• Taking a unique IDE-centric approach, well-respected authors examine the IDE capabilities readers will need to perform specific tasks, demonstrated in the context of building XML Web services
• The only book on the topic that introduces each characteristic of the IDE followed by an example of the context in which that feature is used
• Covers creating custom templates and wizards, reusing code and lightweight code generators, dynamically generating forms through reflections, managing data in the IDE, using the SQL designer to write stored procedures, debugging ASP.NET Web forms, and much more

Visual Studio 2005 is an enormous product. Incorporating the latest advances in both Visual Basic® and C# as well as improvements and new features in the user interface, it can be daunting without the kind of guidance this book provides.

In these pages you''ll learn to harness every feature of this remarkable development tool. The opening section will familiarize you with the IDE structure and layout, various options and settings, and other core aspects of Visual Studio 2005. Then you will examine each of the nine major categories composing the functions of Visual Studio 2005. Every chapter is cross-referenced, so you can achieve a complete understanding of each feature and how all the elements work together to produce an effective programming environment.

What you will learn from this book

• How to edit Application Configuration and XML resource files
• Automated XML documentation and how to use Outline modes to review your code
• The process for implementing good security
• How to use IntelliSense, regionalize your code, and tag sections of your program for later processing
• Effective ways to test and debug both code and databases
• Timesavers that use regular expressions, Registry hacks, third-party add-ons, and Microsoft® extensions

Who this book is for

This book is for developers who are new to Visual Studio as well as programmers with some experience who want to learn about features they may have overlooked. Familiarity with the traditional programming model and both C# and Visual Basic languages is assumed.

Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job.

Andrew Parsons is an accomplished programmer, journalist, and author. He created, launched, and served as chief editor for Australian Developer magazine, which was so successful that it expanded globally and is now known as International Developer. Subsequent to that success, Parsons launched the local Australian and New Zealand edition of MSDN magazine. In addition, he has written a variety of technical books, including topics as diverse as HTML and CSS, Photoshop, and Visual Basic Express. When not writing, Parsons consults on .NET programming implementations for a number of clients, and currently serves as a senior consultant at Readify Pty, Ltd (www.readify.net), as well as running his own business, Parsons Designs (www.parsonsdesigns.com), and GAMEparents (www.gameparents.com), a website dedicated to helping parents understand and enjoy computer and video games.

Nick Randolph is an experienced .NET developer and solution architect. During his time with Software Engineering Australia, a not-for-profit industry body, Nick founded the Perth .NET Community of Practice and has been integrally involved in the local .NET community since. When Nick joined AutumnCare (www.autumncare.com.au) as Development Manager, he was responsible for their product architecture, which incorporated best practices around building smart client applications using the .NET Framework. Nick is currently a solutions architect with SoftTeq (http://softteq.com), which provides consulting, training, and mentoring services. Outside of his consulting role, Nick takes a proactive approach toward technology, ever seeking to learn, use, and present on beta products. As a Microsoft MVP, Nick has been invited to present at IT conferences such as TechEd, MEDC, and Code Camp, and has been a worldwide finalist judge for the Microsoft Imagine Cup for the last two years.