Visual Programming (CS306) Spring 2023
th
BSCS – Semester 6 SSD: 10 April
Week 01:
Introduction
o Introduction to NET Framework
o Common Language Runtime
o Base Class Libraries
Installation of Visual [Link]
Introduction
Introduction to dot Net (.Net) Framework
.NET is a free, cross-platform, open source developer platform for building many different types of
applications. With dot NET, you can use multiple languages, editors, and libraries to build for web,
mobile, desktop, gaming, and IoT.
NET stands for Network Enabled Technology. In .NET, dot (.) refers to object-oriented and NET refers
to the internet. So the complete .NET means through object-oriented we can implement internet-
based applications.
A framework is a software. Or you can say a framework is a collection of many small technologies
integrated together to develop applications that can be executed anywhere.
.NET Framework is a technology that supports building and running Windows apps and web services.
It is a run-time execution environment that manages apps that target .NET Framework. Dot NET
Framework consists of the common language runtime (CLR) and the .NET Framework class library.
The common language runtime is the foundation of .NET Framework, which is the execution engine
that handles running apps. Dot NET Framework Class Library provides a library of tested, reusable
code that developers can call from their own apps.
The .net framework is available in three different types.
1. DOTNET Framework:
This is the general version required to run .NET applications on Windows OS only.
2. .NET mono Framework:
This is required if we want to run DOT NET applications on other OS like Unix, Linux, MAC OS,
etc.
3. DOT NET Compact Framework:
This is required to run .NET applications on other devices like mobile phones and smart
phones.
The first version of the .Net framework was released in 2002, and was called .Net framework 1.0.
The latest version available for download is .Net Framework 4.8
It is used to develop Form-based applications, Web-based applications, and Web services. .NET
Framework supports more than 60 programming languages. Among them 11 programming
Lecturer: Mairaj Week 01|1
Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology Peshawar
(Computer Science Department)
Visual Programming (CS306) Spring 2023
th
BSCS – Semester 6 SSD: 10 April
languages are designed and developed by Microsoft. The remaining are called Non-Microsoft
Languages that are supported by .NET Framework but not designed and developed by Microsoft.
Microsoft designed programming languages are:
Visual Basic .NET
C#
Visual C++
Visual J#
F# [Link]
JScript .NET
Windows PowerShell command-line shell and scripting language
[Link]
started/getting-started-with-windows-powershell
IronPython [Link]
IronRuby [Link]
Cω or Comega language A research programming language
[Link]
AsmL(Abstract State [Link]
Machine Language) abstract-state-machine-language/
Technologies supported by the .NET framework are:
1. [Link] (Active Server [Link])
2. [Link] (Active Data [Link])
3. WCF (Windows Communication Foundation)
4. WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation)
5. WWF (Windows Workflow Foundation)
6. AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML)
7. LINQ (Language-Integrated Query)
Main components of .Net framework are illustrated below:
.Net Framework
Common Language Runtime Framework Class Library
(CLR) (FCL)
CLI GC JIT
(Common Language Infrastructure) (Garbage Collector) (Just-In-Time) Compiler
CLS CTS
(Common Language Specification) (Common Type System)
Lecturer: Mairaj Week 01|2
Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology Peshawar
(Computer Science Department)
Visual Programming (CS306) Spring 2023
th
BSCS – Semester 6 SSD: 10 April
Common Language Runtime
Common Language Runtime (CLR) is a managed execution environment that is part of Microsoft’s
.NET framework. CLR manages the execution of programs written in different supported
[Link] transforms source code into a form of bytecode known as Common Intermediate
Language (CIL) code. At run time, CLR handles the execution of the CIL code.
Developers write code in a supported .NET language, such as C# or [Link]. The .NET compiler then
converts it into CIL code. During run time, the CLR converts the CIL code into something that can be
understood by the operating system.
Code developed with a language compiler that targets the runtime is called managed code. It
benefits the features such as cross-language integration, cross-language exception handling,
enhanced security, versioning and deployment support, a simplified model for component
interaction, and debugging and profiling services.
Compilers and tools produce output that the common language runtime can use. This is because the
type system, the format of metadata, and the runtime environment are all defined by a public
Lecturer: Mairaj Week 01|3
Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology Peshawar
(Computer Science Department)
Visual Programming (CS306) Spring 2023
th
BSCS – Semester 6 SSD: 10 April
standard, known as the ECMA1 Common Language Infrastructure specification2. The runtime
environment is called the virtual execution system.
The runtime automatically handles object layout and manages references to objects, releasing them
when they are no longer being used. Objects whose lifetimes are managed in this way are called
managed data. Garbage collection eliminates memory leaks as well as some other common
programming errors. If your code is managed, you can use managed data, unmanaged data, or both
managed and unmanaged data in your .NET Framework application. Because language compilers
supply their own types, such as primitive types, you might not always know whether your data is
being managed.
Objects written in different languages can communicate with each other, and their behaviors can be
tightly integrated. For example, you can define a class and then use a different language to derive a
class from your original class or call a method on the original class. The runtime provides the
following benefits:
1. Performance improvements.
2. The ability to easily use components developed in other languages.
3. Extensible types provided by a class library.
4. Language features such as inheritance, interfaces, and overloading for object-oriented
programming.
5. Support for explicit free threading that allows creation of multithreaded, scalable
applications.
6. Support for structured exception handling.
7. Support for custom attributes.
8. Garbage collection.
9. Use of delegates instead of function pointers for increased type safety and security.
Base Class Library
.NET Framework Class Library is the collection of classes, namespaces, interfaces and value types that
are used for .NET applications. It contains thousands of classes that support the numerous functions.
Base Class Library is the sub part of the Framework Class Library that provides library support to
Common Language Runtime to work properly. It includes the System namespace and core types of
the .NET framework. BCL is accessible from almost any .NET language.
BCL types are grouped logically by namespace and are exported from a set of assemblies (DLLs) that
are part of the .NET platform. Using these types in a Visual [Link] ([Link]) application requires
you to reference the appropriate assembly when compiling.
1
[Link]
2
[Link]
Lecturer: Mairaj Week 01|4
Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology Peshawar
(Computer Science Department)
Visual Programming (CS306) Spring 2023
th
BSCS – Semester 6 SSD: 10 April
The core types are contained in the System namespace. This namespace is the heart of the BCL and
contains classes, interfaces, and attributes that all other types depend on. The root of the BCL is the
type Object, from which all other .NET types derive. Other fundamental types are:
ValueType (base type for structs)
Enum (base type for enums)
Convert (used to convert between base types)
Exception (base type for all exceptions)
the boxed versions of the predefined value types
Interfaces that are used throughout the BCL such as ICloneable , IComparable , IFormattable ,
and IConvertible
Extended types such as DateTime , TimeSpan , and DBNull
basic math operations
attributes and exception handling
Installation of Visual Studio
You can install any version of visual studio of your choice. Following sites and video links will help you in doing
so. Make sure you have installed Visual studio (version 2010, 2012 or later)
For slow or unreliable connection, First read the following article:
Offline installation of Visual Studio ( [Link]
offline-installation-of-visual-studio?view=vs-2019 )
Sites:
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
Lecturer: Mairaj Week 01|5
Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology Peshawar
(Computer Science Department)
Visual Programming (CS306) Spring 2023
th
BSCS – Semester 6 SSD: 10 April
Video links:
For Visual Studio 2019 community edition ( [Link] )
Visual Studio Installer (.exe)
Download and install visual studio 2019 community from Internet (may take 2 or more hours depending upon
your system and internet connection. So, be patient and attentive while installation goes on)
After installation is completed and windows is restarted run Visual Studio
From desktop (if the icon is created on it) or
From Start menu All apps (or programs)
Once program is loaded for first time, it will ask you about the setting of the Visual Studio Environment.
Here, you should select Visual Basic instead of General (as shown in 2nd link). (Despite of any version /
edition, you should set environment for Visual Basic at program startup)
1. [Link]
2. [Link]
References:
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
Visual Basic .Net:
[Link]
Software links:
[Link]
Audio / Video links:
1. Dot Net Framework:
a. [Link]
Lecturer: Mairaj Week 01|6
Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology Peshawar
(Computer Science Department)
Visual Programming (CS306) Spring 2023
th
BSCS – Semester 6 SSD: 10 April
2. Common Language Runtime (CLR)
a. [Link]
b. [Link]
c. [Link]
3. Base Class Library (BCL)
a. [Link]
b. [Link]
c. [Link]
Chapters:
4. BCL:
a. [Link]
Lecturer: Mairaj Week 01|7
Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology Peshawar
(Computer Science Department)