Mike Murach and Associates has just published a C# edition of their comprehensive ASP.NET 2.0 book entitled, appropriately enough, Murach’s ASP.NET 2.0 Web Programming with C# 2005.

As its title implies, this book presents all of the new 2.0 features, including master pages, database access using both SQL and object data sources, the new code-behind model, site navigation features, login controls to authenticate users, profiles to personalize a site, themes to customize formatting elements, and web parts, the building blocks of portals that can be customized by the user.

But beyond that, this book is a full guide to web programming using ASP.NET. So here's what this book provides that developers don't always find in other ASP.NET 2.0 books.

#1: 5 chapters on database programming
This is an area that’s changed dramatically from ASP.NET 1.x. In fact, by using the new 2.0 SQL data sources and data controls (like GridView and DetailsView), developers can create sophisticated database applications with little or no C# code. So this section covers those features in detail. Then, it teaches how to use object data sources, also new in 2.0, to create 3-layer applications that separate the presentation code from the data access code.

#2: The productivity benefits of Visual Studio 2005
Today, no ASP.NET developer should miss out on the productivity features of Visual Studio by using limited tools like Notepad. So right from the start, this book shows how to take advantage of all the VS 2005 features for creating and debugging everyday web applications. Then, later chapters cover special-purpose VS tools like the Query Builder and the Web Site Administration Tool.

#3: A fast start for beginners
Section 1 of the book is designed so that by the end of those 4 chapters, developers who are new to ASP.NET, or even to web programming, will be able to design, code, test, and debug multi-page web applications that get database data and manage session state.

#4: Complete applications for real-world perspective
This book presents complete applications (web forms, aspx code, and C# code) that show developers how the ASP.NET features they’re learning interact in typical business applications. This type of perspective helps with both coding and debugging on the job.

#5: Murach’s time-saving “paired-pages” format
Murach books have a distinctive format. Each two-page spread presents a single topic: the lefthand page explains the topic, while the righthand page shows the critical details, using syntax, code, screen shots, and how-to notes. Both beginners and experienced developers find that this format saves them time in locating the information they need, whether they’re using the book for training or reference.

Murach’s ASP.NET 2.0 Web Programming with C# 2005 is available directly from the publisher at www.murach.com and from all major retail outlets.