XML Training : XML Programming Using VB.NET Rev. 2.0

XML Programming Using VB.NET
Rev. 2.0

XML Training Overview

This comprehensive and practical four-day course builds skills in .NET�s XML processing APIs�chiefly parsing using XmlReader and the Document Object Model (DOM), writing XML streams using XmlWriter, and transformations using XPath and XSLT, all using the .NET Framework XML classes and the VB.NET language. It also covers XML serialization according to XML Schema and the tight coupling between XML and ADO.NET. The course is intended for students with a working knowledge of XML�and possibly DTDs or XML Schema�who want to build XML applications or components using .NET and the VB.NET language. Everything in the course adheres to W3C and .NET standards for highly portable code. The course includes a practical discussion of performance tradeoffs using various XML technology alternatives.

The course includes extensive programming examples, a case study, and several tools for manipulating XML documents. All source code is in VB.NET and is provided with the course.

Upon completion of this course the student will easily program XML application in .NET and understand which XML and .NET technologies to apply for the problem domain.

XML Training LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Understand the purpose of the .NET Framework XML classes.

Parse XML data streams using XMLReader classes

Validate XML data streams that are described by a DTD or an XML Schema

Use the XMLTextWriter class to create XML data streams.

Modify, create and delete information in an XML document using the Document Object Model (DOM) .NET classes.

Use XML Schema to express precise type information for an XML document and the .NET Schema Object Model classes to read and write schema information.

Use XML Serialization to persist XML data.

Acquire a working knowledge of the tight coupling of XML with ADO.NET

Use XPath to query for content in an XML document and the .NET XPathNavigator class to parse XML documents.

Use XSLT to transform XML documents into text, HTML or other XML.

Evaluate performance tradeoffs in alternative XML technologies.

XML Training Prerequisites

Ability to read and to write well-formed XML. Ability to read a DTD not strictly required, but preferred. A working knowledge of programming the .NET Framework using VB.NET. A working knowledge of ADO.NET is recommended for the portion of the course dealing with ADO.NET and XML.

XML Training Course duration

4 days

XML Training Course outline

1. .NET Framework XML Overview
	XML in the .NET Framework .NET XML Namespaces and Classes How Does the MSXML Fit in .NET What Does the W3C Say What Does the W3C Not Say .NET XmlReader and XmlWriter .NET DOM Parser XML Serialization XML and ADO.NET XPath and XSLT XML and the Web
2. Reading XML Streams in .NET
	XML Document Streams The XmlTextReader Class Accessing Node Properties with the .NET XML Classes Accessing Attribute Values Traversing the XML Document Catching XmlExceptions The XmlNodeReader Class
3. Validating XML Streams
	Specifying Valid Documents with DTD Validating XML with XmlValidatingReader Specifying Valid Documents with XML Schema
4. Writing XML Streams in .NET
	The XmlWriter Class The XmlTextWriter WriteXXX Methods XmlTextWriter States Writing Elements Writing Attributes Writing Namespaces
5. The Document Object Model in .NET
	Origins of the DOM DOM Levels DOM2 Structure The XmlDocument Class DOM Tree Model DOM Interfaces XmlDocument, XmlNode and XmlNodeList Classes XmlElement and XmlText Classes Finding Elements By Name Walking the Child List The XmlAttribute Class Namespaces and the DOM Error Handling
6. Manipulating XML Information with the DOM
	Modifying Documents Modifying Elements Modifying Attributes Managing Children Cloning Splitting Text and Normalizing Creating New Documents
7. Using XML Schema
	What is an XML schema? Schemas vs. DTDs Structure of a Schema Schema vs. Instance Document Associating Schemas with Documents Testing, Validating and Displaying Schemas and Documents .NET Schema Object Model
8. XML Serialization
	XmlSerializer What Is Not Serialized Writing and Reading XML Customizing XML Serialization XML Schema and XSD Creating Classes from Schemas XML Serialization and Web Services
9. XML and ADO.NET
	Strong Coupling Between ADO.NET and XML Rendering XML from a DataSet Controlling XML Output Reading XML into a DataSet XML Schema and DataSets Typed DataSets Synchronizing DataSets and XML
10. XPath
	Addressing XML Content XPath in XSLT Tree Structure XPath Expressions Type Model Context Axis, Node Test, and Predicate Abbreviations Proximity Position XPath Functions Comparisons Between Various Types XPathNavigator
11. Introduction to XSLT
	XSL and XSLT Rule-Based Transformations Templates Producing Text, HTML, and XML XslTransform
12. XML Performance Tradeoffs
	DOM versus XmlReader/XmlWriter Validating versus Non-Validating Parser XPathDocument versus XmlDocument in XSLT Benchmarking XML Performance
Appendix A. Zenith Courseware Case Study Appendix B. Quick Reference � XML and DTD Grammar Appendix C. Developing Web Services Using Visual Studiobr> Appendix D. Learning Resources

System Requirements

Course exercises require Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 on Windows 2000 or XP.

A good minimal hardware profile for this course would have a Pentium 500-MHz or equivalent CPU, 256 MB of RAM, and at least 3 GB of free disk space for tools installation and courseware.