Visual Basic 2008 Tips and TricksLisa FeigenbaumProgram ManagerMicrosoft Visual Studio Languageshttp://blogs.msdn.com/vbteamLisa.Feigenbaum@microsoft.com

VB 2008 Tips and Tricks

• Session Objectives• Learn language & IDE productivity features• Gain tips, tricks, best practices & answers

to FAQs• Agenda• IDE Improvements• New VB Refactorings & IntelliSense• Tips for writing LINQ queries• Using XML in VB 2008

• “Stop highlighting my snippets”• “Add my Imports statements for me”• And more…

• Performance• Large solutions, web apps, stepping,

first-time intelliSense, error list, editor responsivenesshttp://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/tags/Performance/default.aspx

You asked. We listened!

DemoIDE Improvements

Code just like you think!

• Refactor! for VB• Visual Studio Plug-in, available

FREE on MSDN• Partnership with Developer Express, Inc.• Total: 16 for VB 2005, 14 more for VB 2008

• Six Refactorings in C# 2005 & 2008:• Rename• Extract Method• Remove/Reorder parameters• Promote Local• Extract Interface• Encapsulate Field

VB Refactorings in 2005

1. Reorder Parameters 2. Surrounds With 3. Encapsulate field 4. Reverse Conditional 5. Simplify expression 6. Move initialization

to declaration 7. Split initialization

from declaration 8. Move declaration

near reference

8. Extract Method 9. Extract Property 10.Create Overload 11.Introduce Local 12.Introduce constant 13.Inline Temp 14.Replace Temp with

Query 15.Split Temporary

Variable

For VB 8.0: 17.Create With

Statement 18.Inline With

Statement 19.Widen Scope 20.Extract Interface 21.Move Type to File 22.Introduce Parameter 23.Remove Unused

Parameter 24.Method to Property 25.Property to

Method(s)

For VB 9.0::26.Extract XML

Literals to Resource

27.Make Explicit 28.Make Explicit

(and Name Anonymous Type)

29.Make Implicit 30.Name

Anonymous Type

VB Refactorings in 2008

DemoRefactor! 2008

• Benefits• Less typing• Less memorizing of names and grammar• Fewer errors

• IntelliSense Everywhere• New line, Expressions, Keywords, Variables

• IntelliSense Features• Transparency• Filter-As-You-Type• Documentation: Keyword & Syntax tips

Getting Productive with IntelliSense

DemoGetting Productive with IntelliSense in VB 2008

11

LINQ

Objects

<book> <title/> <author/> <year/> <price/></book>XM

L

.NET Language Integrated Query

C# 3.0 VB 9.0 Others…

Relational

LINQ toObjects

LINQ toSQL

LINQ toXML

LINQ toEntities

LINQ toDataSets

Language INtegrated Query

Dim c As New SqlConnection(…)c.Open()Dim cmd As SqlCommand( _ "SELECT c.Name, c.Phone “ & _ "FROM Customers c” & _ "WHERE c.City = @p0")cmd.Parameters("@p0“) = "London"Dim dr As DataReader= c.Execute(cmd)While (dr.Read()) Dim name As String = r.GetString(0) Dim phone As String= r.GetString(1) Dim date As DateTime = r.GetDateTime(2)End Whiler.Close()

Queries in quotes

Loosely bound arguments

Loosely typed result sets

Querying Relational DataAccessing data the hard way

Public Class Customer …

Public Class Northwind Inherits DataContext

Public Property Customers As Table(Of Customer)

…End Class

Dim db As New Northwind(…)Dim contacts = _ From cust in db.Customers _ Where cust.City = "London" Select cust.Name, cust.Phone

For Each custInfo in contacts ColdCall(custInfo.Name, custInfo.Phone)Next

Classes describe data

Compile-time checking

Integrated query syntax

Strongly typed results

Tables are like collections

Accessing Data with LINQQuerying Relational Data

DemoLINQ Tips & Tricks

LINQ Demo SummaryBest Practices, Gotchas, FAQs• IntelliSense• Query result shape• Aliasing columns• Composing queries• Ordering operators• Designing for Performance• The Aggregate operator• Understanding Deferred Execution• Debugging• Running SQL from VB/C#

DemoSay it in XML!

XML in VS 2008 Topics Covered

• Inline XML in VB• Embedded Expressions• XLinq• Axis Properties• Children, Descendants, Attributes

• XML IntelliSense for VB• XML Case Sensitivity• Multi-Line Strings

Summary

• What We’ve Seen• IDE Improvements• Refactor!• New IntelliSense• LINQ• Integrated XML Support

• Call to Action• Use the demo code. Try it out.• Look up the resources.• Tell us your feedback & what you want to

see in the future.

Resources

Visual Basic Developer Centerhttp://msdn.com/vbasic

Blogshttp://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam (VB Team)http://blogs.msdn.com/bethmassi (Beth Massi)

Refactor!http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic/bb693327

Visual Basic Forumshttp://forums.msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/tag/visualbasic/forums/

Connecthttps://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio

THANK YOU!

Future Directions for VB: Thurs 14:30, Rm 6

http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteamLisa.Feigenbaum@microsoft.com