PROGRAMMING WITH XML IN THE MICROSOFT .NET FRAMEWORK

Introduction

This three-day instructor-led his course teaches developers how to program with XML in the Microsoft .NET Framework in order to build Microsoft Windows® or Web-based integrated applications that are easier to build, scalable, and flexible.

Audience

• This course is intended for the following:
• Programmers who build Web-based or Windows applications that access data
• Programmers who build Web services
• Programmers who build applications that access data stored as XML
• This course is not recommended for developers who:
• Want to learn a programming language, such as Visual Basic .NET or Visual C#
• Want an introduction to XML and related technologies
• Want advanced-level information on developing XML-based applications
• Want to learn how to program using MSXML or how to program with XML in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0

At Course Completion

After completing this course, students will be able to:

• Explain how XML is integrated into the .NET Framework and the classes associated with XML in the .NET Framework
• Parse and read XML in the .NET Framework
• Write and validate an XML document
• Manipulate cached XML documents in memory
• Query XML documents
• Transform XML documents
• Create new XML schemas programmatically

Prerequisites

Before attending this course, students must have:

• Experience with programming languages such as Visual Basic .NET or Microsoft Visual C#
• Experience using the Microsoft Visual Studio® .NET developer environment
• Experience building applications using XSLT, XPath, and XML Schemas

Microsoft Certified Professional Exams
There is no MCP exam associated with this course.

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to XML in the Microsoft .NET Framework

This module introduces how XML in the .NET Framework helps solve common business problems. XML is a standards-driven technology that is ideal for applications that use the Internet. Microsoft's implementation of World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards ensures that applications you develop with XML in .NET will successfully communicate with other W3C-compatible applications.

Lessons

• Course Overview
• Common Business Problems
• XML in the .NET Framework

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Explain how using XML provides solutions to common business problems.
• Discuss how Microsoft's implementation of W3C standards for XML provides a framework for XML solutions to business problems.
• Diagram XML support in the .NET Framework.

Module 2: Parsing XML

This module discusses how to parse Extensible Markup Language (XML) data from a file, string, or stream by using the XmlReader class. It also covers how to use the XmlTextReader to process XML as text, and the XmlNodeReader to filter data by using an XML Path Language (XPath) expression and the object.

Lessons

• Overview of XML Parsing
• Parsing XML Using XmlTextReader
• Creating a Custom Reader
• Lab 2.1: Parsing XML
• Exercise 1: Building an XML Web Service to Parse XML

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Create an XML stream object from an XML file.
• Build a mutable string by using the StringBuilder object.
• Handle errors in the form of XML.
• Parse XML as text by using the XmlTextReader object.
• Parse XML as a set of nodes by using the XmlNodeReader object.
• Create a custom XmlReader object.

Module 3: Validating XML

This module gives an overview of XML Schema Definition (XSD) data types, and then covers how to use the Microsoft .NET Framework XML classes to perform XML schema validation. The lesson Advanced Validation teaches how to resolve external entities, how to validate XML fragments, and how to validate XML by using a Document Type Definition (DTD

Lessons

• Examining Schemas
• Validating XML While Parsing
• Advanced Validation
• Lab 3.1: Validating XML
• Exercise 1: Extend an XML Web Service to Validate XML

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Create an application that uses the .NET Framework XML classes and XML schemas to validate well-formed XML sources.
• Instantiate an XML validating reader.
• Associate one or more XML schemas with an XML validating reader.
• Handle errors that result when a validating reader processes invalid XML.
• Create an application that uses the .NET Framework XML classes and XML schemas to validate an XML fragment.
• Resolve a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) reference to a schema or DTD.
• Create an application that uses the .NET Framework XML classes and DTD technology to validate well-formed XML sources.

Module 4: Writing XML

Writing XML is a central skill in developing XML-based applications. In this module, you will learn about the .NET Framework classes that you use to write XML with or without namespaces. You will also learn how to control the format and validity of XML as it is being written.

Lessons

• Overview of Generating XML Documents
• Writing XML
• Generating XML with Namespaces
• Controlling Format and Validation
• Lab 4.1: Writing XML
• Exercise 1: Build an XML Web Service to Write XML

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Write application code that controls the written output of XML.
• Use the XmlTextWriter class to write well-formed XML with namespaces.
• Generate valid XML.
• Generate XML that is formatted.
• Control how white space is written.
• Write XML that preserves characters that are normally escaped.
• Generate valid XML.

Module 5: Querying XML

This module explains the process of querying an XML document by using XPath. It explains how to write code to load an XML document, and how to create a navigation cursor by using an XPathNavigator object. It also explains how to create your query by using an XPathDocument object, and how to examine the result types. In addition, this module describes how to compile your query and evaluate your results. Because an XPath expression can return a set of nodes, you will learn how to iterate through a set of nodes by using an XPathNodeIterator object.

Lessons

• Introduction to Querying XML Using XPath
• Creating and Navigating a Document Cache
• Evaluating Your Query
• Lab 5.1: Querying XML Documents Using XPath
• Exercise 1: Creating and Loading an XML Data Cache
• Exercise 2: Compiling and Executing Queries That Return Nodes
• Exercise 3: Compiling and Executing Queries That Return Numbers
• Exercise 4: Compiling and Executing Queries That Return Strings

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the business reasons for querying XML documents by using XPath.
• Cache XML data for querying by using an XPathDocument object.
• Create an XPathNavigator object to navigate through an XML document.
• Compile and evaluate the result of an XPathExpression object.
• Iterate through an XmlNodeList object returned by an XPath expression.

Module 6: Manipulating Cached XML

This module introduces the XML Document Object Model (XML DOM) and explains how to locate and manipulate XML by using the DOM.

Lessons

• Opening and Saving XML Documents Using the DOM
• Navigating XML Using the DOM
• Creating New Nodes
• Modifying and Deleting Nodes
• Lab 6.1: Manipulating Cached XML
• Exercise 1: Loading an XML Document
• Exercise 2: Navigating an XML Document
• Exercise 3: Adding Elements and Comments to an XML Document
• Exercise 4: Modifying and Deleting Information

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Open and save XML by using the DOM.
• Navigate XML by using the DOM.
• Create nodes in the XML node tree.
• Modify and delete nodes in the XML node tree.

Module 7: Transforming XML

This module explains the process of transforming XML documents. The module teaches the student how to apply an Extensible Stylesheet Language for Transformation (XSLT) transformation to an XML document by using the .NET XML classes. It does not teach XSLT syntax or commands. XSL transformations are an easy way to provide multiple presentation formats from a single XML data source.

Lessons

• Introduction to Transforming XML Documents
• Using the XslTransform Class
• Extending XSLT Style Sheets
• Lab 7.1: Transforming Xml Documents
• Exercise 1: Applying a Style Sheet
• Exercise 2: Using Style Sheet Parameters
• Exercise 3: Extending a Style Sheet with an Extension Object

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the business use cases for using XSLT.
• Describe the transformation process.
• Use the XslTransform class to apply style sheets to XML documents.
• Display XML by using the Asp:Xml Web Forms control.
• Pass parameters to XSLT style sheets.
• Apply a style sheet that references an extension object.

Module 8: Serializing Objects as XML

The.NET Framework provides a number of classes in the System.Xml.Serialization namespace that allow you to serialize objects as XML and to deserialize XML into objects. In this module, you will learn about XML serialization, why it is useful, and how serialization is performed by using the XmlSerializer class.

Lessons

• Introduction to XML Serialization
• Serializing Objects Using XmlSerializer
• Controlling Serialization
• Lab 8.1: Serializing Objects as XML
• Exercise 1: Serializing a Purchase Order
• Exercise 2: Controlling Serialization with Attributes
• Exercise 3: Deserializing an Invoice

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Define XML serialization.
• Serialize and deserialize objects by using the XmlSerializer class.
• Control XML serialization by using attributes.

Inclusive to the overall costs of this Microsoft training course is equipment, training material, lunch and refreshments.