What is New In Visual Studio 2008 And .Net Framework 3.5 - Part 2

New in Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
Smart Device Projects
Occasionally Connected Applications

Visual Studio provides tools to create occasionally connected smart device applications by using SQL Server Compact and Microsoft Synchronization Services for ADO.NET (Devices) version 1.0.

Power Packs Controls and Components

The Microsoft Visual Basic Power Packs 3.0 controls and components that were previously available for download are now included in Visual Studio 2008 SP1. Power Packs can be used in both Visual Basic and Visual C# Windows Forms Application projects.

Included in the Power Packs are a new DataRepeater control, and also updated versions of the previously released Line and Shape controls, the PrintForm component, and the Printer Compatibility Library.

DataRepeater Control

The new DataRepeater control lets you use standard Windows Forms controls to display rows of data in a scrollable container. This control provides more flexibility than standard grid controls.


Line and Shape Controls

The Line and Shape controls are a set of three graphical controls that let you draw lines, ovals, and rectangles on forms and containers at design time. These controls make it easier to enhance the look of your user interface. Line and Shape controls encapsulate many of the graphics methods that are contained in the System.Drawing namespace so that you can draw lines and shapes in a single step without having to create graphics objects, pens, and brushes. You can create complex graphics effects such as gradient fills by just setting some properties. These controls also provide events such as click and double-click to enable you to respond to and interact with end users.


PrintForm Component

The PrintForm component is designed so that you can easily print a Windows Form as you could in Visual Basic 6.0. By using the PrintForm component, you can once again lay out a Windows Form exactly how you want it and enable users to print the form as a quick report.

Printer Compatibility Library

The Printer Compatibility Library enables projects that use the Visual Basic 6.0 Printer object and Printers collection to be upgraded without requiring you to rewrite the printing logic. Just add a reference to the library, declare a Printer, and make some minor syntax changes, and the project will be able to print by using the Printers collection and Printer object as it did in Visual Basic 6.0. This version incorporates a new Write method into the Printer object. The new method lets you print text without using a forced carriage return, like the semicolon syntax used by the Print method in Visual Basic 6.0.


Distributing Power Packs

Also included is a bootstrapping package that lets you easily redistribute the Visual Basic Power Packs with an application. This lets you include the Power Packs in a ClickOnce Project or Setup Project by just clicking a check box.


.NET Framework Client Profile Support

Visual Studio 2008 SP1 supports the new .NET Framework Client Profile, a subset of the .NET Framework redistributable library that is optimized for client scenarios. These are some of the benefits of the Client Profile:

* A bootstrapper, which is just 200K, enables a fast response to the setup URL of an application.
* An integrated custom UI lets you package your application together with the Client Profile for a seamless installation experience.
* A small file size of 26.5MB helps to make installation fast.

ClickOnce Deployment

ClickOnce deployment includes the following features:

* Support for publishing unsigned manifests. For more information, see "Generating an Unsigned Manifest" in How to: Sign Application and Deployment Manifests.
* Enhancements to the Publish Options dialog box. These enhancements include support for configuring the following options:
o File Associations.
o Error URL, which specifies a Web site that is displayed in dialog boxes that are encountered during ClickOnce installations.
o Suite name, which specifies the name of the folder on the Start menu in which the application will be installed.
o Exclude Deployment Provider URL, which specifies whether to exclude the deployment provider URL from the deployment manifest.