Exams 70-305 and 70-315

Developing and Implementing Web Applications with 
Microsoft Visual C# .NET
Microsoft Visual Basic .NET
and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET

These notes began with the "Skills Being Measured" on Microsoft's pages for these exams as of June 24, 2002. Note that the skills for 70-315 are identical to the skills for 70-305. That's why Microsoft won't give you credit for passing both - it's really one exam that really requires no particular language expertise.

All hierarchically lettered and numbered items are directly from this MS list. Almost all links lead to http://msdn.microsoft.com online pages, a few more link to www.gotdotnet.com, and there are some that lead elsewhere. Here is some information about the evolution of links from local help files to msdn.microsoft.com, if you're particularly bored. 

The list is by no means complete or error free. Please if you find any additional links or ones that I've listed that are broken or irrelevant.

I took this exam on July 7, 2002. I thought it was very similar to exam 70-316, the C# Windows Applications exam. There are a few topics with questions that could appear on either exam - mostly related to security and ADO.Net. I would recommend studying for both the Web and Windows app exams together before taking either, and save the Web Services exam (320 or 310) for last. I have another page with similar notes for exam 70-320 here. I'm pretty sure I passed the exam - my obsessive/compulsive self scoring predicted an 847.

Next for me is a return to learning Oracle. I passed exam 1Z0-001 at the beginning of June but put that stuff aside to concentrate on the recent C# beta exams. I don't plan on posting any study guides for it since I don't know that Oracle has an online source of documentation or a help system that's so handy for linking.

I found out on September 10, that I passed this exam during the beta. 305 and 315 are already announced to go live on September 19, 2002.

Skills Being Measured

This certification exam measures your ability to develop and implement Web-based applications with Web forms, ASP.NET, and the Microsoft .NET Framework. Before taking the exam, you should be proficient in the job skills listed below.

  1. Creating User Services
     Distributed Application Architecture Overview
    Using a Three-Tier Architecture Model
     
    1. Create ASP.NET pages.
      Introduction to ASP.NET
      CarsSelector Sample: Demonstrates Creating and Using ASP.NET Web Pages
      ASP.NET Technology Backgrounder
      Introduction to ASP.NET Web Applications in Visual Studio
      .NET Samples - ASP.NET Web Forms Introduction
      Introduction to Web Forms Pages
       
      1. Add and set directives on ASP.NET pages.
        Directive Syntax
        Directives for Web Forms Pages
        New ASP.NET Page Directives
        @ Page
        Application Directives
         
      2. Separate user interface resources from business logic.
        Web Forms Code Model [link modified, page enhanced April 20, 2003]
        Developing User Controls in a Code-Behind File
        Introduction to Web Forms Pages
        Walkthrough: Creating a Web Application Using Visual C# or Visual Basic
         
    2. Add Web server controls, HTML server controls, user controls, and HTML code to ASP.NET pages.
      Introduction to ASP.NET Server Controls
       ASP.NET Server Controls by Function
      Adding Web Server Controls to a Web Forms Page
      Adding HTML Server Controls to a Web Forms Page
       
      1. Set properties on controls.
        Setting ASP.NET Server Control Properties
        Setting Web Server Control Properties Programmatically
        Setting HTML Server Control Properties Programmatically
         
      2. Load controls dynamically.
        Adding Controls to a Web Forms Page Programmatically
         
      3. Apply templates.
        Web Server Controls Templates
        Creating Web Server Control Templates
         
      4. Set styles on ASP.NET pages by using cascading style sheets.
        ASP.NET Server Controls and CSS Styles
        Customizing the Appearance of ASP.NET Server Controls Using Styles
        Adding CSS Style Attributes in Design View
        Creating DIV and SPAN Elements in Design View
        Style Builder Dialog Box
         
      5. Instantiate and invoke an ActiveX® control.
         
    3. Implement navigation for the user interface.
      Introduction to Web Forms State Management
      State Management Recommendations
      Developing High-Performance ASP.NET Applications
        
      1. Manage the view state.
        Saving Web Forms Page Values Using View State
        Web Data Access Strategy Recommendations
         
      2. Manage data during postback events.
        Web Forms Page Processing
        Capturing Postback Events [Added July 4, 2002]
        Postback Event Sample [Added July 4, 2002]
        Postback Data Processing Sample [Added July 4, 2002]
        Processing Postback Data [Added July 4, 2002]
         
      3. Use session state to manage data across pages.
        Passing Values Between Web Forms Pages
        Passing Server Control Values Between Pages
         
    4. Validate user input.
      Web Forms Validation [A gazillion links]
       
      1. Validate non-Latin user input.
        Walkthrough: Localizing Web Forms Pages
        Setting the Culture and UI Culture for Web Forms Globalization
        Editing the Web.config File for Web Forms Globalization
        Selecting an Encoding for Web Forms Globalization
        Displaying Right-to-Left Text Using HTML Tags for Globalization
        HTML Layout Guidelines for Web Forms Globalization
         
    5. Implement error handling in the user interface.
      Error Raising and Handling Guidelines
      Handling and Throwing Exceptions
       
      1. Configure custom error pages.
        ErrorPage Property
        <error> Element
         An Exception to the Rule, Part I
         An Exception to the Rule, Part II
                   
      2. Implement Global.asax, application, page-level, and page event error handling.
        ASP.NET Server Control Event Model
         
    6. Implement online user assistance.
       
    7. Incorporate existing code into ASP.NET pages.
      Migrating ASP Pages to ASP.NET
      Migrating HTML Pages to Web Forms Pages
       
    8. Display and update data.
      .NET Samples - ASP.NET Data Binding
      Inserting Data Into a SQL Database
      Updating Data in a SQL Database
      Deleting Data in a SQL Database
       
      1. Transform and filter data.
        Merging DataSet Contents [added November 23, 2002]
         
      2. Bind data to the user interface.
        Introduction to Data Binding in Web Forms Pages
        Multi-Record and Single-Value Data Binding for Web Forms Pages
        Data-Binding Expressions for Web Forms Pages
        Data Binding Expression Syntax
         
      3. Use controls to display data.
        Data Binding Multi-Record Web Server Controls
        Data Binding Single-Value Web Server Controls at Design Time
        Data Binding Single-Value Web Server Controls at Run Time
        Data Binding HTML Server Controls
         
    9. Instantiate and invoke Web services or components.
      1. Instantiate and invoke a Web service.
        Accessing XML Web Services in Managed Code
         
      2. Instantiate and invoke a COM or COM+ component.
        Exposing COM Components to the .NET Framework [Added July 5, 2002]
        Chapter 3: The Essentials for Using COM in Managed Code [samspublishing.com] [Added September 22, 2002, thanks to Chris Pike]
         
      3. Instantiate and invoke a .NET component.
         
      4. Call native functions by using platform invoke.
        Platform Invoke Tutorial
         
    10. Implement globalization.
      1. Implement localizability for the user interface.
        Walkthrough: Localizing Web Forms Pages
         
      2. Convert existing encodings.
        Using Unicode Encoding
        Encoding Class
        Convert Method (Encoding, Encoding, Byte[], Int32, Int32)
         
      3. Implement right-to-left and left-to-right mirroring.
        Displaying Right-to-Left Text Using HTML Tags for Globalization
         
      4. Prepare culture-specific formatting.
        Formatting For Different Cultures
         
    11. Handle events.
      ASP.NET Server Control Event Model
      Web Forms Page Processing
      Event Sample [Added July 6, 2002]
       
      1. Create event handlers.
        Creating Event Handlers in Web Forms Pages
        Binding to an Existing Event Handler in Web Forms Pages
        Creating an Event Handler at Run Time in Web Forms Pages
        Connecting Multiple Events to a Single Event Handler in Web Forms Pages
         
      2. Raise events.
        Raising an Event
        Events in ASP.NET Server Controls
         
    12. Implement accessibility features.
      Accessibility Design Guidelines for the Web
      Walkthrough: Creating an Accessible Web Application
       
    13. Use and edit intrinsic objects. Intrinsic objects include response, request, session, server, and application.
      HttpApplication Members
       
      1. Retrieve values from the properties of intrinsic objects.
         
      2. Set values on the properties of intrinsic objects.
         
      3. Use intrinsic objects to perform operations.
        HttpServerUtility Members [Added November 23, 2002]
        HttpResponse Members [Added November 23, 2002]
         
  2. Creating and Managing Components and .NET Assemblies
    1. Create and modify a .NET assembly.
      1. Create and implement satellite assemblies.
        Creating Satellite Assemblies
         
      2. Create resource-only assemblies.
         
    2. Create Web custom controls and Web user controls.
      Web Forms User Controls [Many links] [Added July 6, 2002]
      .NET Samples - ASP.NET Control Authoring [Added July 6, 2002]
      Developing a Templated Control [Added July 6, 2002]
      Templated Control Sample [Added July 6, 2002]
      Developing a Simple ASP.NET Server Control [Added July 8, 2003]
       
  3. Consuming and Manipulating Data
     Introduction to Data Access in Web Forms Pages
    Web Data Access Strategy Recommendations
    Walkthrough: Displaying Data in a Web Forms Page
    Walkthrough: Updating Data Using a Database Update Query in Web Forms
    Walkthrough: Using a DataGrid Web Control to Read and Write Data
    NET Samples - ASP.NET Data Grid [many links]
     
    1. Access and manipulate data from a Microsoft SQL Server™ database by creating and using ad hoc queries and stored procedures.
      Binding SQL Data to a DataGrid Control [Added July 5, 2002]
      Binding SQL Data to a DataList Control [Added July 5, 2002]
      Binding SQL Data to a Repeater Control [Added July 5, 2002]
      UPDATE (Transact-SQL) [Added July 6, 2002]
      INSERT (Transact-SQL) [Added July 6, 2002]
      DELETE (Transact-SQL) [Added July 6, 2002]
      CREATE PROCEDURE (Transact-SQL) [Added July 6, 2002]
      Introduction to DataCommand Objects in Visual Studio [Added July 6, 2002]
      Setting and Getting Data Command Parameters [Added July 6, 2002]
      Using Stored Procedures with a Command [Added July 6, 2002]
        
    2. Access and manipulate data from a data store. Data stores include relational databases, XML documents, and flat files. Methods include XML techniques and ADO.NET.
      Data Sources for Web Forms Pages
      XML Web Server Control [Many links] [Added July 6, 2002]
       
    3. Handle data errors.
      SqlException Class [Added July 6, 2002]
      SqlError Class [Added July 6, 2002]
      OleDbException Class [Added July 6, 2002]
      OleDbError Class [Added July 6, 2002]
      .NET Samples - ASP.NET Data Grid [DataGrid Examples 4-10] [Added July 6, 2002]
      Handling Concurrency Errors [Added July 6, 2002]
      Walkthrough: Handling a Concurrency Exception [Added July 6, 2002]
      Data Validation in Datasets [Added July 6, 2002]
        
  4. Testing and Debugging
    1. Create a unit test plan.
      Unit Testing
       
    2. Implement tracing.
      Enabling Application-Level Tracing
       Writing Trace Messages [Added July 7, 2002] 
      Logging Application, Server, and Security Events [many links] [Added November 23, 2002]
       
      1. Add trace listeners and trace switches to an application.
        Creating and Initializing Trace Listeners
        Creating and Initializing Trace Switches
        Configuring Trace Switches
         
      2. Display trace output.
        Trace Listeners
        Enabling Tracing for a Page
         
    3. Debug, rework, and resolve defects in code.
      1. Configure the debugging environment.
        ASP Remote Debugging Setup
        ASP.NET Debugging: System Requirements
         
      2. Create and apply debugging code to components, pages, and applications.
        Debugging the ASP.NET Sample Application
         
      3. Provide multicultural test data to components, pages, and applications.
        Globalization Testing
        Localization Testing
        Culture-Specific Classes for Global Windows Forms and Web Forms
         
      4. Execute tests.
        Breakpoint Condition Dialog Box [Added November 23, 2002]
         
      5. Resolve errors and rework code.
         
  5. Deploying a Web Application
     Walkthrough: Deploying a Web Solution
     
    1. Plan the deployment of a Web application.
      1. Plan a deployment that uses removable media.
        Deployment Via Distributable Media
         
      2. Plan a Web-based deployment.
        Deployment of a Web Setup Project
         
      3. Plan the deployment of an application to a Web garden, a Web farm, or a cluster.
        [Web garden?!? Note to the IT metaphor generating industry: I hate you. Please stop.]
        <processModel> Element [Added April 13, 2004]
        Developing High-Performance ASP.NET Applications
        Distributed Deployment Scenario
         
    2. Create a setup program that installs a Web application and allows for the application to be uninstalled.
       
    3. Deploy a Web application.
      Microsoft ASP.NET QuickStarts Tutorial : Deploying ASP.NET Applications [gotdotnet.com] [Added July 7, 2002]
      Walkthrough: Using a Custom Action to Create a Database During Installation [Added November 23, 2002]
       
    4. Add assemblies to the global assembly cache.
      Installing an Assembly into the Global Assembly Cache
       
  6. Maintaining and Supporting a Web Application
    1. Optimize the performance of a Web application.
      ASP.NET Performance Overview
      Developing High-Performance ASP.NET Applications
      Monitoring ASP.NET Application Performance
      ASP.NET Caching Features
       
    2. Diagnose and resolve errors and issues.
       
  7. Configuring and Securing a Web Application
    1. Configure a Web application.
      Application Configuration Files
      Configuration Inheritance
      Redirecting Assembly Versions
      ASP.NET Configuration [Added July 7, 2002]
        
      1. Modify the Web.config file.
        Application Root Directory Configuration File (Web.config)
         
      2. Modify the Machine.config file.
        Machine Configuration Files
         
      3. Add and modify application settings.
        .NET Samples - ASP.NET Configuration
         
    2. Configure security for a Web application.
      1. Select and configure authentication type. Authentication types include Windows® Authentication, None, forms-based, Microsoft Passport, Internet Information Services (IIS) authentication, and custom authentication.
        ASP.NET Authentication

        ASP.NET Architecture [Added July 7, 2002]
        Building Secure ASP .NET Applications .pdf Download [Added February 19, 2003]
        ASP.NET Security: An Introductory Guide to Building and Deploying More Secure Sites with ASP.NET and IIS -- MSDN Magazine, April 2002 [Added April 20, 2003]
        ASP.NET Security: An Introductory Guide to Building and Deploying More Secure Sites with ASP.NET and IIS, Part 2 -- MSDN Magazine, May 2002 [Added April 20, 2003, thanks to for the suggestion. Link fixed October 10, 2004]
         

    3. Configure authorization. Authorization methods include file-based methods and URL-based methods.
      ASP.NET Authorization
      Web Application Security at Run Time
       
      1. Configure role-based authorization.
        Introduction to Role-Based Security
        Role-Based Security
        Role Based Security Technology Sample
        PrincipalPermission Class [Added November 23, 2002]
         
      2. Implement impersonation.
        ASP.NET Impersonation
        Introduction to Web Application Security
        Using IIS Authentication With ASP.NET Impersonation
        WindowsIdentity.Impersonate Method
        Impersonating and Reverting
         
    4. Configure and implement caching. Caching types include output, fragment, and data.
      ASP.NET Caching Features
      Caching Portions of an ASP.NET Page
      .NET Samples - ASP.NET Caching
      Microsoft ASP.NET QuickStarts Tutorial: Page Output Caching [gotdotnet.com]
      Microsoft ASP.NET QuickStarts Tutorial: Page Fragment Caching [gotdotnet.com]
      Microsoft ASP.NET QuickStarts Tutorial: Page Data Caching [gotdotnet.com]
      ASP.NET.4GuysFromRolla.com: Caching with ASP.NET       [4guysfromrolla.com]
        
      1. Use a cache object.
        Cache Class
      2. Use cache directives.
        @ OutputCache
         
    5. Configure and implement session state in various topologies such as a Web garden and a Web farm.
      Session State
      State Management Recommendations
      ASP.NET Session State
      ASP.NET Session State - ASP.NET tutorial, script, code, controls [411asp.net]
       
      1. Use session state within a process.
         
      2. Use session state with session state service.
         
      3. Use session state with Microsoft SQL Server.
        ASP.NET FAQ [aspnetfaq.com] [do not look directly at the background color!]
         
    6. Install and configure server services.
      Visual Studio .NET Software Requirements
       
      1. Install and configure a Web server.
         
      2. Install and configure Microsoft FrontPage® Server Extensions.
        Fitch & Mather Corporation: Setup Documentation
         

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Last Update: October 10, 2004

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