Net Framework Sample

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2.1 Overview

WHAT IS IN STORE FOR US IN

.NET FRAMEWORK 3.5?

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This chapter details the enhancments and new features provided in .NET Framework 3.5.

.NET Framework 3.5 includes:

Performance enhancements at the Common Language Runtime (CLR) level

Language-level enhancements

Improvements to existing technologies such as:

Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)

Windows Communication Foundation (WCF)

Windows Workflow Foundation (WF)

Windows CardSpace (WCS)

To build applications using .NET framework 3.5, Microsoft has also released the

newer version of its Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Named Visual Studio

2008 (VS 2008), this newer version incorporates significant feature and performance

enhancements that are described in this handbook. These help make developers

more productive.

.NET Framework 3.5 comprises of .NET Framework 1.1, 2.0 and 3.0, and additional

libraries that provide 3.5 functionalities. This handbook deals with the features of

.NET Framework 3.0 and 3.5. For details on .NET Framework 2.0, please refer our

book 101 reasons to go for .NET Framework 2.0 (http://www.infosys.com/research/publications/101-reasons-to-go-for-dotnet/default.asp).

The table below provides information on different .NET versions and their major

components.


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Table 1: .NET Versions and their Components


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Table 1 provides version details of only C# and VB.NET languages. .NET does

support various languages such as C++ and FoxPro. In fact, Dynamic Language

Runtime (DLR) features have now been integrated with CLR to help scripting

languages implementors with respect to a shared dynamic type set, faster code

generation, and so on

Integration of DLR with CLR is part of Silverlight initiative. Silverlight earlier

code-named WPF/E (WPF/Everywhere) is a cross-browser and cross-platform

CLR. With the addition of DLR, it supports various scripting languages such as

Python and JavaScript and will support Ruby and VBx (Dynamic VB.NET) in the

future

Since Microsoft has stopped development on J# (Microsoft version of Java

programming for the .NET Framework), it is not included in VS 2008

VS 2008 has a multi-targeting feature using which applications can be built for

.NET Framework 2.0 or 3.0 or 3.5 versions

.NET Framework 1.0 mainstream support ended in July 2007 and the extended

support is ending in year Q3 2009

Figure 1: Additive Versions of .NET Framework (Source: MS Documentation)

The following figure is a pictorial representation of various versions of the .NET

Framework:


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As can be seen from the above picture, .NET Framework 3.0 and .NET Framework3.5 are fairly independent in their feature set. All the three Framework versions

share the same CLR, which has not changed from .NET Framework 2.0 onwards.

Hence, .NET Framework 2.0 applications can be directly upgraded to .NET Framework

3.5.

Refer to http://www.danielmoth.com/Blog/2007/06/net-framework-35.html.NET

Framework 3.5 has two elements green bits and the red bits.

The red bits are framework bits that exist in .NET Framework versions 2.0 and 3.0..NET Framework 3.5 includes updates for these two existing frameworks. These

updates are not merely a bunch of new features or changes, but a service pack

predominantly containing bug fixes and performance improvments.

The green bits are brand new assemblies with new framework classes in them.

These simply add to the .NET Framework without changing existing assemblies and

without changing the CLR engine.

.NET Framework 3.5 has the following new assemblies:

System.Data.Linq.dll The implementation for LINQ to SQL

System.Xml.Linq.dll The implementation for LINQ to XML

System.AddIn.dll, System.AddIn.Contract.dll New AddIn (Plug-in) model.

System.Net.dll Peer-to-Peer APIs.

System.Management.Instrumentation.dll Windows Management Instrumentation

(WMI) 2.0 managed provider (Combined with System.Management namespace in

System.Core.dll)

System.WorkflowServices.dll and System.ServiceModel.Web.dll WF and WCF

enhancements

System.Web.Extensions.dll The implementation for ASP.NET AJAX extensions

plus also the implementation of client application services and three ASP.NET 3.5

controls.

System.Data.DataSetExtensions.dll The implementation of LINQ to DataSet

System.Windows.Presentation.dll WPF support for the System.AddIn

System.VisualC.STLCLR.dll STL development in the managed world.


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.NET Framework 3.5 contains the following significant features:

New language features are introduced in C# 3.0 and VB.NET 9.0

Language Integrated Query (LINQ) introduced to exploit the expressive power of

query languages from object-oriented programming of .NET

ASP.NET performance improvements

Garbage collection enhancements

New additions to Base Class Libraries

Efficient Inter-Process and collaboration communication facilities

Dynamic Code Generation in Partial Trust environment

Events and Tracing improvements

ADO.NET enhancements

WPF enhancements

WCF enhancements

WF enhancements Integration of WCF with WF technology

Windows Forms Application enhancements

These features will be explained in detail in the following sections.

2.2 General Features

In the following sections, we will discuss generic language, feature and performance

enhancements in .NET Framework 3.0 and 3.5.

2.2.1 Language Features

NET Framework 2.0 introduced a set of useful features such as generics, partial

types, anonymous delegates, and so on, to help improve developers productivity.

.NET Framework 3.5 introduces the following new language features mainly to support

language integrated query (LINQ). However, these features can also be used without

using LINQ. These features enable the writing of more compact and maintainable

code.


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2.2.1.1 Auto-implemented Properties

Auto-implemented properties make property declaration more concise when no

additional logic is required in the property getters and setters. Attributes are not

permitted in the auto-implemented properties. If attributes are required, then normal

properties should be created.

2.2.1.2 Object Initializer

While creating an instance of a class, developers create the object and set the

properties in separate statements. An object initializer makes the code more concise

since a single statement can perform both these tasks. VS 2008 provides appropriate

IntelliSense to work with object initializers.

2.2.1.3 Collection Initializer

Similar to the object initializer, .NET Framework 3.5 provides an easier method to

initialize collection objects that prevents the writing of multiple Add statements.

2.2.1.4 Extension Methods

.NET Framework 3.5 allows developers to add methods, i.e., extend existing class

behavior using Extension Methods. Prior to .NET Framework 3.5, an existing type

was extended using one of the following approaches:

Adding the extended functionality to the source code

Re-implementing the functionality from scratch

Using inheritance to inherit the functionality contained within one type into a new

derived type (Note: Not all types are inheritable)

None of these approaches are useful while extending third-party types. Usually, third

party libraries do not provide the source code, and types in them are marked as

sealed to stop classes that are outside of them. It means that this extension can be

done without recompiling or sub-classing the original type.

Compiler automatically creates backing fields for storage of the property values.

This does away with the need to pick up names for numerous variables that are

created only to hold the property value.


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LINQ primarily depends on this feature because query expressions are implemented

as extension members to the IEnumerable type in .NETFramework 3.5.

2.2.1.5 Implicit Local Variable Type Inference

In the previous .NET Framework versions, developers were forced to declare the type

of the variable as it was mandatory for compilers to know the types. The variable

could be declared as an object type if the accuracy of the variable type was not a

concern. However, internal and external casting (Boxing and Unboxing) were required

when such object type variables were used.

In .NET Framework 3.5, developers are allowed to declare the variables without

mentioning their types by using the keyword var. The compiler infers the type through

its initialized values.

An initializer expression is mandatory in the same line where var is used. Additionally,

such variables are local to methods and cannot be sent as parameters or returned

from the method call.

2.2.1.6 Anonymous Types

Anonymous types must only be used to group data items. They should not be used

in cases where name or method overriding is required and should exist in the scope

of the current method.

Anonymous methods introduced in .NET Framework 2.0 allow developers to create

nameless methods. This feature is useful for creating event handlers, since they do

not require explicit functions with names. .NET Framework 3.5 allows developers to

create types without names. Anonymous types can be used to avoid type proliferation.

2.2.1.7 Query Expression

A Query expression is the basic constituent of LINQ, as it provides a path for the

query to be expressed using .NET class notations.


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2.2.1.8 Lambda Expression

A Lambda expression is the natural evolution of C# 2.0 anonymous methods. It

provides a compact syntax to briefly express the query using .NET notations.

A Query expression is internally built using the Lambda expression. Developers can

opt either for Lambda or Query expression.

2.2.1.9 Partial Methods

.NET Framework 2.0 introduced the concept of partial types, which distributes the

characteristics and behaviors of types across files within an assembly boundary.

Although .NET Framework 2.0 allows the type to be partial, it does not allow a

method to be partially distributed in that type.

.NET 3.5 introduces partial methods which must be declared within partial classes.

This means that the declaration and implementation of a method can be written in

different files. This approach provides developers flexibility in implementing the

method. There may be some scenarios where implementation of a method may be

ideal but not mandatory. Partial methods are useful in such scenarios. Partial methods

are private and should always return void. No attribute or modifier can be applied at

this partial method level.

The developer is free to provide an implementation of the method, if required. If an

implementation is not provided while building the application, the compiler will remove

the definition of the method and all call sites where the method call is used. The

method does not appear in Intermediate Language (IL) or final code and hence there is

no overhead.

2.2.1.10 Support for Nullable Type

The Nullable type introduced in .NET Framework 2.0 declares a variable to contain a

null object, which was earlier available only in C#. Now VB.NET 9.0 also supports


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Nullable types. The benefits will be seen in database interactions where the data can

be undefined (no data). This helps variables of types like Boolean and integer to

contain null values, which is otherwise not a valid value for these types.

2.2.1.11 Support for Covariance and Contravariance Delegates

Covariance and Contravariance delegates were available only in C# in .NET Framework

2.0. Now, VB.NET 9.0 also supports Covariance and Contravariance delegates in its

repertoire.

Covariance and Contravariance provide flexibility when matching method signatures

with delegate types. Covariance allows the delegate method to be invoked by

using a more derived type than what is defined in the delegates signature.

Contravariance allows invoking a delegate method with parameter types that are

less derived than as defined in the delegates signature

In .NET Framework 3.5, changes are not only made to primary .NET languages

such as C# and VB.NET but also on Visual C++

Visual C++ 2008 includes a STL/CLR library that is a packaging of the

standard template library (STL) and a subset of the standard C++ library for

use with C++ and the .NET Framework CLR. With STL/CLR, STL elements

such as containers, iterators and algorithms can be used in a managed

environment

Many new classes and methods have been added in MFC library in order to

support features in Windows Vista operating system

A marshalling library has been introduced in order to provide an optimized way

to marshal data between native and managed environments

Many improvements in performance (for example, reducing total build time)

and productivity (for example, managed incremental build support) have been

achieved in the Visual C++ compiler and linker

Future version of VS may support F# programming language (one of Microsofts

research projects) a functional programming language that will be useful infinancial, scientific and technical computing domains


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2.2.2 Language Integrated Query (LINQ) Support

LINQ support is one of the significant general features of .NET Framework 3.5. While

managed languages are used to develop components for any layer of distributed

application architecture, the data access layer still depends on the logic written

using specific query languages such as SQL.

.NET Framework (as early as version 1.0) provides managed wrappers to communicate

with back-end databases through ADO.NET. ADO.NET in turn understands and

executes the queries written in SQL. Basically, it communicates with the database

using a specific language and converts the data into specific .NET types such as

DataSet, DataReader and so on. This clearly implies that SQL programming is required

to perform create, read, update, and delete (CRUD) operations on the database side.

The problem with SQL language is that it is not as flexible as object-oriented

programming language, though it is very expressive in nature. Hence, during application

development, a developer has to learn two programming languages of different natures.

LINQ brings the expressiveness of query languages to the managed languages. LINQ

is not hamstrung by tight coupling with any of the query languages. But this flexible

accessibility does not stop only at the backend database. In fact, .NET Framework

3.5 also supports the following, apart from its (LINQs) support to SQL, which enables

direct querying over database tables and view, through managed languages:

LINQ to Objects API: Enables querying of data that is available within collection

objects such as an array and hash tables

LINQ to Entity: Enables querying the entity model, which is based on EDM of

ADO.NET

LINQ over XML: Enables querying XML fragments and files through .NET notations

LINQ to the SQL Designer: Enables easy creation of entity classes for back-end

data objects through the visual designer, wizards or templates of VS 2008

The Object Relational Mapping (ORM) provides the ability to work with the entity

model instead of working with the physical data model. It mitigates issues caused by

the complexity of dealing with back-end models and modifications made to the back-

end models. The ORM is, in general, achieved through a third party or external vendor


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software, as there was no inherent support for ORM from MS for .NET framework

application development till the introduction of .NET Framework 3.5.

Earlier, MS had planned to tackle ORM through ObjectSpaces in .NET Framework

2.0. For certain reasons, ObjectSpaces was shelved. However, shades of

ObjectSpaces will be seen in future versions of .NET Framework in the form of

Entity Data Model of ADO.NET. The LINQ technology introduced in .NET Framework

3.5 partially addresses ORM. This technology allows developers to blend the

expressive power of query languages such as SQL and XQuery into managed

languages such as C# and VB.NET. As a result, application developers can use

familiar object-oriented programming notations to query data. LINQ works withboth relational database and XML documents. It also works with SQL Entity Data

Model (EDM) and SQL Designer. LINQ is designed to provide a one-to-one mapping

with SQL. Please see ASP.NET Enhancements for more details.

2.2.3 ASP.NET Enhancements

In the following section, we will look at specific enhancements that have happened

in the web development space.

2.2.3.1 ASP.NET AJAX

AJAX extensions are supported in .NET Framework 2.0 as external add-ins and not in

an integrated manner. However, in .NET Framework 3.5, ASP.NET integrates AJAX

extensions into it. ASP.NET AJAX consists of the following three components:

ASP.NET extensions: Makes AJAX development look similar to traditional ASP.NET

development

Library of client-side script code: Provides common client-side functionalities that

work across all browsers

Control toolkit: Provides developers a library of AJAX controls to use as-is orcustomize according to their needs

ASP.NET in .NET Framework 3.5, provides better server-centric AJAX development

with a set of new server controls and APIs. It also supports client-centric AJAX


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development with a new client library called the Microsoft AJAX library. The MicrosoftAJAX library supports the development of browser-independent and client-centric

applications that are based on the object-oriented paradigm.

ASP.NET now supports AJAX extender controls that enhance client-side capabilities

of standard web server controls. In ASP.NET Web applications, these extender

controls (either as part of ASP.NET AJAX Control Toolkit or customized) can be

bound to standard web server controls such as Textbox, Button, and Panel to

provide a better and richer user experience.

ASP.NET now supports seamless usage of WCF-based web services from web pagesusing Microsoft AJAX library. Consuming WCF web services from within the client-

side is an important and useful feature; considering the fact that server-side application

services such as forms-based authentication, roles management, and profiles

management are exposed as web services in .NET Framework 3.5. These services

can be effectively used across multiple web applications in an enterprise.

These web services (Membership, Roles and Profiles management) support both

SOAP and JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) data exchange formats. While SOAP

message format caters to any SOAP compliant clients such as Windows Forms,

WPF, as well as applications developed using frameworks other than .NET, the JSON

data exchange format caters to AJAX scenarios.

JSON is a standardized data exchange format based on open and text-based

standards, and should be effectively used in AJAX-based scenarios. For more

details, please see the relevant link for JSON in the References section.

2.2.3.2 Silverlight

ASP.NET also provides better support for Silverlight Microsofts new platform

for creating Rich Internet Applications (RIA). More details on Silverlightare provided

in the section WINDOWS PRESENTATION FOUNDATION (WPF).


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Asynchronous I/O is a mechanism through which a calling thread can submit an I/Orequest and return before the submitted request gets served by the kernel. The

calling thread can utilize the returned control for additional processing before it goes

to sleep and waits for the submitted IO request to be completed. There are two main

ways by which the calling thread identifies the status and result of the submitted

asynchronous I/O request EventObject and IO completion port.

The EventObject can be set into an OVERLAPPED structure that can be passed to a

ReadFile or WriteFile function which in turn is called on an I/O object, opened with

FILE_FLAG_OVERLAPPED.

The other mechanism, IO Completion Port, is a kernel object that can be associated

with a number of I/O objects like file, pipe, or a socket. When an asynchronous

operation is started on I/O objects that have been associated with the IO completion

port, the calling thread returns immediately. On completing the submitted I/O request,

the kernel dispatches the completion packet to the queue associated with the IO

completion port.

The Socket class of System.Net.Sockets provides virtually all the functionality of

the Windows WinSock Win32 API and uses Windows I/O Completion ports for

asynchronous I/O operation completion. This allows applications to easily scale to

a large number of open sockets. .NET Framework implements the ThreadPool class

that provides completion threads to read completion ports and complete asynchronous

I/O operations.

In .NET Framework 3.5, a new type SocketAsyncEventArgs has been introduced

to wrap the context of the operation. This object can be created in the application

and hence can be reused

Enhancements related to Asynchronous I/O operations EventObject and IO

completion Port can be realized even if the existing application runs in .NET

Framework 3.5 runtime

With .NET Framework 3.5, the CLR can now manage a large number of overlapped

objects simultaneously. It is now possible to have 60,000 or more connected

sockets while maintaining a pending asynchronous receive I/O operation on each

socket.


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In previous versions of .NET Framework, socket classes used the familiar Begin/End

pattern-based asynchronous programming model. Though this is a good model, the

object IAsyncResult created by each asynchronous operation may cause a memory

overhead. This happens as this object cannot be reused or shared across multiple

asynchronous socket calls the IAsyncResult object is actually wrapping the context

of the operation, and application does not create it.

In .NET Framework 3.5, a new type SocketAsyncEventArgs has been introduced

to wrap the context of the operation. This object can be created in the application

and hence can be reused

Enhancements related to Asynchronous I/O operations EventObject and IO

completion Port can be realized even if the existing application runs in .NET

Framework 3.5 runtime

2.2.5 Performance-related Improvements

.NET Framework 3.5 focuses on improving the performance of crucial features like

Garbage Collection (faster garbage collection), Native Assembly creation using NGen

(smarter NGen which requires smaller working set RAM), Thread Pool and Reader/

Writer Locks (more light-weight now) on the objects.

It is important to know that Microsoft has re-architected the thread pool component

of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. The new thread pool component

addresses a number of limitations of the legacy thread pool. For example, it allows

the creation of multiple thread pools per process. Due to changes caused by the

implementation of this new thread pool component, Microsoft has also released

new thread pool APIs (though legacy APIs are untouched in order to support the

legacy applications) that help developers write correct code

.NET Framework 3.5 has introduced a new class ReaderWriterLockSlimthat provides better performance thanReaderWriterLock. The performance of

ReaderWriterLockSlimis comparable with the lock statement in C# (SyncLock

in VB)


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2.2.5.1 High Performant HashSet

.NET Framework 3.5 introduces a collection object known as HashSet. This

collection object contains a set of unordered but unique elements and supports a set

of related operations such as UnionWith, IntersectWith, ExceptWith, and more.

It is also claimed to be highly performant.

2.2.5.2 Parallel Programming Extensions to .NET Framework 3.5

Multi-core processors have arrived in the mainstream of computing as heat dissipation

from a single processor is very high. However, most applications today are designed

for single processor environments.

Parallel programming extensions make it easier for developers to take advantage of

multi-core processors that are available in the market. They run as extensions to

.NET Framework 3.5. A CTP version was released recently. More details can be

obtained from Somasegars blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/somasegar/archive/2007/

11/29/parallel-extensions-to-the-net-fx-ctp.aspx.

The Parallel Framework contains two main libraries Parallel LINQ Library (PLINQ)

and Task Parallel Library (TPL). Parallel LINQ enables the LINQ operations to be

parallel while Task Parallel Library optimizes and provides mechanisms to easily

write programs that can exploit the multi-core processor systems that are now

widespread.

2.2.5.3 Garbage Collection Improvements

Garbage collection occurs during an applications execution and is based on the

memory requirements of the application. If garbage collection occurs at a critical

time, it may impact the application performance. .NET Framework 3.5 provides a

way to adjust the latency of the garbage collector. It introduces a property

LatencyMode in GCSettingsclass that can be set to an appropriate value such

as LowLatencyor HighLatencydepending on the application needs. In LowLatency

mode, the garbage collector becomes less intrusive as it tends to function

conservatively in reclaiming objects.

.NET Framework 3.5 also provides a mechanism to adjust the behavior of garbage

collection even during a forced collection. Garbage collection can be forced through

Collect method of GCclass (available even in previous versions of .NET Framework).


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The current version of .NET Framework provides a new overload method that specifies

whether or not the current time is optimal to reclaim objects before object collection.

2.2.6 New Additions to Base Class Library

In this section we will explore the key additions to the base class library.

2.2.6.1 FIPS-certified Cryptographic Algorithms

The National Security Agency (NSA) has defined a category of Suite Balgorithms to

enable secure encryption, hashing, signing and sensitive key exchange processes.

For widespread interoperability, all Suite B implementations must be at a minimum

and include AES with 128-bit keys, the 256-bit prime modulus elliptic curve, and SHA-

256 as a common mode. Suite B lists the following algorithms that need to be supported

by the platform:

Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with key sizes of 128-bit and 256-bit of

encryption

The secure hash algorithm for hashing with key sizes of 256-bit and 384-bit

Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) using curves of 256-bit and 384-

bit prime modulo for signing

Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) using curves of 256-bit and 384-bit prime

modulo for key exchange agreement

These algorithms have been supported by RijndaelManaged, SHA256Managed and

SHA384Managed classes since .NET Framework 1.0. However, these managed

classes are not certified by Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS).

For more details on FIPS standard and certification 140-2, refer to http://www.nsa.gov/

ia/industry/crypto_suite_b.cfm

FIPS 140-2 is applicable for sensitive but unclassified information and provides a

third-party, verified security standard for compliance with the Sabanes-Oxley Act,

the Health Insurance Portability Act, and other federal mandates.


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To contain FIPS-certified and Suite B-compliant cryptographic algorithms, .NET

Framework 3.5 provides managed wrappers such as AESCryptoServiceProvider,

SHA256CryptoServiceProvider and SHA384CryptoServiceProvider.

The managed classes depend on the cryptographic service provider of the underlying

platform. For example, to use FIPS- certified AES algorithms, Windows XP has to

be the underlying platform. To use any of FIPS-certified SHA algorithms, Windows

Server 2003 has to be the underlying platform.

2.2.6.2 Improved Time Zone Support

.NET Framework 3.5 introduces a new class TimeZoneInfo, which is an extensionof the TimeZoneclass. The TimeZoneclass recognizes only the local time zone and

converts the local time to Universal Coordinated Time (UTC).

The new class TimeZoneInfo allows converting the time in one zone to a

corresponding time in any other zone. It also supports serializing a time zone and

enumerating time zones that are available in a system.

2.2.6.3 Support for International Resource Identifier (IRI)

The Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) type of System namespace is used to represent

web addresses. However, URI supports only a restricted set of characters. It does

not support non-ASCII (Unicode) characters. This forces web addresses or domains

avoid Unicode characters, a severe restriction when the application intends to support

localization as well as globalization requirements.

Actually, web addresses or domains with Unicode characters should be represented

by IRIs instead of by URI, as per RFC 3987. .NET Framework 3.5 enhances the

System.Uriclass in such a way that it supports IRI.


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2.2.6.4 Support for Big Integer Type

The final barrier, the limit for the integer type, is overcome in .NET Framework 3.5. A

variable of a big integer type can have any value that is limited only by the memory

size of the underlying hardware and operating systems limit.

2.2.6.5 New Extensibility Model to Host Applications Based on Add-ins

It is a certainty that applications being built now will require additional functionalities

in the future. These additional functionalities can also be provided by a third party.

NET Framework 3.5s support to big integers helps build applications that run on

64-bit operating systems with better virtualization environments. The applications

that deal with huge numbers, for example, astronomical, statistical, financial and

bio-medical applications; benefit from the support for big integers.

Any sophisticated host application in general will require such extensibility, often

referred to as automation. .NET Framework 3.5, with the addition of the System.AddIn

namespace, provides a way to build such extensibility to applications, through its

pipeline-based Add-in model.

2.2.6.6 Inter-process and Collaboration-related Communication

.NET Framework 3.5 introduces two types of pipes for better inter-process

communication. They are: anonymous and named pipes:

I. An anonymous pipe is used for one-way communication between the parent process

and its child process within the boundary of the same machine.

II. A named pipe is used for duplex communication across processes that may exist

within a network boundary.

.NET Framework 3.5 also supplies peer-networking classes to support better

collaboration functionalities. It has introduced a new namespace,System.Net.PeerToPeer, which facilitates discovery (locating the peers and their

associated network locations dynamically) as well as connectivity (establishing

network connections across peers) of peer applications. An application can


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Microsoft has announced a community technology preview version of the Sync

Framework, which focuses on peer collaboration and allows for offline synchronization

and data access. This is being built on the synchronization functionality available in

.NET Framework 3.5. This framework is a comprehensive synchronization platform

that enables collaboration and offline scenarios for applications, services, and

devices. Developers can build synchronized ecosystems that integrate any application,

any type of data, using any protocol, over any network. See the useful links section

for the relevant link on this subject.

communicate with peer networks through familiar classes such as Sockets,

HttpWebRequest, WCF peer channel, and so on.

2.2.7 Reflection-related Enhancements

There are two ways to generate an assembly dynamically in the .NET environment

the CodeDom approach and Reflection Emitting.

While CodeDom helps generate code using specific languages such as C#, VB.NET,

and so on. Reflection Emitting generates raw Microsoft Intermediate Language (MSIL)

code. Depending on the scenario, these approaches are used to generate dynamiccode during the runtime of an application. However, there are severe restrictions for

an application developed using previous versions of .NET Framework, to emit code

using Reflection.Emitsuch as that it should run in full trust mode. Now, applications

that run with partial trust can emit the dynamic code and execute it.

2.2.8 Tracing-related Enhancements

WMI.NET Provider 2.0 extensions are introduced to easily create WMI providers in

.NET applications. Earlier, WMI interactions were possible only through unmanaged

code.

A class EventSchemaTraceListener provides tracking of end-to-end, schema-

compliant events to use for end-to-end tracing of a system that has heterogeneous

components which cross threads, AppDomains, processes, and computer boundaries.


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To avoid performance impediments, this class is tuned for better logging with implicit

support for lock-free tracing.

It is important to note that Windows Vista has overhauled the Event Logservice

to make tracing not only faster, but also scalable and secure. Windows Vista

provides a new infrastructure, called Windows Eventing 6.0, for events and tracing.

This extends the capability of Event Tracing for Windows (ETW) that has been in

use since Windows 2000 and replaces the Event Log Service and the Event Viewer.

2.2.9 ADO .NET Enhancements

2.2.9.1 LINQ to DataSet

It provides LINQ capabilities for disconnected data stored in a DataSet.

2.2.9.2 LINQ to SQL

It supports queries against an object model that is mapped to the data structures of a

SQL server database without using an intermediate conceptual model. Each table is

represented by a separate class, tightly coupling the object model to the database

schema. LINQ to SQL translates language-integrated queries in the object model into

Transact-SQL and sends them to the database for execution. When the database

returns the results, LINQ to SQL translates the results back into objects.

ADO.NET, part of .NET Framework 3.5, also supports the following new features of

SQL Server 2008 (code named Katmai):

Table-Valued Parameters: Table-Valued parameters enable multiple rows of data to

be passed as input parameters to SQL Server 2008

Date and Time Data Types: New date and time data types in SQL Server 2008

support greater range, precision, and time-zone awareness

Modifying Data with MERGE: The Transact-SQL MERGE statement introduced in

SQL Server 2008 enables developers to combine INSERT, UPDATE and DELETEoperations into one statement.

These features are supported by the .NET Framework data provider for SQL server

and SqlClient.


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ADO.NET strives to provide an Entity Data Platform that addresses the issues

related to the tight coupling of the business layer with data layer. Data Access

Layer (DAL) is used to provide a clear separation between the business layer and

the data layer, but ADO.NET Entity Framework is a better and more efficient

mechanism. ADO.NET Entity Framework enables the developers to write code

that operates against conceptual model objects instead of relational model objects.

Conceptual model represents the entities and their relationship in the system being

modeled, but not at a relational- database level. Conceptual model objects can be

generated from an Entity Data Model (EDM). It means that various applications

will have a different set of conceptual model objects through different EDM for

the same database model. Entity Framework also provides better paging and back-

end updating options. Microsoft plans to release most of the components thatconstitute the Entity Data Platform (EDMl, Entity SQL, Entity Client, Object

Services, LINQ to Entities) as an extension to .NET Framework 3.5 in future

Microsoft has released Microsoft Synchronization Services for ADO.NET v2.0

CTP1. These services provide the ability to synchronize data from disparate

sources over two- tier, N-tier and service-based architectures

When an application is built based on SOA principles, the data from the back-end

can be exposed as services (Data Services) so that components in other layers can

consume those exposed data services. Through the community technology preview

release of Astoria (officially called ADO.NET Data Services), Microsoft provides

matchless infrastructure for building such next-wave Internet applications. It

enables developers to create and consume data services for the web

To improve data-driven application development productivity, Microsoft released

data components as a framework codenamed Jasper for quick and cleaner

data access during Rapid Application Development environment. Jasper takes

advantage of ADO.NETs Entity Frameworks significant investment on conceptual

models. Jasper dynamically generates the entity model based on the connection

string

2.2.10 WPF Enhancements

For more information, see Chapter 3 WINDOWS PRESENTATION FOUNDATION (WPF).

2.2.11 WF Enhancements

For more information, see Chapter 4 WINDOWS WORKFLOW FOUNDATION (WF) .


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2.2.12 WCF Enhancements

For more information, see Chapter 5.WINDOWS COMMUNICATION FOUNDATION

(WCF)

2.2.13 Windows Forms Application Development Enhancements

The well-known deployment mechanism of Windows Forms-based applications known

as ClickOncehas been improved, so that now Windows Forms applications can be

deployed from multiple locations without signing again or changing the ClickOnce

manifests of the assemblies.

The .NET Framework has various services such as ASP.NET login, roles and profileservices to carry out functionalities like user authentication, managing authorization

and application settings. Now, .NET Framework 3.5 introduces similar services

known as client application services and enables Windows-based applications

(including Windows Forms and Windows Presentation Foundation) to easily access

these services. They also support occasional connectivity by storing and retrieving

user information from a local data cache when the application is offline.

Windows Forms support Windows Vista to a great extent now, so it not only works

seamlessly on Vista but has also been upgraded to provide the same appearance as

applications written specifically for Windows Vista, wherever applicable. For example,

common file dialog boxes are automatically updated to the Windows Vista version.

Microsoft has released the .NET Framework 3.5 along with VS 2008 Microsofts

Integrated Development Environment for .NET based applications. Microsoft has

enhanced VS capabilities tremendously to improve productivity to a great extent. The

following table briefly provides a list of significant improvements in VS 2008.


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Improvements on IDE VS 2008

Multi-targeting Support

VS 2008 allows developers to write code for specific versions of .NET

Framework like 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5. The IDE also intelligently manages

this information and prevents users from accidentally adding assemblies

from a higher .NET Framework version as references to the project.

Development Productivity Enhancements

It provides better IntelliSense support to JavaScript code. It also carriesout basic syntax validation for JavaScript files, and allows the setting

of breakpoints for debugging JavaScript files. It now supports better

and richer visualization of JavaScript types.

Client-side script files generated from server-side script now appear

in Solution Explorer. Breakpoints set in the server-side script files

are automatically mapped to corresponding breakpoints in client-

side script files.

Debugging Features

It provides remote debugging support for Windows Vista. It provides

better support for debugging multithreaded applications by improving

the Threads window (for example, introduction of Stacktips on the

threads window) and allowing breaking into different threads as they

are executed. Like the ASP.NET Host that can be used to quickly test

ASP.NET applications without having IIS, a similar host is provided

that helps to easily debug WCF services, without having to write custom

test application.

Profiling Features

VS 2008 allows the comparing of different profile runs. VS 2008 profileralso allows drilling down quickly in the call window to the major

bottlenecks.


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services, and WF business logic implementation. It also provides

improved visual designers and project templates to support the Entity

Framework of ADO.NET. For example, the visual wizard (Entity Data

Model Wizard), which is a part of VS, helps create an entity or object

based on the conceptual models. The visual designer (codenamed Cider)

for WPF applications is the same as used by Expression Blend and

provides rich editing features for XAML files.

Integrated SQL Express Publishing for Web Developers

In SQL Express that was shipped with VS 2005 (and Visual Web Developer

Express), there was no integrated support to migrate SQL Express

database schema and data to the production SQL Server database.

Such a transfer had been possible only through the Add-in SQL database

publishing wizard. The wizard now comes integrated with VS 2008.

Source Code Availability

Microsoft has decided to release the source code of .NET Framework

3.5 and VS 2008 to the development community to enable them to

debug .NET-based applications more effectively.

Performance Improvements

VS 2008 has significant performance improvements for some common

development scenarios.

From Somasegars blog, we can get the following performance

improvement details on VS 2008.

(http://blogs.msdn.com/somasegar/archive/2007/09/27/vs-2008-performance-

improvements.aspx)

Rebuilding a VB project and running a background compiler is three

times faster and uses one-third the memory

Scrolling large C# files in the Editor is 100% faster, while typing in

new text is 50% faster

The response time of IntelliSense with large types in C# is up to 10

times faster


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Incremental build time runs up to 90% faster on C++/CLI project

solutions

Word and Excel files are processed 20 times faster on the server

TFS version control command processing was rewritten to support

unlimited-sized operations on key commands without being memory

bound on the server. In our measurements, key commands also run

10% - 60% faster, with the larger improvements associated withbigger projects

Performance improvements enable the exploitation of multi-core

hardware, by adding multi-threaded support to MSBuild. In addition,

using the /MP switch, C++ project build time can be significantly

improved

VC++ Performance Improvements

VS 2008 has incorporated various enhancements such as faster solution

loading, quicker editor responsiveness and so on into Visual C++

Editor Responsiveness:Updating IntelliSense, displaying the QuickInfo tooltip

and processing AutoComplete requests will not degrade editor experience

Goto Definition Improvements:Significant reduction in the time required for

Goto Definition. One customer reported that a 2-minute delay dropped to 10-20

seconds

Load Solution Performance:The loading time for large Visual C++ solutions is

much better. Some customers are reporting that speed has increased by 25%-70%

File Lookup in Projects:Provides performance improvements to several

processes such as adding files to projects, changing configurations,

and so on

Changing Configuration Options:Modifying options, such as adding

an include directory or changing the active configuration, is muchfaster in large solutions


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Reduced CPU consumption: Low-priority background items

are processed (such as IntelliSense population) using 20% less

CPU time

VB.NET Improvements

For VB projects, IntelliSense popup provides auto-filter

support. As the user types characters, the IntelliSense popup

filters out items that do not match from the popup list and

shows only relevant items in it. Additionally, you can hit the

CTRL key to make the IntelliSense window transparent so

that the code below can be easily seen.

Team System Suite-related Improvements

VS Team System includes many additional and enhanced

features in all flavors of team editions.

Team Edition for developers includes a set of software

measures (Code Metrics) that provide better insight into code

quality. Profiling tools have also been enhanced to provide

better Windows Vista support, allocation stacks, and runtime

control. Several components of Team Foundation such as Build,

Source Control, Work Item Tracking, and Server Management

have been improved.

Team Edition for architecture enables the designing of

application systems by using a top-down approach.Team

Edition for testers contains new features and improvements

such as:

Creating and running unit tests in VS Professional Edition

Running unit tests on devices

Providing better web test validation rules

Providing flexible ways to control load modeling in load tests


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Deployment-related Improvements

Two types of deployment are supported in VS 2008 Click Once

deployment and Windows Installer deployment. ClickOnce deployment

has been enhanced to support the deployment of WPF web browser

applications. It also provides an option to ISVs to again sign the

application manifest using strong name signing to apply their

customers own company name, application name and support URL to

it. Now, VS Tools for Office (VSTO) applications can also be published

either through the project designers Publish page or the Publish wizard.

It also supports manifest generation under User Account Control on

Windows Vista.Windows Installer deployment is updated to support

targeting applications for the new .NET Framework 3.0 and 3.5 versions.

Now, the users installation experience on Windows Vista is smooth

even when the application is run under User Account Control.

Tools for Office-related Improvements

VS Tools for Office in VS 2008 have the following features:

ClickOnce technology to secure and deploy VS Tools for Office solutions

ClickOnce to deploy application-level Add-Ins

Easy creation of Custom Task panes (User interface panels that are

typically docked to one side of a window in a Microsoft Office

application)

Efficient designing of complex ribbons by using the Ribbon designer

Simplifying the SharePoint Workflow development using the

SharePoint Sequential Workflow and SharePoint State Machine

Workflow templates

Support to Popfly through Popfly Explorer for VS

Popfly Explorer is a plug-in for VS to easily create and host a Popfly

(mashup site) website. It also allows us to access our VS solutions from

anywhere and lets us share the solutions with multiple people.


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Rosario, codename for the next version of Team System, is an

integrated Application Life-cycle Management (ALM) solution. It

comprises of tools, processes, and guidance; and helps achieve improved

collaboration in the team, assured software quality and enhanced

visibility into the project. The CTP version of this is available for

download at

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads details.aspx?FamilyId=65D0E3BD-

9DF3-421A-804F-8F01BD90F0B4&displaylang=en

Table 2: Significant Improvements in VS 2008

2.3 Upgrading from .NET Framework 1.0 to .NET Framework 3.5

Here are the steps to follow for the upgrade process.

. Upgrade the code from .NET 1.0 to .NET 1.1 using VS 2003. It has a projectupgrade tool with some assistance.

. Use VS 2008 to upgrade the project from .NET 1.1 to .NET 2.0. The upgrade wizard

in this case does not change the code. It only displays a list of warnings for items

that need modification to make them compatible with .NET 2.0. The changes have

to be carried out manually.

. Once the code is migrated to .NET 2.0, further migration to .NET 3.0 and .NET 3.5

is easy. .NET Framework 3.0 and .NET Framework 3.5 are fairly independent in

their feature set. Hence, .NET Framework 2.0 applications can be directly upgraded

to .NET Framework 3.5. The upgrade primarily enables users to exploit new features

available in the new framework versions. All existing code should work fine. In

fact, it will likely not require recompilation and can be directly run on .NET 3.0 or 3.5.


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The following is our viewpoint on the new features of .NET Framework 3.5:

Though there are many new features introduced in .NET Framework 3.5, we can

easily classify them into two categories: LINQ-related features and non-LINQ-related

features.

Undoubtedly, the LINQ-related features are one of the most significant additions in

.NET Framework 3.5 as LINQ allows application programmers to be agnostic about

underlying data base objects such as tables, views, stored procedures, and user-

defined functions. This does not mean that database programmers are no longer

needed for application development. Instead, application programmers can now handle

activities related to accessing the database CRUD activities using familiar

programming language syntax and object-oriented programming concepts, rather than

resorting to SQL specific concepts. Additional ly, developers will not have to handle

back-end data, irrespective of the form and type relational or hierarchical - differently.

It may take some time for developers to get used to LINQ. However, once this is

accomplished, gains in productivity and code maintenance can be expected.

We believe that other features like object/collection initializers, automatic properties,

and partial methods will help boost the developers productivity further and also make

the code more readable and maintainable. Security enhancements made in this release

will make the .NET Framework 3.5 better suited to the needs of government agencies.

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