How To


Stable Composition in MEF

Learn how to work through debugging challenges posed by stable composition in MEF Preview 7, and get insight into using MEF with Silverlight.

The Azure Factor

How factoring out common patterns in your Azure worker roles can improve development.

Getting Current on MEF

ASK KATHLEEN: Readers explore Managed Extensibility Framework, using callback delegates and how to create the equivalent of a C# partial interface in Visual Basic.

Threading and the UI

ON VB: Four ways to synchronize threads with your app's user interface.

Unit Testing with VSTS2008 (Part 3)

The last in a series of articles on working with VSTS2008 shows how to make existing unit tests data driven.

Unit Testing with VSTS2008 (Part 2)

Mickey shows some other unit testing options, and how to enable code coverage, in Visual Studio Team System 2008

Unit Testing With VSTS2008

Mickey shows you a basic example of unit testing with Visual Studio Team System 2008. Part 1 of 3.

Eliminate Database Dependencies in Test-Driven Development

How to avoid the end-to-end integration test problem with the Repository pattern.

Looking Ahead to C# 4.0: Optional and Named Parameters

Optional and named parameters were added to the C# language for COM and Office interoperability, but these features are actually useful in a variety of ways.

Applying Model-View-View Model in Silverlight

Careful planning can help improve the manageability and quality of your next-generation Silverlight applications.

Working Effectively with Exceptions

Exceptions are a way of life in the .NET world. You must follow the rules to make your classes easy to use for other developers. Conforming to the standards will make everyone's life easier.

5 Tips for Developing with 64-Bit Windows

64-bit-capable machines are everywhere. It's time you start thinking about 64-bit support as you develop your Visual Basic applications.

Fine-Tune Unit Testing in Visual Studio

With a few tweaks, you can turn Visual Studio's basic unit-testing capabilities into a powerful and extensible tool for improving code quality.

Targeting Azure Storage

Learn how to store and retrieve binary large objects in the cloud with Azure's RESTful Storage API.

Generic Covariance and Contravariance in C# 4.0

Covariance and contravariance are precise terms that describe which conversions are safe on parameters and return types. Learn practical definitions for those terms, what new constructs will be supported in C# 4.0 and how to live with the current limitations until Visual Studio 2010 is adopted by your organization.

Visual Studio's T4 Code Generation

Learn how to create and debug templates using Microsoft's T4 templating language.

Silverlight 3 Enables Data-Driven App Dev

The new DataForm control and enhanced support for data-driven applications make it possible for developers to deliver line-of-business applications to any user with a Silverlight-enabled Web browser.

Make Your Code Clear

There are multiple ways to solve every problem. Strive for code that communicates your intent and makes your meaning clear for every developer who uses it.

Build and Debug Web Parts with SharePoint Extensions

Visual Studio 2008 Extensions for SharePoint makes developing and testing Web Parts almost easy, provided you install it correctly.

XML Literals, WCF and LINQ

Learn how to create powerful templates that can be called from both client- and server-side code.

Working with MEF

Learn how to free your application from dependencies and interchange implementations using Managed Extensibility Framework.

Display Multiple Pages in Silverlight

Learn how to display multiple pages in Silverlight and discover the tools and controls that ship with it; track down a bug in a case statement; and take advantage of helpful tips for trying to obtain a clean Code Analysis.

Create Anonymous Types

Taking a careful look at the capabilities the compiler gives to anonymous types provides an excellent tutorial on what you should consider when you create your types -- including whether they are classes or structs.

Use Iterators in VB Now

Iterators are a crucial part of modern programming, not least because they provide the basis for collection traversal using For Each loops. Language Integrated Query (LINQ) adds to the importance of iterators, as iterators are the source of IEnumerable(Of T) that forms the backbone of LINQ. Learn how to take advantage of them in your code with several different techniques for creating your own iterators in VB.

Use Lambda Expressions for Abstract Delegates

Lambda expressions are nothing more than convenient syntax for delegates. So why can't you use them where the Framework expects a delegate? And more importantly, what can you do about it?

Subscribe on YouTube