This is the story of a real project. The story of how a real, live, working ca Windows Inventory Application was built. In A ca Application from Inspiration to Implementation, we tell you why the application was created, we discuss who the application was created for, and we cover how it was implemented.
A ca Application from Inspiration to Implementation is a complete walkthrough of the building of a commercial application, from design to deployment, with a focus on giving the client what they want. Throughout all of this, you will see that there is more to building a professional application than simply coding.
We will focus on:
Requirements gathering
Designing the specifications, following the client's requirements for the application
Designing the user interface for the application
Database design for the application
Implementing the user interface
Creating data:access components
Printing reports from the application
Creating a Help system for the application
Distributing the application
As you progress, you'll learn more about ca and .NET and the Visual Studio .NET development environment, and pick up great tips and code that will become part of your applications, as you too move from inspiration to implementation.
Who is this book for?
This book is for people who:
Understand the basics of ca programming
Have access to Visual Studio .NET
Want to follow the development of a complete commercial application from inspiration to implementation
Chapter 1: Building our Application
Designing the Application
Designing the User Interface
Constructing the Database
Creating the Specification
Coding the Application
Implementing the Database
Custom Controls
User Interface
Printing Reports
Adding a Help System
Creating an Installer
New interface, More Code
Chapter 2: Designing the Application
The Reports List
Define the Reports and Printouts Expected from the Program
Defining the Report Fields
Define the Report Fields for each Report and Printout
Revising the Report Fields List
Sample Reports
Report Templates
Data Layout
Output to Input
Map all Output to Input
Building the Screen Fields List
Analyzing Report Comments
Analyzing Data Flow
Refine the Screen Fields List
Process Flowcharts
Preparation, Process, and Results
Process Flowchart Diagrams
Finalize the Screen Fields List
Client Review
Moving On
Chapter 3: Designing the User Interface
The Design Process
Initial Considerations
Screen Resolution
Plan for Screen Resolution
The Role of the Designer
Using Templates
Basic Form Template
Data Input Template
Database Navigation/Find panel
Building the Form from the Template
Creating the Layout
The Menus
Moving On
Chapter 4: Constructing the Database
Database Design
Tools
Constructing the Database
Building Database Tables
Normalization
Examine Input Screens and Reports
Database Diagrams
Moving On
Chapter 5: Preparing the Design Specification
Preparing the Specification
LazyMan Inventory Design Specification
Review
Approval
Moving On
Chapter 6: Coding the Application
Creating the Project
Creating the C# Windows Application Project
Windows Form Designer Generated Code
Display the Code
Editing the Default C# Code
Adding to the Project
Adding an Image Resource
Setting Properties of the Parent Form
Coding the Form
Adding a Splash Image
Adding Menus
Adding a Toolbar
Adding XML Documentation
Moving On
Chapter 7: Implementing the Database
Recreating the Database
Writing the Data-Access Code
Moving On
Chapter 8: Custom Controls
Building Custom Controls
Numbers-Only TextBox Custom Control
Create the Project
inherit TextBox Class
Using Runtime Interop Services
Overriding Keyboard Input
Design-Time Support
ControlDesigner Class
Designer Attribute
Final Code
ToolBox Control Icon
Adding Custom Controls to the ToolBox
Custom ComboBox User Control
Create the Project
Add TextBox Control
Add Button Control
Add ListBox Control
Set UserControl Properties
SqlConnection Class
DataAdapter
Data Source Definition
Control Font Definition
Design-Time Property Window Features
The Drop-Down Listbox
Design-Time Property Window Features
Arrow Keys Support
Delete Key Support
Delete Row from Database
Mouse Support
TextBoxText Property
Close and Exit ListBox
ProcessDialogKey Override
Design*Time Support
Toolbox icon
Moving On
Chapter 9: User Interface
Creating a Child Form
Setting the Child Form Properties
Initial Code Changes
Initialize Menu and Toolbar Defaults
Active Child Window
Child Window Open Flag
Open the Child Window
Child Window Activated
Assign the MdiChildActivate Event
Assign the Menu Click Event
Create the Status Bar
Set the Window menu MdiList Property
Test the Code
Building the User Interface
Adding Controls
Creating an Image Resource
Entering Code
The Using Directive
Instance Fields
Constructors
Load Form
Moving On
Chapter 10: Printing Reports
Print Settings
SQL Scripts
Print Functions
Adding Print Dialog Controls
Adding Code
Static Fields
Constructors
Static Methods
Instance Methods
Report Printing
Creating a Child Form
Setting the Child Form Properties
Background Color
Control Box
Form Border Style
Maximum Size
Show In Taskbar
Size
Size Grip Style
Start Position
Text
Initial Code Changes
Preview Inventory Price List
Using Directive
Constant Fields
Static Fields
Adding Controls
Coding the PrintPreviewControl and PrintDocument
Loading the Company Logo Image Resource
Constructor Initialization
PreviewlnventoryPriceList_Ciosing Method
The PrintPage Method
Initialize Variables
Get Printer Settings
Get Font Styles
Get Page Color
Get Disclosure Text
Create Pens and Brushes
Printing Margins
Font Height Variables
Sort Order
Determine Number of Pages
Print Page Heading
Print Page Data
The createFontStyle Method
Moving On
Chapter 11: Adding a Help System
Preparing the HTML Editor
Preparing HTML Help Workshop
Creating Outlines
Creating the Pages
HTML
JavaScript
Testing HTML
The HTML Help Workshop
New Project Wizard
HTML Help Workshop Project
Adding Help to the Application
Global Help
Context-Sensitive Help
Moving On
Chapter 12: Creating an installer
Creating an installation CD
Setup and Deployment Project
Additional Projects
Project Dependencies
File System Editor
Deployment Project Properties
User Interface Editor
Building the Project
Custom Action Project
The Code
The Deployment
Managing the Installation
LazyMan CD Minimum Install
LazyMan CD
Adding the Setup Project
Organizing the CD Files
Testing the CD
Moving On
Index