.image Package	506
The java.awt.image.renderable Package	506
The java.awt.print Package	506
The java.io Package	507
The java.lang Package	508
The java.lang.ref Package	510
The java.lang.reflect Package	510
The java.math Package	510
The java.net Package	511
The java.nio Package	512
The java.rmi Package	512
The java.security Package	512
The java.sql Package	512
The java.text Package	515
The java.util Package	515
The java.util.jar Package	517
The java.util.logging Package	517
The java.util.prefs Package	517
The java.util.regex Package	517
The java.util.zip Package	518
The javax.swing Package	518
The javax.swing.border Package	522
The javax.swing.colorchooser Package	522
The javax.swing.event Package	522
The javax.swing.filechooser Package	523
The javax.swing.plaf Package	523
The javax.swing.table Package	523
The javax.swing.text Package	523
The javax.swing.tree Package	524
The javax.swing.undo Package	524
The javax.sql Package	524
The javax.xml.parsers Package	524
The javax.xml.transform Package	524
The org.w3c.dom Package	525
The org.xml.sax Package	526
INDEX	527