|
Similar Look, Big Changes |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Toolbox. The Visual Studio toolbox has been augmented by several controls, including the BindingSource control for aggregating and managing data. The toolbox still provides the easiest-to-use method of instantiating predefined classes built into the .NET Framework. |  |
Debugger window. The debugger window shows debug output when building and running applications within Visual Studio. The exact windows and window layout remain highly customizable. | |||||
 |
Design pane. The design pane remains largely unchanged from previous versions of Visual Studio, where developers insert both user interface controls and other components when laying out an application's appearance and function. |  |
Solution Explorer. The Solution Explorer not only shows the project structure and project files, but it also includes tabs for the data sources and the Class Designer, if used.The Solution Explorer not only shows the project structure and project files, but it also includes tabs for the data sources and the Class Designer, if used. | |||||
 |
Code window. The code window lets developers write code that provides event handing and other functionality for the components placed on the design form. |  |
Properties window. The Properties window displays the properties of a selected control in the design window, and lets developers set default values for a wide variety of properties. | |||||
Figure 1. C#: It’s All About the Code.
Visual Studio has long set the standard for IDEs, and Visual Studio 2005 continues that vein, with numerous small tweaks that update the tool, while retaining a reassuringly familiar appearance. Like the tools themselves, the default IDEs when using C# and Visual Basic are highly similar at a glance, with subtle but important differences that will have some developers favoring one over the other. The basic layouts themselves remain the same, but the emphasis when coding in C# is on code creation. Yes, the tool carries over many of the RAD features that VB is known for, but when you get down to it, C# is all about letting you write code.