Pro VB 2008 and the .NET 3.5 Platform Exploring the .NET univers with Visual Basic 2008

The point of this chapter was to demystify the garbage collection process. As you have seen, the garbage collector will only run when it is unable to acquire the necessary memory from the m- aged heap (or when a given AppDomain unloads from memory). When a garbage collection does occur, you can rest assured that Microsoft’s collection algorithm has been optimized by the use of object generations, secondary threads for the purpose of object finalization, and a managed heap dedicated to host large objects. This chapter also illustrated how to programmatically interact with the garbage collector using the System. GC class type. As mentioned, the only time when you will really need to do so is when you are building finalizable or disposable class types. Recall that finalizable types are classes that have overridden the virtual System. Object. Finalize() method to clean up unmanaged resources (at some time in the future). Disposable objects, on the other hand, are classes (or structures) that implement the IDisposable interface. Using this technique, you expose a public method to the object user that can be called to perform internal cleanup ASAP. Finally, you learned about an of- cial “disposal” pattern that blends both approaches. PART 3 Advanced VB Programming Constructs CHAPTER 9 Working with Interface Types This chapter builds on your current understanding of object-oriented development by examining the topic of interface-based programming.

Introducing Visual Basic 2008 and the .NET Platform.- The Philosophy of .NET.- Building Visual Basic 2008 Applications.- Core VB Programming Constructs.- VB 2008 Programming Constructs, Part I.- VB 2008 Programming Constructs, Part II.- Designing Encapsulated Class Types.- Understanding Inheritance and Polymorphism.- Understanding Structured Exception Handling.- Understanding Object Lifetime.- Advanced VB Programming Constructs.- Working with Interface Types.- Collections, Generics, and Nullable Data Types.- Delegates, Events, and Lambdas.- Operator Overloading and Custom Conversion Routines.- VB 2008-Specific Language Features.- An Introduction to LINQ.- Programming with .NET Assemblies.- Introducing .NET Assemblies.- Type Reflection, Late Binding, and Attribute-Based Programming.- Processes, AppDomains, and Object Contexts.- Building Multithreaded Applications.- .NET Interoperability Assemblies.- Introducing the .NET Base Class Libraries.- File and Directory Manipulation.- Introducing Object Serialization.- ADO.NET Part I: The Connected Layer.- ADO.NET Part II: The Disconnected Layer.- Programming with the LINQ APIs.- Introducing Windows Communication Foundation.- Introducing Windows Workflow Foundation.- Desktop Applications with Windows Forms.- Introducing Windows Forms.- Rendering Graphical Data with GDI+.- Programming with Windows Forms Controls.- Desktop Applications with WPF.- Introducing Windows Presentation Foundation and XAML.- Programming with WPF Controls.- WPF 2D Graphical Rendering, Resources, and Themes.- Building Web Applications with ASP.NET.- Building ASP.NET Web Pages.- ASP.NET Web Controls, Themes, and Master Pages.- ASP.NET State Management Techniques.

Andrew Troelsen is a partner, trainer, and consultant at Intertech Inc., and is a leading authority on both .NET and COM. His book Pro C# 2005 and the .NET 2.0 Platform won the prestigious 2003 Referenceware Excellence Award and is in its third edition. Also of note are his earlier five-star treatment of traditional COM in the bestselling Developer's Workshop to COM and ATL mirrored in his book, COM and .NET Interoperability, and his top-notch investigation of VB .NET in Visual Basic .NET and the .NET Platform: An Advanced Guide. Troelsen has a degree in mathematical linguistics and South Asian studies from the University of Minnesota, and is a frequent speaker at numerous .NET-related conferences. He currently lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Amanda, and spends his free time investigating .NET and waiting for the Wild to win the Stanley Cup. You can check out his blog at AndrewTroelsen.blogspot.com.