2 comments about Visual Studio Tools for Office: Using Visual Basic 2005 with Excel, Word, Outlook, and InfoPath (Microsoft .Net Development Series).

1. Carter and Lippert demonstrate one of the key reasons for Microsoft's continued success over almost 30 years. From its inception, Microsoft was a tool developer, writing and selling compilers and other programming aids to programmers. In similar wise, developers who wish to extend Microsoft Office applications will be pleased by the depth of detail shown in the book. Visual Studio is the IDE that gives you a comfortable and powerful platform.
   
   The book is rather lengthy. Few readers will likely scan it end to end. But the main reason for the heft is the number of applications within the Office suite. Excel gets 4 chapters, and so does Word. While Outlook has 3 chapters and InfoPath has one. Of these applications, it is perhaps Excel that is the most likely to be extended by third party developers. A spreadsheet is something that inherently lends itself to the idea that someone would write more intricate relations. Given that the default mode is for a user to associate cells in some formulaic fashion.
   
   It should also be said that there are several other chapters, mostly concerned with the overall aspects of programming within VSTO. Speaking of which, there is a nice passage showing how to tie an Excel spreadsheet back to a SQL database, through the use of Binding Sources. This takes what is essentially the UI coding of the MS Office applications to a deeper level.



2. With a more reality-like setup example that uses several dll:s, perhaps on a machine with a policy that prohibits new code to run this would have been a perfect book!

1 comments about Microsoft SharePoint: Building Office 2007 Solutions in VB 2005 (Expert's Voice in Sharepoint).

1. This is as close to being a PERFECT computer book as I have ever read. I'm a SharePoint architect/developer with 30+ years of IT experience, and I own every SharePoint title that has been published since SharePoint started shipping 8 years ago. This book is the best. It throughly covers almost every aspect of SharePoint 2007 in layman's (and technical) terms with solid, complete, well-thought examples of every aspect of SharePoint implementation. There is simply page after page where you pause and think "Wow! That's interesting!"
   If you only plan to buy one SharePoint 2007 book make sure its this one.

2 comments about .NET 2.0 for Delphi Programmers.

1. As someone who used to use Delphi almost all the time, I hate to admit that in order to stay employable today, I'm having to know and use .NET. If you find yourself in the same situation, and you want a fast-track to .NET 2.0, then this book is at the top of the list.
   
   It's the single most used book in my collection today when it comes to .NET.
   
   At first, I read it cover to cover. It's not hard reading like some books can be, and it made sense to me since I know Delphi.
   But with Jon's writing style, it's organized in a way that I reach for it when I need a quick reference as well.
   
   It comes with special tidbits about the inner workings of the CLR, which I always find fascinating.
   
   I keep it at the front of my bookshelf. I've had other programmers that C++ guys come by and ask to use it. So you don't need to know Delphi to make good use of it. Borland C++ Builder users will find it an easy read as well since Builder is built on Delphi.
   
   Five thumbs up for this one. Well done Jon!



2. The best way to go from Delphi to Net Framework. Use the Delphi skill to learn Net.

5 comments about User Interfaces in VB .NET: Windows Forms and Custom Controls.

1. It is interesting to compare this book to the one by Petzold which I also regard as a "must buy" - but for different reasons. Macdonald's book is much more manageable than Petzold but still seemed to contain everything I wanted to know about Windows forms.

   Petzold on the other hand is roughly twice as long and thus far more complete. Petzold is also perhaps a slightly more interesting writer than MacDonald - but then I am not sure everybody needs the details provided by Petzold...

   In sum if you can afford only one book and need the definitive reference, get Petzold as it is *so* complete. However if you want a book you will turn to on a day to day basis and likey read from cover to cover get Macdonald.




2. This book is about the details of form building. It is not about the details of backending a form to a database or website. It has a very specific remit and if you are not an experienced VB.Net programmer you could be badly caught out here. This is not a book to cut your UI building teeth on. There are introductory texts to do that. It is also not a UI design book. So don't expect lashings of advice on usability theory, design and test. They are just not here.

   The focus on the book is on form controls creation and the various arcana in .Net that support them. Many interesting and useful topics are raised in the book (there is an overlap between some of these and the coverage in other books, e.g. MDi and GDI+). However, the extent to which they will generalise for the 'average' programmer is another question. I am not convinced that the book has sufficent novel content over an above other more general texts of the market.

   Unless you specifically need detail about form controls, form splitters, personalised system trays etc, this book may be overkill. A good deal of topics in the book is covered in Deitel and Deitel (and more besides),and Balena. So if you are learning VB.Net be careful in your choice.




3. I found this book to be excellent. It isn't 100% comprehensive, but it is full of real, practical code and suggestions for using controls. It's the only book I've found that dealt with the treeview, listview, and imagelist in enough detail. Particularly noteworthy are the descriptions on how to create custom controls based on these controls that have built-in application meaning. For example, the book explains how to create a treeview that has a hard-coded "structure" and exposes custom methods for adding/navigating your type of data. Similar advice is given with validation, drag-and-drop, form inheritance, MDI workspaces, and data binding strategies. Basically, the book is a solid guide to mastering .NET controls. Note that this book isn't the best place to learn GDI+. Although there are two excellent chapters on the subject and the basic charting control, both Apress and Wrox provide dedicated GDI+ books that focus more closely on custom drawing.

   Probably the best example in the book is the document-view architecture with the print preview--simple, elegant, and worth the trouble. Overall, high-content, well-written and genuinely **USEFUL**!




4. For someone who has already used other languages for GUI design, this is a great book to get quickly up to speed in the .Net view of Windows forms. It didn't cover everything in enough detail for me but good enough to get me started. I would of liked more on data grid (how about a whole book on it as it's complex enough) and context menus but I eventually figured it out on my own. I could go for an advanced version of this book too.



5. I'm a fairly new programmer in vb.net(finished vb.net II) and I found this book to be VERY good. Yes it is very theory intensive but the examples it gives are fairly straight forward and if you aren't the world's best programmer they show you how to make controls to make some really slick looking programs.

   There are a few .net 1.0 examples that will not work in the new 1.1 (notably the xp theme visualizations) but this book is well worth it if you are interested in making some "professional" looking forms for your application.

5 comments about C# & VB.NET Conversion Pocket Reference.

1. I picked up this book on a fling... but I am amazed at how useful I've found it. Most book authors today are gauged (by the publishing houses) according to the number of pages they turn in. This book on the other hand tries to squeeze a lot of good solid information into a small space without beating the topic to death.

   It goes over some of the core differences of VB.NET and C# making not just a valuable reference in conversion between the two, but amazing for learning both languages if you're coming from a high level language (I'm a very strong VB programmer). Within a few minutes I learned how to build classes in both C# and VB.NET from this book. About 10 minutes later I had basic Overloading and Inheritance down. Granted, this book won't teach you what Inheritance is, but if you already know it your only problem is to learn the syntax and this book gives you the syntax quickly.

   Another cool thing about this book is that it quickly also shows you what's WRONG with the languages at the IL level and will give you a quick bit of info about things that can cause problems (i.e., case sensitivity in C# which allows you to write functions that would result in ambiguous interpretation in VB.NET)

   Remember: this book won't tell you what object oriented design is and won't tell you how to build an n-tier app in .Net, but it will teach you how to write a class in C# and VB.NET in about 1 minute :-) Its just as helpful to learn the basics, such as loops, indexing, calling conventions, etc...

   If you are already good in high level languages and have gotten dropped head first into .NET, get this book and keep it nearby.




2. This book has been a lot of help for me. I came from an all C# programming background and took a job as a VB.NET programmer. With what I already knew, and this book as a reference I was programming VB.NET almost as well as I had programmed C# the very first day.

   This book is a very handy tool for anyone to have especially for the price. My one compliant is that there is no index but you can quickly get use to thumbing though to find what you need in a hurry.




3. This is a great pocket reference for those of us who go back and forth between C# and VB.NET. It is also good for those who do not have to do that, but want to know the differences.
   
   Granted, much of the .NET platform allows almost line-for-line conversion between languages, but there are many syntax differences. This book covers those for these two languages, as well as a special section of significant differences between the languages (in addition to the item-by-item coverage).
   
   This is a handy little book, but because it is little, it sometimes slides to the back of the bookshelf (between two larger books). Still, well worth the price and peace of mind.



4. There are at least two advantages to knowing both languages.
   - Understanding sample code and examples.
   - Flexibility on multi-language projects.
   
   I'm from a C++ background in the bad old days before .NET, but now I'm equally comfortable in either C# or VB.NET, largely due to this book.
   
   Exclusive of conversion between the two langauges, it's also the best quick reference I have for either. Many times I've continued to search for my copy rather than turn to another source. Now I also subscribe to it on Safari, and when my hardcopy falls apart I'll probably buy another one.
   
   It would be nice if it had an index, but I'm still giving it five stars since as far as I know there is no adequate substitute.



5. This is a great book to start programming in C#. I have been programming in VB.NET for over three years and this book has been very helpful while making the transition from VB to C# and every time I am going from one language to the other. It is nicely organized and you can quickly find the information and exmaples you need to start working.I definitely recommend this book. I got it (...)at my local bookstore and it is worth alot more than that.

1 comments about Power Programming with VBA/Excel (ESource Series).

1. I strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in learning about VBA under Excel. The book is very easy to follow. The author explains everything thoroughly in a step by step manner, and in a very easy language. The book does not need any solid programming background. I believe that any reader with little programming background would find the book to be very useful. Although the book is designed for novices, I believe it covers enough topics to cover anyone's basic needs. On the other hand, I would not suggest the book for anyone familiar with VBA under Excel and seeks to gain proficiency. The book is designed for novices.

5 comments about Beginning SQL Server 2005 Express Database Applications with Visual Basic Express and Visual Web Developer Express: From Novice to Professional.

1. It's very hard to read this book. There is very much nonsense text. Many words, sentences, paragraphs, and pages should have been deleted. General nonsense is mixed with crucial information, so you can't skim through passages. Beginner info (like how to install) is mixed with advanced stuff. Repeats endlessly stuff about different versions, etc.. No logic between the paragraphs. Very messy. He often uses unexplained words and abbreviations. It makes SQL look impossible. I will never by a Rick Dobson book again.



2. 'Beginning SQL Server 2005 Express Database Applications with Visual Basic Express and Visual Web Developer Express: From Novice to Professional' by Rick Dobson is a very nice learning tool for beginners who want to learn how to use SQL Server 2005 Express and Visual Basic Express to create database/client apps that will get the job done and done well. With ~600 page of material, the author leads you through the basics of what SQL Server 2005 and Visual Basic is and the power that these APIs have at your disposal. You'll go from a simple app and database to learning how to build these up in a logical, fun way.
   
   If you are new to these technologies and want to learn, I feel that this is a great resource to use to flood your brain with new information. For those that complain this book isn't too good, it's not meant to be a book for uber programmers but newbies. I think if you want to learn, you ought to give this a try!
   
   ***** RECOMMENDED



3. Nowadays, it is all too common for someone with a competing interest to dis a book in the hopes of steering others away. After reading several of the negative reviews for this book, I was worried that might be happening here.
   
   When I checked out this book in a bookstore and compared it with four others on SQL Express 2005, I found this one to be a superior presentation of the subject. It is cogent and will written, and provides analysis that goes well beyond the beginning level. The overall presentation is well crafted and easy to follow.
   
   The type-face is small, but that just means that you get more for your money, as there is a lot of meat on these pages. The author addressed my issues supprisingly well. The insights he gave show that he has considerable experience with the subject and has thought carefully about how to present it. I highly recommend this book if you really want to understand the subject matter.



4. So far, I like the way the book is layed out. I'm still going through it, and satisfied with results.



5. I don't know where to begin with this book. It is such an awesome resource. Although you can get a lot of user documentation online, this book does an excellent job at helping someone new to setting everything up to really understand all of the technical jargon. The examples and explanations for Visual Web Developer and VB are great. However, I wouldn't say this book is completely for the novice, unless you are defining novice as someone proficient in VB programming and web design. And I don't know how useful this will be to an expert either. It's really great for a middle-of-the-road skill-set.

3 comments about Professional VB 2005 (Programmer to Programmer).

1. This publication has not been subject to technical editing, or if it has, the staff performing the edit were definitely unqualified. The book contains literally dozens of errors, most of which should have been caught before publication. In many cases the text refers to a figure the contents of which bear no relation to the text. As an experienced VB.NET developer I was able to resolve most of the amomalies but anyone attempting to use this book as a migration aid from VB6 to VB.NET would really struggle. When I emailed the publisher (WROX) they displayed a distinct lack of interest, suggesting I compile a list of errors and send it to them and they would, if they agreed, add them to the errata on their website.



2. This book could probably be used by the beginning VB programmer if they are at least familar with the basic concepts of programming. But it is really intended for those who have used VB before. This book concentrates on the changes in VB 2005 with special regard for its integration as part of the .NET environment. The book uses Visual Studio 2005, the integrated development environment that makes the writing of VB programs much easier.
   
   The big changes in VB 2005 and the .NET environment is that most tasks take far less code to implement. This combined with the leap to VB becoming an object-oriented language has extended its ability to be used to code more extensive enterprise applications.
   
   Shipping as part of Visual Studio 2005 Microsoft includes ASP.NET which is also covered here as part of the use of VB in programming for web sites. Other web oriented subjects included here include an introduction to XML which is used with the web to facilitate machine to machine communications. This is changing the very concept of the web where the data the site displays to a user may come from other machines literally anywhere in the world.
   
   At almost 1200 pages, there's a lot of material here. It's well written, and covers just about everything you'd want to know about VB. I found a few small errors, but no real problems.



3. I assumed I would like this book a lot, as I've enjoyed books and articles by many of the authors. Perhaps part of the problem is too many authors - and no primary editor (or one with too many projects.)
   
   Some of the sections are strong, but many key concepts are not mentioned at all. I'll focus on data access as an example.
   
   I realize any book on VB quickly becomes huge, and this one comes with 1000+ pages. But that's 1,066 pages with no mention of TableAdapters, a key new data access object in .NET 2.0. Perhaps the author of the section believes that use of a DataAdapter is always a better choice; if so, TableAdapter weaknesses should be described so that readers are aware of them. Microsoft believes the object is so fundamental that it is the first topic described on MSDN - after "Getting Started with Data Access" and before "Connecting to Data in Visual Studio." I don't understand why this new object, which is used to fill datasets and datatables, is not mentioned in a section titled "ADO.NET 2.0 enhancements to the DataSet and DataTable".
   
   All aspects of data access, a fundamental part of almost any application, are covered in 48 pages. Twenty of those pages comprise a section "Building a Data Access Component" that includes many errors. None of the errors reported to the publisher two months ago are yet included in the errata.
   
   In a related area, I could find no mention of the new BindingSource class or BindingSource component, key new features to support Windows Forms data binding.
   
   This may have been one of the first books released on VB 2005, but whatever your level of experience, it's certainly not the best.

5 comments about Professional Refactoring in Visual Basic (Programmer to Programmer).

1. First of its kind for VB.Net developers. While it does not contain a complete catalogue of all known refactorings, you get a thorough study case used throughout the book, tooling, how to use refactoring for upgrade of legacy VB6 code, a chapter on VB 2008, some important object oriented principles and even short intro on refactoring to patterns.
   This book is deep and takes a while to digest. However, it's not about showing off some irrelevant academic knowledge. Author is not afraid to mention "Dependency Injection" or "Single Responsibility Principle" but all of these are demonstrated to be relevant and get illustrated through very practical and real-life examples.



2. Really great book on refactoring. Although it is based on Visual Basic examples, same advices can be applied to C#, Java or any other OO language.
   Martin Fowler finally has a fair partner on my shelf ;).



3. I am working with group of developers that came to VB .Net from VB6. Currently we are in process in improving the way things operate using some agile stuff. The overall disposition is pretty good, team has already been formed and things like daily stand-ups, client involvement or short iterations are generally welcomed by all. However, when more technical, code level stuff is discussed, there is more discussion (if not opposition). These folks pack years of experience and will not accept that you can teach them their job just like that. There is no way you can force things like unit testing or refactoring. You have to be able to hold your ground and answer all the questions with some good arguments.
   This book gives you in-dept view of refactoring with a lot of practical, code examples. This means that you are well prepared to answer any uncomfortable question. It builds up gradually, so it is easy to follow.
   Almost every chapter ends up applying the stuff that was just exposed on a sample application with a lot of code. Surely author spent a decent time on this title. You can download the code and see it progress from chapter to chapter. This gives a great insight since you can read and debug the code at the same time and not just some toy or isolated example.
   Here is chapter to chapter break-down of the book.
   
   Chapter 1
   Intro chapter, defines refactorings end code smells and explains the kind of baggage VB carries because of its origins. Cool section on misinterpretations, this will prepare you for some tough questions that might come from uninitiated developers or managers.
   Explains the importance of writing simple, comprehensible code. For example:
   Dim oXMLDom as New DOMDocumet() vs Dim portfolio as new DOMDOcument.
   The first statement gives you no idea of what first DOMDocument represents, in second it's the portfolio, and if you know the application context you will know what to expect.
   
   Chapter 2
   Teaser chapter but also good single-chapter sample of some typical refactoring work. Captures well typical process of development of VB applications. Starts out with few event-handling methods, ends up with number of domain classes and some inheritance thrown in.
   
   Chapter 3
   Chapter on refactoring tools, also gives you some insight of how different tools like refactoring add-ins and unit testing framework fit the big picture of agile development process.
   
   Chapter 4
   Intro chapter on application that is used to illustrate refactorings throughout the book. Explains the business case, requirements, lists some use cases. It is important to understand the context of the application to be able to follow-up on refactorings. Also some funny stuff here, like freshman developer that takes pride in copy-paste development.
   
   Chapter 5
   In-dept discussion on Static vs. Dynamic and Strong vs. Weak Typing that is rarely dealt with in such depth. This is basically controlled with Option Strict and Option Explicit options. If you program in VB, you must be aware how these work out.
   
   Chapter 6
   Chapter on error handling, especially legacy vs. structured error handling. Again, something everyone should know, but rarely explained in such depth. Cool stuff is step by step recipe for converting legacy to structured.
   
   Chapter 7
   Deals with some core refactorings like Dead Code Elimination, Scope Reduction etc. It's like cleaning up your code for some serious refactoring stuff.
   
   Chapter 8
   First step in structuring your code is getting serious about the problem (or business) domain. Also explains Rename and Safe Rename refactoring, talks about Interface vs. Abstract class, Open-Closed principle etc. some serious OO stuff.
   
   Chapter 9
   Some core refactoring stuff. Teaches you how to eliminate duplicated code and why it is the worst thing it can happen to your code. Explains Extract Method and Replace Magic Literal with Symbolic Constant variable. Nice and simple example based on circle geometric shape on how procedural design is transformed to Object Oriented design (Module and Shared method rings a bell?)
   
   Chapter 10
   If only method extraction would be as simple in real life... This chapter goes further with method extraction and deals with some common problems like temps.
   
   Chapter 11
   Where do objects come from? How you design classes? Some core OO stuff in this chapter, including Extract Class, Move Member (Method or Field) refactorings, smells like Database Driven Design or Data Class, Large Class, OO principles like Single Reasonability Principle etc. Lot of stuff and handful of pages in this chapter.
   
   Chapter 12
   Build upon previous chapter. Deals with inheritance, polymorphism, genericity. Explains the difference between class and interface (or implementation vs. interface inheritance), difference between delegation and inheritance and criteria to chose one or another, list some common misuses of inheritance etc. Again, a number of refactorings like Replace Inheritance With Delegation or Extract Interface, Extract Super etc. Some heavyweight OO concepts in this chapter, takes a time to digest.
   
   Chapter 13
   Explains what is important when taking a birds-view of software. This chapter is especially important for software architects. Talks a lot about dependencies in software and why you should minimize dependencies in your code.
   
   Chapter 14
   Single chapter for huge subject, still a lot of material covered. Design patterns are the most advanced subject in OO, so refactoring your code in order to make use of patterns is in no way child's play. Mostly deals with creational patterns. First mention of Dependency Injection in some VB book I come across. Now taking into account that Unity application block [...] has been released in April, this is really cutting edge stuff!
   
   Chapter 15
   Talks about latest VB improvements that come with VB 2008. Starts with XML enhancements like XML literals and then the rest is about LINQ. Explains a LINQ implementation called LINQ-to-SQL. This is first Microsoft Object-Relational Mapper (ORM). Again, cutting edge.
   
   Chapter 16
   If you still deal with VB6 code, than you know that migrating to .Net is no easy ride. This chapter explains some techniques that will help you migrate your code and make it .Net in sprit, not leaving it crippled by simple migration that will only make it execute in .Net. VB6 lacks inheritance, generics etc, so you need refactorings to make it VB .Net.
   
   This book has no real competition as far as I know, no book on refactoring or agile for VB .Net developers. The one that come close is Agile Principles, Patterns, and Practices in C# (Robert C. Martin Series) but it is for C# developers and requires a lot higher starting point.
   When other books come up, I am sure Professional Refactoring in VB will continue to hold its ground. Highly recommended!



4. Not a typical Wrox title, generally these tend deal with specific technology in "no-nonsense" fashion. This book has more theory in it and is not technology specific, you will find it valuable if you program in just any version of Visual Basic .Net and any type of application. Not likely to become obsolete very soon, since basic premises of refactoring will continue to be relevant even in upcoming versions of VB.



5. Arsenovski has done a great job with this book. It is clearly written, easy to follow and very practical. A great one to keep on the shelf and reference as needed. The free tools that he covers in the book are a bonus! They really help to get you applying what you've learned quickly.
   
   I highly recommend this book for any .NET developer, not just those who use Visual Basic.

5 comments about Beginning Access 2000 VBA.

1. Overall, yes it is a very good book, but I have two issues with it.
   1. The authors sometimes give code examples that use functions/syntax that are not explained until several chapters later. They inevitably state something to the effect 'Don't worry about such-and-such, it will be covered in chapter whatever.' In the meantime, I still can't do anything with what I'm learning.
   2. (and more significantly)By the author's own admission, they chose to focus on DAO rather than ADO. Maybe at the time it was written that really was the best decision, but learning DAO is a big step in the wrong direction now as ADO is already more the standard, especially as everything moves toward .NET



2. The book seems to be written with the objective of showcasing how much the authors know about VBA without imparting any of this understanding to the reader. "Don't try to understand this now, we will explain it later" is used in almost every chapter. The concepts and syntax are poorly narrated and the text suffers from the needless and boring injection of the authors humor. If you wish to understand VBA, buy the Access 2000 VBA handbook by Susan Novalis. I learned more that I could practically apply to my databases within 30 minutes of picking up her book than I learned after reading and re-reading the Sussman/Smith text multiple times.



3. I hate cutsie-pie programming books with cutsie-pie programming examples of cutsie-pie business applications. The ice cream example contributed to this book's ability to provide me with almost 900 pages of non-help. When I write a programming book, I will use sample apps that deal with a firearms dealership or tracking down the world's terrorists. Something more macho.
   
   I echo the other readers' sentiments about ADO -- altough, to be fair, this was written for an audience who probably needed to get a background in DAO apps and the authors did make a plausible explanation of why they emphasized DAO.
   
   Sorry to be a pill on this one, old chaps, but your behemoth was purchased for $45 by me in an attempt to get me up to speed on VBA and that it did not do. It just made me ill with all the references to ice cream and its ingredients..
   
   ..pass the bi-carb.
   
   *erp*



4. This is a good resource for taking the steps from standard uses of Microsoft Access into allowing the programmer flexibility using VBA. Lots of relevant examples and isa good companion with more technical resources which do not have extensive explanations. A more usable library of functions might be beneficial. Much better than a $1500 Advanced VBA course.



5. Although the authors were very clear in the beginning that they focused on DAO, it was not until I read 195 pages that I really understood what that meant. For other novices that may be reading this that don't know the difference between DAO and ADO: if you are making an Access (.mdb) file, get this book (because it uses DAO language); if you are making an Access Project (.adp) file, then this book does not emphasize the language you need (which is ADO).