Programmers tend to be specialists--they tend to do the same kind of programming over and over. The MCSD exam is targeted at technical generalists--developers familiar with a broad array of Microsoft technologies and development approaches that are incorporated into Visual Basic. With its comprehensive overview of core technology areas, MCSD in a Nutshell is the perfect study guide and resource to help developers master technologies that are less familiar to them. In fact, its thorough review of Visual Basic-related development technologies also makes this an excellent tutorial for experienced VB programmers who wish to get up to speed on speed on some technology with which they work infrequently, if at all.

Most certification books are really tutorials in disguise. In contrast, this book focuses on the advanced topics about which developers are actually tested on the exam.

Topics include:

• Understanding COM
• Creating ActiveX Code Components
• Creating ActiveX Controls
• Creating and Using ActiveX Documents
• Creating Internet-Aware Applications
• Testing and Debugging
• Integrating Help with an Application
• Optimizing an Application
• Package and Deployment
• Incorporating Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS)
• Working with Data Using ActiveX Data Objects (ADO)

Incredibly, most certification books appear to assume that the reader has no prior experience with VB programming. In contrast, this book assumes an intermediate to advanced programmer who is concerned with learning more about each of the core technologies that are covered by the exam. And unlike some certification books, MCSD in a Nutshell is written by an author who has successfully passed the certification exams.

Contents

 Preface  

 Chapter 1. Introduction 

 Chapter 2. Visual Basic Overview 

 Forms

 Menus

 Controls

 Passing Parameters by Reference or by Value

 Naming Conventions

 Chapter 3. Understanding COM 

 The Technologies and the Exams

 COM and ActiveX: A VB Programmer's Perspective

 Understanding COM

 Putting ActiveX Objects to Work

 Creating ActiveX Objects

 Using the Object Browser

 In-Process Versus Out-of-Process Servers

 Creating Three-Tiered Client/Server Applications

 Key Facts

 Applying What You've Learned

 Highlighter's Index

 Chapter 4. Creating and Testing ActiveX Code Components 

 The Technologies and the Exams

 Creating ActiveX Code Components in Visual Basic

 Calling Object Servers Asynchronously Using Callbacks

 Creating System Callbacks Using AddressOf

 Creating Remote Servers

 Creating Multithreaded Components

 Testing and Debugging ActiveX Code Components

 Key Facts

 Applying What You've Learned

 Highlighter's Index

 Chapter 5. Creating ActiveX Controls 

 The Technologies and the Exams

 Understanding ActiveX Controls

 Creating a Control's User Interface

 Creating a Control's Developer Interface

 Integrating a Control with Its Container

 Setting Procedure Attributes

 Testing and Debugging ActiveX Controls

 Key Facts

 Applying What You've Learned

 Highlighter's Index

 Chapter 6. Creating and Using ActiveX Documents 

 The Technologies and the Exams

 Understanding ActiveX Documents

 Working with ActiveX Document Projects

 Effectively Using UserDocument Events

 Integrating an ActiveX Document with Its Container

 Creating Multiple Document Projects

 Asynchronously Receiving Data

 Testing and Debugging ActiveX Documents

 Key Facts

 Applying What You've Learned

 Highlighter's Index

 Chapter 7. Working with Data 

 The Technologies and the Exams

 Universal Data Access

 Manipulating Data Using ActiveX Data Objects

 Using the ADO Data Control

 The Data Environment Designer

 Key Facts

 Applying What You've Learned

 Highlighter's Index

 Chapter 8. Creating Internet-Aware Applications 

 The Technologies and the Exams

 Adding Browser Capabilities to a Program Using the WebBrowser Control

 Using Automation with Internet Explorer

 Using the Internet Transfer Control

 Using the Winsock Control

 Creating Dynamic Web Pages Using DHTML

 Key Facts

 Applying What You've Learned

 Highlighter's Index

 Chapter 9. Testing and Debugging 

 The Technologies and the Exams

 Implementing Error Handling

 Using Visual Basic's Debugging Tools

 Using Conditional Compilation

 Key Facts

 Applying What You've Learned

 Highlighter's Index

 Chapter 10. Implementing Help 

 The Technologies and the Exams

 A Brief History of Help

 Assigning a Help File to a Project

 Understanding Help Context IDs

 Linking Help Topics to Objects

 Adding What's This Help to a Form

 Displaying Help Using the Common Dialog Control

 Distributing Help with Your Application

 Key Facts

 Applying What You've Learned

 Highlighter's Index

 Chapter 11. Optimizing an Application for Distribution 

 The Technologies and the Exams

 Setting Compiler Optimizations

 Key Facts

 Applying What You've Learned

 Highlighter's Index

 Chapter 12. Creating Microsoft Transaction Server Components 

 The Technologies and the Exams

 What Is MTS?

 Installing MTS

 Configuring MTS

 Creating Packages

 Creating MTS Components Using Visual Basic

 Key Facts

 Applying What You've Learned

 Highlighter's Index

 Chapter 13. Packaging and Deploying an Application 

 The Technologies and the Exams

 Making Components Backward Compatible (or Not Breaking What Works)

 Understanding File Dependencies

 Creating a Setup Program Using the Package and Deployment Wizard

 Deploying a Package Using the Package and Deployment Wizard

 Managing Packaging Scripts

 Creating and Deploying Packages in Silent Mode

 Creating an AutoRun CD-ROM

 Using License Keys for ActiveX Controls

 Distributing a Component over the Internet

 Distributing DCOM Servers

 Managing the Windows System Registry

 Key Facts

 Applying What You've Learned

 Highlighter's Index

 Chapter 14. Visual SourceSafe and the Visual Component Manager 

 The Technologies and the Exams

 Microsoft Visual SourceSafe

 The Visual Component Manager

 Key Facts

 Applying What You've Learned

 Highlighter's Index

 Index