Welcome to the C# Samples

Unblocking Folder Links

If you have downloaded these samples from the Internet and the folder links below do not function, you may need to unblock this ReadMe file.  Try the following steps:

1. In Windows Explorer, right-click the ReadMe.html file you loaded to view this page, and click Properties.
2. Click the Unblock button at the bottom of the property pane, and then click OK.

Language Samples

We have created a set of language samples to help you get familiar with various C# language features.  They are available in the LanguageSamples folder.

LINQ Samples

We have created four sets of samples for you that are designed to help you learn LINQ quickly, and to act as a reference and guide for those with more advanced skills. A few handy utilities are also included.

Important: If the folder links below do not function, please follow the instructions above under Unblocking Folder Links.

Getting Started with LINQ

• SampleQueries: This is the most important sample and contains about 500 examples of how to use each of the query operators in LINQ to Objects, LINQ to SQL, LINQ to XML and LINQ to DataSet.
  
• SimpleLinqToObjects: The hello world of the LINQ samples. This shows you how easy it is to do simple queries of in-memory objects using LINQ to Objects.
• LinqToNorthwind: A basic example of how to use LINQ To SQL to query a database.
• SimpleLinqToXml: Get started using LINQ to XML.
  
• WinFormsDataBinding: Learn how to display LINQ queries with grids in a Windows form. It includes a one to many query example.
• XQuery: Another simple LINQ to XML sample query. This sample shows the minimal code necessary to write a LINQ to XML query
• LinqToXmlDataBinding: Bind LINQ to XML code to WPF controls.

Advanced Samples

• DynamicQuery: Code to create LINQ queries at run time.
• Reflector: Use LINQ to right queries against the objects in your code using the Reflection APIs.
• RSS: This sample acts as a tiny web server that aggregates several RSS feeds
• SimpleLambdas:  Several examples of how to write and use lambda expressions.
• WebServiceLinqProvider: A sample showing how to create a LINQ provider to query Terraserver, a web service offering geographical data.

Addins and Visualizers

• ExpressionTreeVisualizer: Create a visualization of an Expression Tree.
• QueryVisualizer: Allows LINQ to SQL developers to see the SQL for their query, and also to see the results of the query in a grid.
• PasteXmlAsLinq: A Visual Studio addin that automatically converts XML markup to LINQ to XML code.  Note: Addins cannot be compiled or loaded within C# Express.

Libraries or Utilities

• Data: Contains XML files and a modified copy of the Northwind database for use by several of the other samples.
• ObjectDumper: A utility for writing the output from a LINQ query to the screen in text mode.
• NorthwindMapping: Contains the ORM mapping created by the LINQ to SQL designer for the Northwind database that ships with these samples. It is used by DynamicQuery and WinFormsDataBinding.
• Whitepapers: The following papers are stored in this directory in Word format:
  • LINQ Project Overview
  • LINQ to SQL Overview for C# and VB
  • Standard Query Operators
  • LINQ to XML Overview

LINQ Samples Database Connectivity Issues

The default connect string for the samples should work without modification if you have SQL Server Express installed on your development machine. Here is an alternate connect string that you can modify for your own purposes if you are not using SQL Express but have SQL Server available. You will probably need to modify the word test wherever it appears in the sample connect string.

string connString = 
  "server=test;database=northwind;user id=test;password=test";