Dec 28 09

ActionScript 3.0 Basics for Designers Class

I created a class focusing on Flash ActionScript 3.0 called Flash ActionScript 3.0 Basics for Designers at LVSOnline.com. This class is for existing Flash designers who want to incorporate user interactivity in their Flash web site or Flash developers who have not made the switch from earlier versions of ActionScript.

Currently ActionScript 3.0 is the internal programming language of Flash, Flex and Adobe AIR. This object oriented language is more adherent to the ECMA-262 standard which many other languages (i.e. JavaScript) follow.

Students will learn the basics of the core language of ActionScript 3.0, how it is used within the timeline, interact with objects (movieclips) on the stage and library, develop simple animations with just ActionScript and understand the importance and how to create preloaders for your movies.

The class is only $30 and students need either Adobe Flash CS4 or CS3.

Topics covered:

Week 1: Trace statement, comments, variables, loops, functions and object basics.
Week 2: Manipulating movie clip properties
Week 3: Events: overview, targeting, propagating, timeline control methods
Week 4: More events: frame and keyboard events; timer events
Week 5: Loading external assets (images and movies); Display list explained
Week 6: Working with preloaders and sound

To give you an idea of how each lesson looks, here is the first lesson (.pdf).

When Does Class Start?

The class runs five times a year for six weeks in January, March, May, August and October. To learn more view the course description page and contact me to find out the exact date on when you can register

Oct 5 09

Understanding T-SQL using SQL Server Class

I created a class focusing on T-SQL class called Understanding T-SQL using Microsoft SQL Server at LVSOnline.com. This class is for web administrators, web developers, analysts, or anybody else wanting to learn how to write simple to complex queries to retrieve and manipulate data from a SQL Server database.

SQL stands for Structured Query Language. SQL is a standard language that was designed to query and manage data in relational database management systems (RDBMS). An RDBMS is a database management system that is used today in every type of desktop or web-based application. Microsoft provides T-SQL (Transact SQL) as a dialect of, or extension to, SQL in Microsoft SQL Server, its RDBMS

Microsoft SQL Server is one of the most popular RDBMS used today and a solid understanding of T-SQL is critical if you want to have a successful career in Microsoft application development (desktop or web).

The class is only $30 and there are no other materials or software needed to purchase.

Topics covered:

Week 1: Setting up SQL Server 2008 Express & Management Studio
Week 2: SELECT statements; Predicates and Operators, Case Expressions
Week 3: Joins: Cross, Outer and Inner
Week 4: Subqueries
Week 5: Data Modification: Inserting, Updating, Deleting and Merging
Week 6: Programmable Objects: Variables, Routines and Functions

To give you an idea of how each lesson looks, here is the first lesson (.pdf).

When Does Class Start?

The class runs five times a year for six weeks in January, March, May, August and October. To learn more view the course description page and contact me to find out the exact date on when you can register

Sep 16 09

jQuery: Enhancing Web Development Class

I created a class focusing on jQuery class called jQuery: Enhancing Web Development at LVSOnline.com. This class is geared for web designers to help and learnand use jQuery to enhance existing web pages as well as web developers to teach them how to use a very popular and powerful JavaScript library.

If you’ve spent any time at all trying to add dynamic functionality to your pages, you’ve found that you’re constantly following a pattern of selecting an element or group of elements and operating upon those elements in some fashion. You could be hiding or revealing the elements, adding a CSS class to them, animating them, or modifying their attributes.

Using raw JavaScript can result in dozens of lines of code for each of these tasks. The creators of jQuery specifically created the library to make common tasks trivial.

The class will be teaching not only how to use the many functions and properties of API, but practical examples you can use right away.

The class is only $30 and there are no other materials or software needed to purchase.

Topics covered:

Week 1: jQuery Overview; using $(), how selectors work
Week 2: Using filters, traversing the document, statement chaining
Week 3: Manipulating page content, working with CSS content
Week 4: Events: bind() and unbind(), helper functions, event object
Week 5: UI Library: Widgets, Interaction and Effects
Week 6: jQuery Project: Adding jQuery to an existing website

To give you an idea of how each lesson looks, here is the first lesson (.pdf).

When Does Class Start?

The class runs five times a year for six weeks in January, March, May, August and October. To learn more view the course description page and contact me to find out the exact date on when you can register.

Aug 16 09

Beginning ASP.NET AJAX Web Development Class

I created an AJAX ASP.NET class called AJAX Web Development with ASP.NET at LVSOnline.com. This fourth ASP.NET class in the series focuses on teaching students how the Ajax can be integrated within the ASP.NET framework.

Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) isn’t a technology but rather a grouping of technologies. Ajax uses a communication technology (typically SOAP and XML) to send and receive an asynchronous request/response to the server, and then leverages presentation technologies (JavaScript, DOM, HTML, and CSS) to process the response.

Ajax lets you execute a server-side method through a JavaScript call, without requiring a browser refresh.

The class is only $30 and there are no other materials or software needed to purchase.

Topics covered:

Week 1: Ajax overview; partial rendering; Ajax Extension controls; Script Manager
Week 2: Update Panel; Handing client errors; Update Progress
Week 3: AJAX Control Toolkit
Week 4: JavaScript libraries: jQuery
Week 5: Timer, Web Services and JSON Overview
Week 6: AJAX ASP.NET Controls: Telerik

To give you an idea of how each lesson looks, here is the first lesson (.pdf).

When Does Class Start?

The class runs five times a year for six weeks in January, March, May, August and October. To learn more view the course description page and contact me to find out the exact date on when you can register.

Jun 10 09

Database Web Development with ASP.NET Class

I created a third ASP.NET online class called Database Web Development with ASP.NET at LVS Online.com.

This 6-week class will focus on how you can interact with databases such as SQL Server, MySQL and Microsoft Access using ASP.NET and C#. I start with the very basics on explaining how to use data source controls and objects in ADO.NET (Connection, Command, DataReader and DataSet) to retrieve, update and delete records in a database.

The great thing about ASP.NET is that you can work with almost any data source and are not limited to a Microsoft based technology. I provide a sample database in three separate versions (SQL Server, MySQL and Microsoft Access) and explain how SQL (Structure Query Language) statements are used to interact with your data.

The class is only $30 and there are no other materials or software needed.

Topics Covered:

Week 1: Database Overview (SQL Server, MySQL, Microsoft Access)
Week 2: Using SqlDataSource; SELECT statement and filtering data
Week 3: ADO.NET Review; Connection, Command and DataReader objects
Week 4: Updating and Inserting data (using data controls and ADO.NET objects)
Week 5: Databinding Techniques with GridView and DetailsView controls
Week 6: Understanding Stored Procedures (SQL Server and MySQL)
Extra: Concurrency issues and Transaction benefits

To give you an idea of how each lesson looks, here is the first lesson (.pdf).

When Does Class Start?

The class runs five times a year for six weeks in January, March, May, August and October. To learn more view the course description page and contact me to find out the exact date on when you can register.

Apr 13 09

JavaScript: The Basics Class

I created a beginner JavaScript class called JavaScript: The Basics at LVS Online.com.

This 6-week class will teach the students the basics of programming in general as well as the core concepts of using JavaScript. This will also prepare students to take my JavaScript: Unobtrusive Programming class. JavaScript’s popularity is still on the rise and this is a great way to get some experience on programming and understand what cool things you can do with this language.

The class is only $30 and there are no other materials or software needed.

Topics Covered:

Week 1: Components of JavaScript and ECMAScript
Week 2: Data types, Arrays, and Conditional Statements: If..else, and switch
Week 3: Writing Loops, Functions and Understanding Variable Scope
Week 4: JavaScript Native Objects: Math, Date, Array and String
Week 5: Browser Objects (Location, Screen, Forms, Images) and DOM Overview
Week 6: Script Review and Common Troubleshooting

To give you an idea of how each lesson looks, here is the first lesson (.pdf).

When Does Class Start?

The class runs five times a year for six weeks in January, March, May, August and October. To learn more view the course description page and contact me to find out the exact date on when you can register.

Jan 18 09

Intermediate Web Development with ASP.NET Class

I created a second ASP.NET online class called Intermediate Web Development with ASP.NET at LVS Online.com.

This 6-week class will continue from my Beginning Web Development with ASP.NET class and focus more on ‘real-world’ ASP.NET programming topics. Since the first class focused on getting you up to speed on how ASP.NET works and the C# programming language, this intermediate class lets you take those skills in developing ASP.NET web sites.

The class is only $30 and there are no other materials or software needed.

Topics Covered:

Week 1: Master Page Basics
Week 2: Creating an ASP.NET Website from and HTML/CSS Design
Week 3: View State, Query String, Cookies, and Session State
Week 4: OOP: Building Your Own Objects
Week 5: Creating Your Own Controls: User Controls
Week 6: Error Handling
Extra:    Website Navigation: Building a SiteMap

To give you an idea of how each lesson looks, here is the first lesson (.pdf).

When Does Class Start?

The class runs five times a year for six weeks in January, March, May, August and October. To learn more view the course description page and contact me to find out the exact date on when you can register.

Aug 1 08

JavaScript: Unobtrusive Programming Class

I created a JavaScript online class called JavaScript: Unobtrusive Programming at LVS Online.com.

The main goal for students will be to further their basic knowledge of JavaScript and to understand how JavaScript can be developed to be more efficient by applying general programming concepts. This entails making your scripts more generic by taking the code out of the HTML container with only a reference to the external JS file with no “script” tags which is known as unobtrusive scripting.

This 6-week class will be covering many of the topics I have covered on this website, but with greater detail and, of course, includes on-one-one assistance.

The class is only $30 and there are no other materials or software needed.

Topics Covered:

Week 1: Unobtrusive Scripting: Three Layers of a Web Page
Week 2: The DOM: Referencing and Modifying Elements
Week 3: Creating a Custom Object: Encapsulating your Code
Week 4: Firebug: Debugging Your Scripts
Week 5: JavaScript Libraries: jQuery
Week 6: Ajax Basics: Understanding the XMLHttpRequest Object

To give you an idea of how each lesson looks, here is the first lesson (.pdf).

When Does Class Start?

The class runs five times a year for six weeks in January, March, May, August and October. To learn more view the course description page and contact me to find out the exact date on when you can register.

Apr 15 08

Beginning Web Development with ASP.NET Class

I am teaching a beginner ASP.NET online class called Beginning Web Development with ASP.NET at LVS Online.com.

This 6-week class will focus on the understanding the basics of how the .NET framework works with creating ASP.NET web applications using the C# programming langauage. Students will use the free web development tool Visual Web Developer 2008 Express to create their ASP.NET 3.5 web pages.

The class is only $30 and there are no other materials or software needed.

Topics Covered:

Week 1: Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Overview
Week 2: C# Basic Syntax, and OOP Primer
Week 3: ASP.NET Web Controls Overview
Week 4: Web Controls: RadioButton, CheckBox, and List Controls
Week 5: The ASP.NET Event Model, Automatic Postbacks and View State
Week 6: Controlling Visual Appearance through Propertes, CSS and Skins

If you have taken either the Basic Web Applications with ASP or ASP E-Commerce Database Basics class, you will see all the huge differences between ASP and ASP.NET. These differences will show you how quickly and more efficiently you can create dynamic web sites.

To give you an idea of how each lesson looks, here is the first lesson (.pdf).

When Does Class Start?

The class runs five times a year for six weeks in January, March, May, August and October. To learn more view the course description page and contact me to find out the exact date on when you can register.

Aug 23 07

ASP E-Commerce Database Basics Class

Updated November 2009
This class has been delegated to self-study so it can be taken anytime and the price is reduced to $15.



I am teaching database-based ASP online class called ASP E-Commerce Database Basics at LVS Online.com.

This 6-week class will teach you how to interact with a database by displaying, retrieving and updating data. The class is a continuation from where I left off from my Basic Web Applications with ASP class.

The class is only $30 $15 and there are no other materials or software needed.

The class learning level is “intermediate” which means taking the basics you already know and developing a usable web application. The class uses a simple Microsoft Access database (provided), but you can use almost any type of database with minimal code changes.

Topics Covered:

Week 1: E-Commerce types; Overview of ADO; Connecting to our database
Week 2: SQL basics: SELECT, WHERE, ORDER BY, LIKE
Week 3: SQL continued: INSERT INTO and UPDATE; Managing our Products
Week 4: Recordsets and Pagination; Creating a Search
Week 5: Shopping Cart pt 1
Week 6: Shopping Cart pt 2; Checkout Process

The Online Store gives students a good example to use and refer to when they need to create their own database-driven dynamic web sites.

Here is the first lesson (.pdf) for you to see how it looks.

When Does Class Start?

The class runs five times a year for six weeks in January, March, May, August and October. To learn more view the course description page and contact me to find out the exact date on when you can register.

I only cover the basics of ADO in this class, but if you need addtional reference material here is an ADO Reference Guide (.pdf) by DevGuru.