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Introduction xix
using OLE DB and SQL ServerADO.NET providers. Since virtually all applications nowadays use some kind of
database connectivity, reading this chapter is a must.
Chapter 10 talks aboutASP.NET web services—the cornerstone of the .NET Framework. The chapter introduces
ASP.NET web service architecture and teaches developing and consuming simple web services, including
declaration of web service proxy classes and declaration of web service classes using
WebService and
WebMethod attributes.
Chapter 11 focuses on web service protocols: HTTP-GET, HTTP-POST and SOAP and related .NET Framework
classes. The chapter gives an overview of SOAP, including SOAP messages, encodings, and headers. The chapter
teaches declaring web services and web service proxy classes using a particular protocol, and communication
using SOAP headers.
Chapter 12 discusses important aspects of web service development such as Web Services Definition Language
(WSDL), web service discovery, security, and configuration. The chapter teaches how to programmatically
discover web services, retrieve web service definition, and secure web services using SSL and Windows
authentication.
Chapter 13 is about .NET interoperability with COM and unmanaged code. Unless you are planning on using
your .NET components with unmanaged code, or tapping into COM components from .NET classes, you can
safely skip this chapter.
Chapter 14 covers unmanaged extensions to the C++ language introduced by Microsoft in the Visual C++ .NET.
The extensions include C++ language changes, SIMD instruction set support, new keywords, data types, and
compiler-intrinsic functions. This chapter is for die-hard C++ programmers.
Chapter 15 discusses C Runtime Library enhancements—advanced error handling, security threat detection,
etc.—that can be considered “black belt programming.” This chapter will be of interest to experienced C++
developers.
Chapter 16* briefly goes through to incremental enhancements to MFC 7.0 from MFC 4.2. The chapter discusses
new MFC classes such as CHtmlView, CHtmlEditView, CDHtmlDialog, CMultiPageDHtmlDialog,
CLinkCtrl, etc., and new methods/functionality added to existing MFC classes such as CDC, CWnd,
CListCtrl, and others. This chapter requires prior knowledge of MFC. Chapters 16-18 can be downloaded
Chapter 17* introduces ATL attributed programming and focuses on COM component development using Active
Template Library (ATL). Knowledge of COM/ATL and experience in COM development is helpful for reading
this chapter, although not required—Most COM-component related issues and terms are explained along the way.
Chapter 18* unleashes new attributes intended to simplify OLE DB programming using ATL classes. Prior
experience with ATL and OLE DB programming is helpful, albeit not required.
Appendix A introduces the new features of the Visual Studio .NET development environment. This chapter is
intended to help Visual C++ 6.0 developers and novice programmers get comfortable with Visual C++ .NET and
use the development environment efficiently. You can forgo reading this chapter if you are already familiar with
the Visual Studio .NET development environment.
* Chapters 16-18 can be downloaded, along with code samples for many o f the chapters, from http://www .cmpbooks.com /dotnet