COM Interop

Abstract: Visual Basic .Net (VB .NET) is the first true version of VB released with a complete redesign after VB 4.0 came out. All the limitations that Visual Basic programmers have found in the past, such as being limited to windowed applications, are now completely gone. With the interoperability that .NET provides, programmers can use any language to overcome any of VB's language shortcomings. .NET provides developers with new possibilities for creating applications. The Common Language Runtime (CLR) changes the way that programs are written, in the sense that VB developers won't be limited to the Windows platform. The CLR is the heart of the .NET Framework. It provides a lot of the functionality that .NET uses. CLR provides the function of translating the application internally, code to code, within the native environment. Programming for .NET is not limited to the Microsoft standard languages. Any compiler that follows the Common Type System and other requirements for .NET can be created for any programming language. The new deployable unit for .NET is an assembly. It is more like a logical dynamic link library (DLL) file than a true executable file. Each assembly file consists of the internal code, the manifest area, and the metadata contained within the manifest area. Metadata contains the map that .NET uses to layout objects in memory and how they are used.

Abstract: Be the first to understand .NET 4.0 and Visual Basic 2010. Pro VB 2010 and the .NET 4.0 Platform provides developers with a complete guide to the new technology, explaining the importance of all the key C# 2010 language features. This new edition has been comprehensively revised and rewritten to make it accurately reflect the VB 10 language specification for the .NET 4.0 platform. Youll find new chapters covering the important concepts of dynamic lookups, named and optional arguments, Parallel LINQ (PLINQ), improved COM interop, and variance for generics. The first edition of this book was released at the 2001 Tech-Ed conference in Atlanta, Georgia. At that time, the .NET platform was still a beta product, and in many ways, so was this book. This is not to say that the early editions of this text did not have meritafter all, the book was a 2002 Jolt Award finalist and it won the 2003 Referenceware Excellence Award. However, over the years that author Andrew Troelsen spent working with the common language runtime (CLR), he gained a much deeper understanding of the .NET platform and the subtleties of the VB programming language, and he feels that this sixth edition of the book is as close to a final release as hes come yet! If youre checking out this book for the first time, do understand that its targeted at experienced software professionals and/or graduate students of computer science (so dont expect three chapters on iteration or decision constructs!). The mission of this text is to provide you with a rock-solid foundation in the C# programming language and the core aspects of the .NET platform (assemblies, remoting, Windows Forms, Web Forms, ADO.NET, XML web services, etc.). Once you digest the information presented in these 25 chapters, youll be in a perfect position to apply this knowledge to your specific programming assignments and explore the .NET universe on your own terms. What youll learn Discover the ins and outs of the leading .NET technology. Learn from an award-winning author who has been teaching the .NET world since version 1.0. Find complete coverage of the WPF, WCF, and WF foundations that support the core .NET platform. Who this book is for This book is for anyone with some software development experience who is interested in the new .NET Framework 4.0 and the VB language. Whether you are moving to .NET for the first time or are already writing applications on .NET 2.0 or .NET 3.5, this book will provide you with a comprehensive grounding in the new technology and serve as a complete reference throughout your coding career.

Abstract: If there were such a thing as an “under-the-hood” type of chapter, this chapter would certainly fit the mold. The common language runtime (CLR) and its various features are well hidden. Even worse, the CLR’s most important tasks are done automatically for the most part. Nevertheless, a full understanding of the CLR could easily separate those who simply develop using .NET from those who use .NET to develop.