TPS development using the Microsoft .NET framework

General purpose programming languages such as ANSI-C and C++ are commonly used for test program set (TPS) development when test-specific languages fall short or where TPS developers and system integrators want to take advantage of the commercial tools available for these languages. This paper explores adding .NET languages, specifically C#, to the list of general purpose programming languages used for TPS development. The paper starts with an overview of the .NET Framework and includes a description of the support for legacy technologies. A description of common problems with non-.NET languages and how .NET languages and tools address these problems follows. Finally, the paper concludes with examples of test development in .NET.