MCTS .NET Application Development Foundation - 70-536 – Objectives List Part 7

This is the seventh and final post (first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth) in a series of posts that have links to the different topics covered in exam 70-536

Implementing globalization, drawing, and text manipulation functionality in a .NET Framework application (11 percent)

• Format data based on culture information
• System.Globalization Namespace
• Globalizing and Localizing Applications
• Localizing Applications
• Globalizing Applications
• Globalization Namespaces
• CultureInfo class
• Using CultureInfo class
• CultureTypes Enumeration
• RegionInfo class
• Formatting Date and Time for specific culture
• NumberFormatInfo
• NumberStyles enumeration
• Comparing and Sorting data for a specific culture
• CompareInfo class
• CompareOptions
• How to create custom cultures
• CultureAndRegionInfoBuilder Class
• CultureAndRegionModifier Enumeration
• Enhance the user interface of a .NET Framework application by using the System.Drawing namespace
• System.Drawing namespace
• Graphics How-Tos
• Brush class
• Brushes class
• SystemBrushes class
• TextureBrush class
• Pen class
• Pens class
• SystemPens class
• SolidBrush class
• Color
• ColorConverter
• ColorTranslator
• SystemColors
• Font class
• FontConverter class
• FontFamily class
• SystemFonts class
• Graphics Class
• BufferedGraphics class
• BufferedGraphicsManager class
• Image class
• ImageConverter class
• ImageAnimator class
• Bitmap class
• Icon class
• IconConvertor class
• SystemIcons
• Point Structure
• PointConverter class
• Rectangle class
• RectangleConverter class
• Size Structure
• SizeConverter class
• Region class
• Enhance the text handling capabilities of a .NET Framework application, and search, modify, and control text within a .NET Framework application by using regular expressions
• System.Text namespace
• System.Text.RegularExpressions namespace
• Using regular expressions
• StringBuilder class
• Encoding class
• EncodingInfo class
• ASCIIEncoding class
• UnicodeEncoding class
• UTF8Encoding class
• EncoderFallback class
• EncoderFallbackBuffer class
• EncoderFallbackException class
• Decoder class
• DecoderFallback class
• DecoderFallbackBuffer class
• DecoderFallbackException class
• Capture class
• CaptureCollection class

You can also find some information on preparing for your exams here, in the actual exam and some other tips for 70-536. The Excel file that contains all these links can be downloaded from here.

MCTS .NET Application Development Foundation - 70-536 – Objectives List Part 6

This is the sixth post (first, second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh) in a series of posts that have links to the different topics covered in exam 70-536

Implementing interoperability, reflection, and mailing functionality in a .NET Framework application (11 percent)

• Expose COM components to the .NET Framework and .NET Framework components to COM
• System.Runtime.InteropServices
• Exposing COM components to .NET
• Exposing .NET components to COM
• Import a type library as an assembly
• Add references to type libraries
• Type Library Importer (Tlbimp.exe)
• Generate interop assemblies from type libraries
  • Imported library conversion
  • Imported Module conversion
  • Inported Type conversion
  • Imported Member conversion
  • Imported Parameter conversion
• TypeConverter class
• Create COM types in managed code
• Compile an interop project
• Deploy an interop project
• Qualify the .NET framework types for interop
• Apply interop attributes
• ComVisibleAttribute
• Package an assembly for COM
• Deploy an application for COM access
• Call unmanaged DLL functions within a .NET Framework application, and control the marshalling of data in a .NET Framework application
• Call unmanged DLL functions
• Platform Invoke
• Map HRESULTS
• Implementing callback functions
• Mashalling data with Platform Invoke
• Creating prototypes in managed code
• Create a class to hold DLL functions
• DllImportAttribute
• Default Marshalling Behaviour
• Marshalling data with COM interop
• MarshallAttribute class
• Marshall class
• Implement reflection functionality in a .NET Framework application, and create metadata, Microsoft intermediate language (MSIL), and a PE file by using the System.Reflection.Emit namespace
• System.Reflection Namespace
• System.Reflection.Emit Namespace
• Reflection
• Emitting Dynamic Methods and Assemblies
• Assembly class
  • AssemblyAlgorithmIdAttribute
  • AssemblyCompanyAttribute Class
  • AssemblyConfigurationAttribute
  • AssemblyCopyrightAttribute
  • AssemblyCultureAttribute
  • AssemblyDefaultAliasAttribute
  • AssemblyDelaySignAttribute
  • AssemblyDescriptionAttribute
  • AssemblyFileVersionAttribute
  • AssemblyFlagsAttribute
  • AssemblyInformationalVersionAttribute
  • AssemblyKeyFileAttribute
  • AssemblyKeyNameAttribute
  • AssemblyProductAttribute
  • AssemblyTitleAttribute
  • AssemblyTrademarkAttribute
  • AssemblyVersionAttribute Class
  • DefaultMemberAttribute
  • ObfuscateAssemblyAttribute
• ConstructorInfo class
• MethodInfo class
• PropertyInfo class
• FieldInfo class
• EventInfo class
• LocalVariableInfo class
• Binder class
• BindingInfo enumeration
• MethodBase class
• MethodBody class
• AssemblyBuilder class
• ConstructorBuilder class
• EnumBuilder class
• EventBuilder class
• FieldBuilder class
• LocalBuilder class
• MethodBuilder class
• ModuleBuilder class
• ParameterBuilder class
• PropertyBuilder class
• TypeBuilder class
• Send electronic mail to a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server for delivery from a .NET Framework application
• System.Net.Mail namespace
• MailMessage class
• MailAddress
• MailAddressCollection
• SmtpClient
• SmtpPermission
• SmtpPermissionAttribute
• Attachment
• AttachmentBase
• AttachmentCollection
• SmtpException
• SmtpFailedReceipientException
• SmtpFailedReceipientsException
• SendCompletedEventHandler Delegate
• LinkedResource
• LinkedResourceCollection
• AlternateView
• AlternateViewCollection

You can also find some information on preparing for your exams here, in the actual exam and some other tips for 70-536

MCTS .NET Application Development Foundation - 70-536 – Objectives List Part 5

This is the fifth post (first, second, third, fourth, sixth and seventh) in a series of posts that have links to the different topics covered in exam 70-536

Implementing serialization and input/output functionality in a .NET Framework application (18 percent)

• Serialize or deserialize an object or an object graph by using runtime serialization techniques
• Serialization interfaces
  • IFormatter interface
  • IFormatterConverter Interface
  • IDeserializationCallback Interface
  • ISerializable Interface
• Serialization attributes
  • OnDeserializingAttribute
  • OnSerializedAttribute
  • OnDeserializingAttribute
  • OptionalFieldAttribute
• SerializationEntry Structure
• SerializationInfo Class
• ObjectManager Class
• Formatter Class
• FormatterConverter Class
• FormatterServices Class
• StreamContext
• Control the serialization of an object into XML format by using the System.Xml.Serialization namespace
• System.Xml.Serialization Namespace
• XmlSerializer..::.Serialize Method
• XmlSerializer..::.Deserialize Method
• XML Serialization Attributes
• Implement XML serialization interfaces to provide custom formatting for XML serialization
• IXmlSerializable Interface
• Delegates and event handlers provided by the System.Xml.Serialization namespace
  • UnreferencedObjectEventHandler
  • XmlAttributeEventHandler
  • XmlElementEventHandler
  • XmlNodeEventHandler
  • XmlSerializationCollectionFixupCallback
  • XmlSerializationFixupCallback
  • XmlSerializationReadCallback
  • XmlSerializationWriteCallback
• Implement custom serialization formatting by using the Serialization Formatter classes
• System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters Namespace
• BinaryFormatter Class
• SoapFormatter Class
• Access files and folders by using the File System classes
• System.IO Namespace
• File Class
• FileInfo Class
• Directory Class
• DIrectoryInfo Class
• DriveInfo Class
• DriveType Enumeration
• FileSystemInfo
• FileSystemWatcher
• Path Class
• EventErrorArgs
• EventErrorHandler delegate
• RenamedEventArgs
• RenamedEventHandler delegate
• Manage byte streams by using Stream classes
• FileStream class
• Stream Class
• MemoryStream
• BufferedStream
• Manage .NET Framework application data by using Reader and Writer classes
• StringReader class
• StringWriter class
• TextReader class
• TextWriter class
• StreamReader class
• StreamWriter class
• BinaryReader class
• BinaryWriter class
• Compress or decompress stream information in a .NET Framework application and improve the security of application data by using isolated storage
• System.IO.Compression namespace
• DeflateStream class
• GzipStream class
• System.IO.IsolatedStorage Namespace
• IsolatedStorageFile class
• IsolatedStorageFileStream class

You can also find some information on preparing for your exams here, in the actual exam and some other tips for 70-536

MCTS .NET Application Development Foundation - 70-536 – Objectives List Part 4

This is the fourth post (first, second, third, fifth, sixth and seventh) in a series of posts that have links to the different topics covered in exam 70-536

Improving the security of .NET Framework applications by using the .NET Framework security features (20 percent)

• Implement code access security to improve the security of a .NET Framework application
• Code Access Security
• System.Security Namespace
• SecurityManager class
• CodeAccessPermission class
• Modify code access security
• Enterprise policy
• PermissionSet class
• NamedPermissionSet class
• IEvidenceFactory interface
• Ipermission interface
• Implement access control by using the System.Security.AccessControl classes
• System.Security.AccessControl namespace
• DirectorySecurity class
• FileSecurity class
• FileSystemSecurity class
• RegistrySecurity class
• AccessRule class
• AuthorizationRule class
• AuthoizationRuleCollection class
• CommonAce class
• CommonAcl class
• CompoundAce class
• GeneralAce class
• GeneralAcl class
• AuditRule class
• MutexSecurity class
• ObjectSecurity class
• SemaphoreSecurity class
• Implement a custom authentication scheme by using the System.Security.Authentication classes
• SSL Protocols
• System.Security.Authentication namespace
• Encrypt, decrypt, and hash data by using the System.Security.Cryptography classes
• System.Security.Cryptography namespace
• Encrypt, decrypt, hash data
• DES Class
• DESCryptoServiceProvider class
• HashAlgorithm class
• DSA Class
• DSACryptoServiceProvider class
• SHA1 class
• SHA1CryptoServiceProvider class
• TripleDES class
• TripleDesCryptoServiceProvider class
• MD5 class
• MD5CryptoServiceProvider class
• RSA Class
• RsSACryptoServiceProvider class
• RandomNumberGenerator class
• CryptoStream class
• CryptoConfig class
• RC2 class
• RC2CryptoServiceProvider class
• AssymetricAlgorithm class
• ProtectedData class
• ProtectedMemory class
• RijndaelManaged class
• RijndaelManagedTransform class
• CspParameters class
• CryptoAPITransform class
• Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC)
  • HMACMD5 class
  • HMACRIPEMD160 class
  • HMACSHA1 class
  • HMACSHA256 class
  • HMACSHA384 class
  • HMACSHA512 class
• Control permissions for resources by using the System.Security.Permission classes
• Control permissions
• System.Security.Permissions namespace
• SecurityPermission class
• PrincipalPermission class
• FileIOPermission class
• StrongNameIdentityPermission class
• UIPermission class
• UrlIdentityPermission class
• PublisherIdentityPermission class
• GacIdentityPermission class
• FileDialogPermission class
• DataProtectionPermission class
• EnvironmentPermission class
• IUnrestrictedPermission interface
• RegistryPermission class
• IsolatedStorageFilePermission class
• KeyContainerPermission class
• ReflectionPermission class
• StorePermission class
• SiteIdentityPermission class
• ZoneIdentityPermission class
• Control code privileges by using System.Security.Policy classes
• Control code privileges
• System.Security.Policy namespace
• ApplicationSecurityInfo class
• ApplicationSecurityManager class
• ApplicationTrust class
• ApplicationTrustCollection class
• Evidence class
• PermissionRequestEvidence class
• CodeGroup class
• FileCodeGroup class
• FirstMatchCodeGroup class
• NetCodeGroup class
• UnionCodeGroup class
• AllMembershipCondition class
• ApplicationDirectory class
• ApplicationDirectoryMembershipCondition class
• GacMembership class
• GacMembershipCondition class
• Hash class
• HashMembershipCondition class
• Publisher class
• PublisherMembershipCondition class
• Site class
• SiteMembershipCondition class
• StrongName class
• StrongNameMembershipCondition class
• Url class
• UrlMembershipConditon class
• Zone class
• ZoneMembershipCondition class
• PolicyLevel class
• PolicyStatement class
• IApplicationTrustManager interface
• IMembershipCondition interface
• IIdentityPermissionFactory interface
• Access and modify identity information by using the System.Security.Principal classes
• System.Security.Principal namespace
• Access and modify identity information
• GenericIdentity class
• GenericPrincipal class
• WindowsIdentity class
• NTAccount class
• SecurityIdentifier class
• IPrincipal interface
• IIdentity interface
• WindowsImpersonationContext class
• IdentityReference class
• IdentityReferenceCollection class

You can also find some information on preparing for your exams here, in the actual exam and some other tips for 70-536

MCTS .NET Application Development Foundation - 70-536 – Objectives List Part 3

This is the third post (first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh) in a series of posts that have links to the different topics covered in exam 70-536

Embedding configuration, diagnostic, management, and installation features into a .NET Framework application (14 percent)

• Embed configuration management functionality into a .NET Framework application
• Configuration class
• ConfigurationManager class
• ConfigurationSettings class
• ConfigurationElement class
• ConfigurationElementCollection class
• ConfigurationElementProperty class
• IConfigurationSectionHandler
• ConfigurationSection Class
• ConfigurationSectionCollection
• ConfigurationSectionGroup
• ConfigurationSectionGroupCollection
• ISettingsProviderService
• IApplicationSettingsProvider
• ConfigurationValidationBase
• IConfigurationSystem
• Create a custom Microsoft Windows Installer for .NET components by using the System.Configuration.Install namespace, and configure .NET Framework applications by using configuration files, environment variables, and the .NET Framework Configuration tool (Mscorcfg.msc)
• Installer Class
• Configure runtime version
• AssemblyInstaller
• Devpath
• ComponentInstaller
• Mscorcfg.msc
• ManagedInstaller
• InstallerContext
• InstallerCollection
• IManagedInstaller
• InstallEventHandler
• Concurrent garbage collection
• Register remote objects
• Manage an event log by using the System.Diagnostics namespace
• Write to the event log
• Read from the event log
• Create an event log
• System.Diagnostics
• Manage system processes and monitor the performance of a .NET application by using the diagnostics functionality of the .NET Framework
• List of running processes
• Current process info
• List of modules used by a process
• PerfomanceCounter class
• PerformanceCounterCategory
• Start a process
• StackTrace class
• StackFrame class
• Debug and trace a .NET Framework application by using the System.Diagnostics namespace
• Debug class
• Debugger class
• Trace Class
• CorrelationManager class
• TraceListener class
• TraceSource class
• TraceSwitch class
• XmlWriterTraceListenerClass
• DelimitedListTraceListener class
• EventLogTraceListener class
• Debugger attributes
  • DebuggerBrowsableAttribute class
  • DebuggerDisplayAttribute class
  • DebuggerHiddenAttribute class
  • DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute class
  • DebuggerStepperBoundryAttribute class
  • DebuggerStepThroughAttribute class
  • DebuggerTypeProxyAttribute class
  • DebuggerVisualizerAttribute class
• Embed management information and events into a .NET Framework application
• Management Objects
• ManagementObjectSearcher class
• Get a list of disk drives
• Get a list of network adapters
• ManagementQuery class
• EventQuery class
• ObjectQuery class
• ManageEventWatcher
• System.Management

You can also find some information on preparing for your exams here, in the actual exam and some other tips for 70-536

MCTS .NET Application Development Foundation - 70-536 – Objectives List Part 2

This is the second post (first post here, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh) in a collection of posts that have links to the different topics covered in the 70-536 exam matrix.

Implementing service processes, threading, and application domains in a .NET Framework application (11 percent)

• Implement, install, and control a service
• Inherit from ServiceBase class
• ServiceController
• ServiceInstaller
• SessionChangeDescription
• SessionChangeReason
• Develop multithreaded .NET applications
• Thread Class
• ThreadPool class
• ThreadStart
• ParamterizedThreadStart
• SynchronizationContext
• Timeout Class
• TimerCallBack
• WaitCallBack
• WaitHandle
• WaitOrTimerCallBack
• ThreadExceptionEventArgs class
• ThreadExceptionEventHandler class
• ThreadState
• ThreadPriority
• ReaderWriterLock
• AutoResetEvent
• ManualResetEvent
• IAsyncResult
• EventWaitHandle
• RegisteredWaitHandle
• SendOrPostCallback
• IOCompletionCallback
• Interlocked Class
• NativeOverlapped class
• Overlapped class
• ExecutionContext
• HostExecutionContext class
• ContextCallBack
• LockCookie
• Monitor Class
• Mutex Class
• Semaphore Class
• Create a unit of isolation for common language runtime within a .NET Framework application by using application domains
• Create an application domain
• Unload an application domain
• Configure an application domain
• Retrieve setup information from an application domain
• Load assemblies into an application domain

You can also find some information on preparing for your exams here, in the actual exam and some other tips for 70-536

MCTS .NET Application Development Foundation - 70-536 – Objectives List Part 1

This is the first (second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh) in a collection of posts that have links to the different topics covered in the 70-536 exam matrix.

Developing applications that use system types and collections (15 percent)

• Manage data in a .NET Framework application by using .NET Framework system types
• Value Types
• Nullable Types
• Reference Types
• Attributes
• Generic Types
• Exception Classes
• Boxing and Unboxing
• TypeForwardToAttribute class
• Manage a group of associated data in a .NET Framework application by using collections
• ArrayList Class
• Collection Interfaces
• Iterators
• HashTable
• CollectionBase
• DictionaryBase
• Comparer Class
• Queue Class
• Sorted List Class
• BitArray Class
• Stack Class
• Improve type safety and application performance in a .NET Framework application by using generic collections
• Generic Collection Interfaces
• Generic Dictionary
• Generic Comparer
• Generic Key Value Pair
• Generic Lists
• Generic Queue
• Generic SortedDictionary
• Generic LinkedList
• Generic Stack
• Manage data in a .NET Framework application by using specialized collections
• SpecializedString
• BitVector32
• BitVector32.Section
• Named Collections
• CollectionsUtil
• Implement .NET Framework interfaces to cause components to comply with standard contracts
• IComparable
• IDisposable
• IConvertable
• ICloneable
• INullableValue
• IEquatable
• IFormatable
• Control interactions between .NET Framework application components by using events and delegates
• Delegate Class
• Event
• EventHandler

That is the first section with the basic MSDN links. I will be putting an Excel spreadsheet at the end of the series of posts with checklist and a lot more links embedded in it. 

Exam Tips 70-562 MCTS ASP.NET 3.5

I managed to get around to doing this exam just before my holidays as part of the 70-567 upgrade exam. The thing with upgrade exams is that they are a combination of the prerequisite exams for the certifications. So in this case 70-567 is a combination of 70-562 and 70-564. But this post is about 70-562 and how to hopefully pass it.

So this exam is aimed at developers developing ASP.NET applications on the .NET 3.5 Framework using Visual Studio 2008. The suggested minimum time developing for this is about 3 years but that is only a guideline. It is not a requirement to take the exam. Some of the main concepts covered in this exam include ASP.NET controls. ASP.NET AJAX, Masterpages, the web.config file and also a bit of LINQ and WCF. You should also be familiar on the different deployment techniques that can be used within Visual Studio 2008.

To get this MCTS you must have 70-536 completed as the combination of 70-536 and 70-562 gives you the MCTS qualification. More info on that exam from my previous post

So first off lets take a quick look at what Microsoft say you should know going into this.

• Configuring and deploying web applications (10%)
• Consuming and creating server controls (20%)
• Working with data and services (17%)
• Troubleshooting and debugging web applications (16%)
• Working with ASP.NET AJAX and client-side scripting (15%)
• Targeting mobile devices (5%)
• Programming web applications (17%)

As you can see most of the exam is covered in the server controls section with a hefty amount coming in the data such as LINQ, WCF with the AJAX and debugging coming in very close behind. Mobile devices well its not a lot and you usually will get about 1 question on it in the exam.

As always I suggest that you use this post to help you define how ready you are for the exam.

Make sure you are using a copy of Visual Studio 2008 Standard edition or above, personally I suggest the Pro edition or higher. The reason for this is that the express editions don't have some of the debugging tools such as attach to process and certain deployment tools. If you want to make sure you have everything and you don't have Visual Studio 2008 Professional you can download a 90 day trial from here. You can also get a comprehensive product comparison by downloading one of the files from here.

Next thing is to make sure you have a testable deployment machine so either use a live machine or use the virtualisation software of your choice such as VMWare or Virtual PC 2007 SP1 and create a virtual machine using either Windows 2003 or Windows Server 2008. You can get trials for both operating systems. This will allow you test your deployment techniques etc.

I used Dino Esposito’s book Programming Microsoft ASP.NET 3.5 purely because that was the book we had in the office and I had previously taken the beta exam for this one. Also from my perspective I have the MCTS on 2.0 already and some of the main themes are covered again in the 3-5 exam so I took a gamble there.

There is a training kit for this exam that will cover most of the topics and like I have said previously it is not a bad idea to supplement the training kit with some other resources such as MSDN and blogs. Please make sure to check out the errata for these kits from here

Some key points to know before going into the exam

• Know how to set up a WCF service and configure an endpoint in an ASP.NET application
• Know how to secure your web application with Forms and Windows authentication and in which scenarios you would use each.
• The deployment tools used in Visual Studio 2008 and the scenarios you would use each in.
• Master pages and how to nest them and also reference them
• ASP.NET AJAX and the different controls supplied out of the box.
• How to create server controls, ascx files etc.

These are some key points that should help you in the exam. This is NOT all you should be learning for the exam as this only is a suggested list of things you should know going in. Remember that this exam tests if you are a developer with 2/3 years experience in ASP.NET what should you know.

Good luck!