Business Apps with DXperience WinForms

This class provides an overview of the DevExpress DXperience WinForms suite of products. It takes you through the process of creating a business application, utilizing a typical combination of components throughout the product range. A good practical level of knowledge will be achieved that allows you to write similar business applications on your own, and to understand the DevExpress suite of WinForms components well enough to flatten any further learning curve.

For your convenience, the class is divided into two parts. Part 1, the Basic part of the class, focuses on the functionality of the components and on the process of putting them together to create an application. Part 2, the Advanced part, goes on to explain real-world strategies and best practices in more detail, including the use of UI testing, automatic UI generation from code and extensibility mechanisms.

Please note: I recommend you take the entire class. The split in two parts is meant as an option, with the hope of simplifying your own schedule planning.

Who Should Attend

.NET developers with basic experience creating Windows Forms applications. The programming language used during the class is C#. I don't anticipate great problems for users of VB, but they should have some experience reading, and optimally working with, C# code. I will try to help VB programmers with any language issues and it is possible that I'll be able to provide VB samples at a later point. Please let me know if VB is a priority for you!

For Part 1, the Basic part, you should not have much experience using the WinForms component suite. On the other hand, if you only want to attend Part 2, the Advanced part, you should have a good working knowledge of the component functionality.

Class Language

I expect attendees from a number of countries and the class language will be English. I also speak German.

Requirements

You should use your own computer during the class. Details about the required setup will be sent out to you before the class.

Products Covered

• XtraGrid
• XtraVerticalGrid
• XtraEditors
• XtraNavBar
• XtraBars
• XtraLayoutControl
• XtraRichEdit
• XtraSpellChecker
• XtraScheduler
• XtraGauges
• XtraPivotGrid
• XtraReports
• XtraCharts
• XtraPrinting

In many samples and lab code, DevExpress XPO is going to be used as the data access layer. There will be some interaction with XPO in the various demos, but the details of how XPO works, beyond the requirements of the demo code, are not "officially" part of the class.

Product Versions

Starting with 2010, DevExpress releases new major versions of their entire suite twice a year. It is not always possible to migrate a class to the latest version, update all demos and labs, include all new functionality etc., between the DX release date and a particular class date. I will gladly make updated source code versions available to you at any point after you have taken a class.

The DevExpress major version that is used in this class is currently v2010.1.

Depth of Coverage

Parts 1 and 2 of this class combine to cover a great number of products in a real-world context. The target is to enable you to create your own applications using the DevExpress WinForms products. In spite of the five day timeframe of the complete class, there will be restrictions to the depth we can go to for any particular one of these complex products. A complete feature description for any single product is not a target of this class. Of course you can use the opportunity to ask me any questions you like!

Format

This instructor led training class focuses on a step-by-step walkthrough of the creation of a business application for the purpose of Event Management. A further focus is the application of the DevExpress product suite to this scenario, while the sample application remains feature incomplete from the perspective of a real Event Management business.

Hands-on labs are presented throughout the class, to enable you to practice the topics, and these labs are meant to be taken away and used after the class. Questions are encouraged.

Outline

Part 1, Basic

• Component Functionality
  • Building a "frame" application
    • Navigation with the XtraBars and the XtraNavBar
    • SDI, MDI, tabbed MDI
    • The Ribbon control
    • The skinning system
    • Persisting user customization
  • Working with data
    • Data overviews and interactive work with data, with the XtraGrid and the XtraVerticalGrid
    • Detail data visualization with the XtraEditors, XtraRichEdit, XtraLayoutControl, XtraSpellChecker
  • Managing events with the XtraScheduler
  • Analyzing data
    • Dashboards with XtraGauges, XtraCharts, XtraLayoutControl
    • Advanced analysis with the XtraPivotGrid
  • Printing and Exporting
    • Automatic printing with XtraPrinting
    • Exporting data
    • Custom reporting with XtraReports
• Data binding options
  • The (ir)relevance of different data layer options: ADO.NET, LINQ to SQL, Entity Framework, XPO
  • A unified data controller
  • Server Mode
• Deploying an application with DevExpress controls

Part 2, Advanced

• Real-world extensions to the Event Management application
  • Modularizing the UI
    • Controlling UI elements from code
    • Automating data UI
    • Combining automatic UI with customization persistence
    • Extending the navigation system at runtime
      • XtraBars
      • XtraNavBar
      • The Ribbon
    • Working with runtime detected data types
      • XtraGrid
      • XtraEditors
      • XtraLayoutControl
      • XtraReports
  • Extending the components
    • Event-based custom behavior
      • XtraGrid
    • Derived controls
      • XtraEditors
• Testing your UI
  • UIAutomation - Project White
  • AutomatedQA TestComplete