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01/18/04
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BOOK REVIEWS
REVIEWS: BOOKS LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
* Access 2000 Developers Handbook, Volume I: Desktop Edition, Sybex, 1999, by Ken Getz, Paul Litwin, Mike Gilbert (List $59.99), 1547 pages, CD-ROM, ISBN 0-7821-2370-8
This is an extraordinary reference work that can serve both beginner and expert well. It lays out the mechanics and shows how they may be used, but goes beyond that to relate real secrets that deliver what others only promise. Ken Getz first attracted my attention with some unique insights in his articles in Microsoft Office and VBA Developers magazine (MOD, first renamed OfficePro and now Microsoft Office Solutions) that revealed under-the-covers detail of the sort usually known only to members of the development team. Well worth the money any way you look at it. If you need to develop enterprise-wide applications, pick up the companion Volume II (you can save a few dollars by buying them as a set.
Access 2000 Development, Sams, 1999, by Stephen Forte, Tom Howe, James Ralston (List $49.99), 877 pages, CD-ROM, ISBN 0-672-31291-2
This would be an excellent second book on Access 2000. Its 877 pages make it a hefty tome that is encyclopedic in scope. Although it covers some areas that are not in my first choice, it tends to be a little shallow in some of the basic areas of programming for Access (coverage of the TreeView control was too scanty to be of use). On the other hand, it has a chapter on optimizing your application that are almost worth the price of the whole book if you are doing serious development. While it contains a few nits that I would pick, that is to be expected in a book of this size (example: the book says to use GetObject to see if an ActiveX Server is running, then New to start one if the result was false. In fact, GetObject can do both operations). The book covers everything from building tables to integrating Access with other applications and building ActiveX controls and code components. Along the way it tosses in tidbits such as a listing of E. F. Codd's rules for determining whether a DBMS is Relational, and histories (version by version) of the development of the Jet database engine and ActiveX Database Objects.
Access 2000 Power Programming, Sams, 1999, by F. Scott Barker (List 49.99), 1334 pages, CD-ROM, ISBN 0-672-31506-8
This ponderous tome is physically heavy and topically comprehensive, if not exhaustive. It covers all the topics in which an Access programmer would be interested, and does it thoroughly. It is illustrated extensively, and contains a multitude of code examples. Although this would not be my first choice as a beginning programming book. it does cover the beginning topics as well as the more advanced ones. The more experienced programmer will find a number of interesting details sprinkled throughout, such as "ADO does not provide all the functionality to replace DAO. Me.Subform.Requery uses DAO under the covers." and "ADO lacks the local storage features provided by DAO, and requires use of the Registry or file system when local storage is required." This would be a valuable addition to the library of a more experienced programmer.
Access 2000 VBA Handbook, Sybex, 1999, by Susann Novalis (List $49.99), 845 pages, CD-ROM, ISBN 0-7821-2324-4
The emphasis in this book is VBA programming, and it concentrates on doing that well. Rather than try to recite every component of every feature in Access 2000, it does a more comprehensive job of covering the most important ones ... and it achieves its goal. Amply illustrated, the book includes a large number of code examples, many of them presented as screen shots rather than text listing (I found that approach seemed more authentic, probably because it showed that someone had actually entered the code on a computer). This is recommended as an alternative to my #1 choice, Programming Access 2000, not a supplement, since the coverage of the two is quite similar.
Access 97 Power Programming, Que, 1997, by F. Scott Barker (List $59.95), 981 pages. Companion CD-ROM. Reviewed 1/5/99
This is a programmer's book that covers just about every topic you could imagine, and many others as well! It covers all of the items mentioned in the latter half of the review of Access 97 Unleashed, and more. There is a 35-page chapter on error handling that goes way beyond the basics. Over 100 pages of appendices provide listings of the intrinsic constants in the last three version of Access, error messages for Access 97 and Jet 3.5, and an extensive discussion of Leszynski naming conventions for Access.
If you are going to get into "heavy" programming, this book will be a
valuable addition to your library.
BACK TO DIRECTORY
Access 97 Unleashed, Sams Publishing, 1997, by Dwayne Gifford, et al (List $49.95), 1082 pages. Companion CD-ROM. Reviewed 1/5/99
If you are looking for one single book that has everything about Access, this book should be one of the candidates. An update of the popular Access 95 Unleashed, it seems to cover just about every aspect of Access that exists. The first half of the book concentrates mostly on those capabilities reached from the user interface (keyboard and mouse), while the second half explores the magic of VBA programming.
This comprehensive volume covers everything from the basics to intermediate and
advanced topics. Early chapters provide clear explanations of principles and step-by-step
instructions for implementing tables, queries, forms, reports, macros and modules. Not
sure what the difference is between first, second, and third normal form? This book
devotes several pages of text and diagrams to spell out exactly what's what. Even wizards
are described in detail. OLE automation and VBA programming, menues and toolbars, building
applications, and testing and debugging constitute the intermediate material. More
advanced topics include DAO, transactions, the Windows API, SQL and ODBC. There is a
chapter devoted to developing online help, and onother on the new replications capability
of Access 7. There is even a section on conversion of version 2.0 and 7.0 (95)
applications to v 8.0 (97). This book can take you from ground zero through a year or two
of learning, and will be a valuable reference even if you've gotten a good start in Access
before you get the book.
BACK TO DIRECTORY
Access 97 Developer's Handbook, Microsoft Press, 1997, by Timothy M. O'Brien, Steven J. Pogge, Geoffrey E. White (List $39.99), 596 pages, Companion CD--ROM, ISBN 1-57231-358-7. Reviewed 1/5/99.
This is a programmers book, full of sample code that you can use to exploit the built-in functionality of the Access product. It provides a good reference to the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) language, explains error handling, and supplies a number of applications and components. There is a section of Data Access Objects (DAO), Microsoft's most mature technology for working with databases. It includes sections on multiuser solutions, implementing security, and transaction processing. The latter part of the book addresses ActiveX and integration with other MS Office products, as well as Internet/Intranet-relatied application. I recommend this and all of the other "Developer's" books on VB/VBA from Microsoft Press.
Access 97 Visual Basic Step by Step, Microsoft Press, 1997, by Evan Callahan (List $34.95), 379 pages, Companion CD--ROM, ISBN 1-57231-319-6. Reviewed 1/5/99.
If you know how to use Access from the user interface, this book provides clear and understandable directions on what you need to know to become a developer. There are plenty of illustrations and
screen shots to supplement the step by step instructions. Although there are a liberal number of VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) code examples provided, much of the value of this book lies in pointing out less-obvious components of the user interface that make it easier to create a professional-looking application.
Access and SQL Server Developer's Handbook, Sybex, 1996, by John L. Viescas, Mike Gunderloy, Mary Chipman (List $45), 521 pages. Companion CD-ROM
- Super reference for Learning Tree courses 304, 307, 308, and 404, and client/server implementation in general. Focuses on MSA v7.0 and SQL Server 6.0, but includes pertinent info re earlier versions. Complete chapter on Access Upsizing tools, including tweaking required and performance issues (this chapter was worth price of book to me!). Another chapter on ODBC API. Addresses differences between ODBC/SQL Server and Jet versions of SQL. Lots more.
Active Visual Basic 5.0, Microsoft Press, 1997, by Guy Eddon and Henry Eddon, (List $40), 399 pages. Companion CD-ROM. ISBN 1-57231-512-1. Reviewed 5/25/97
This book is a valuable addition to the bookshelf of the.programmer who has mastered the basics and is thirsty for infomation on the new features of VB5. There is a lot of new technology in VB5, and the focus of this book is on the new content. Although I've been delving into the new features since it was in Beta, I gained new insights while reading this book. As promised, it goes into depth in ActiveX and Control Creation, as well as Active Server Pages and ActiveX documents. The Eddons provide more depth on Internet Controls that most other references that I have seen. The style is straightforward and the explanations are clear. I believe that Active Visual Basic 5.0 offers more value per dollar for the advanced programmer than most other books on the subject.
ActiveX Programming Unleashed, Sams, 1997, by Weiying Chen, et. al., (List $40), 757 pp. Companion CD-ROM. ISBN 1-57521-154-8. Reviewed 4/27/97
This hefty volume provides comprehensive coverage of ActiveX and related topics starting with a good diagram of Microsoft's Component Object Model (COM), the architecture that holds its various technologies together. That is followed by material on creation of "OLE Automation Servers" (recently changed to "ActiveX Components" ... but the terminology seems to be changing on a weekly basis!). Other "need to know" topics include material on Internet Explorer 3.0 (at this moment, 4.0 is still in Beta), MS Front Page, ActiveX Control Pad, and the Internet Database Connector. Many other techonologies are covered, including but not limited to JavaScript, VRML, CGI, and ISAPI), but the focus is clearly on ActiveX. About the only surprising omission I found was Active Server Pages, which seem to be replacing IDC (and HTX). To decipher the alphabet soup, get the book. It's a bargain, even if you don't calculate its price per page (which is low!).
* ADO 2.1 Programmer's Reference,
Wrox Press, 1999, by David Sussman, (List: $30), 607 pages. Web
site. ISBN 1-861002-66-8.
Reviewed 11/12/99
ADO refers to ActiveX Data Objects, Microsoft's high-level language to implement its strategic Universal Data Access (UDA) technology based on OLE DB to use data stored in non-traditional forms as well as Relational DBMSs. ADO provides VB programmers with a familiar programming approach that is more powerful than ODBC, faster and more efficient than DAO (now obsolescent) and RDO, which never caught on widely.
If this recital of "alphabet soup" leaves you cold, then this is not the book for you. On the other hand, if you are an experienced programmer wanting to learn the technology of the future, or a competent VB programmer who wants to get into database programming, then this will be a valuable addition to your reference library. The book delves deeply into a subject that is both simple and complex at the same time, and it addresses the entire object model. It is also the least expensive book that I have considered purchasing in the past year!
* ADO
2.5
Programmer's Reference, Wrox Press, 2000, by David Sussman, James M.
Conard, Brian Matsik, Ian Blackburn, Tim McCarthy, John Papa, Simon Robinson (List:
$59.99), 931 pages. www.wrox.com ISBN 1-861002-75-0.
Reviewed 2000.
This is an updated version of the ADO 2.1 book above that includes valuable new material as well ... a Business-to-Business case study, a section on developing OLE DB Providers (if you have time hanging heavy on your hands!) and more. If you are working with the newer version of ADO, you'll want to have this volume
BackOffice Intranet Kit, The,
Que,
1996, by Stephen Wynkoop, (List: $50), 589 pages.
Reviewed 4/27/97
As its title promises, this book focuses on Intranet aspects of Microsoft's BackOffice suite. It contains a surprising amount of information on a broad variety of topics. The treatment of some topics was more abbreviated than I would have liked, but it did a good job on most of the important areas ... Windows NT Server, Internet Information Server, SQL Server, VB Script and ActiveX. Although the cover added "And the entire BackOffice suite" in the list of topics, major components like System Management Server and SNA Server (to name just two) were covered with just a few brief descriptive paragraphs. If you don't have any books on the topic, this might be a good one to get you started ... but you'll want to get more detailed coverage in some areas, and that will require additional books.
Basic to C++, Leaping from, AP Professional, Harcourt Brace & Co, 1994, by Robert J. Traister, (List: unknown), 363 pages. Companion floppy disk. ISBN 0-12-697421-7. Reviewed 1/5/99.
As an experienced programmer in Visual Basic, I was looking for a book that would help me make the jump to Visual C++. The title sounded like just what I wanted, but the book was a disappointment. Instead of Visual Basic, it used the older line-numbered character mode Basic language for its examples. In my opinion, much time was wasted in presenting examples of the Basic way of doing things ... almost seeming to teach VB rather than C++. It did not take long for me to abandon this book and look for another (see review of C++ Nuts & Bolts: For Experienced Programmers)
* Beginning Access 2000 VBA, Wrox Press, Ltd., 1999, by David Sussman, Robert Smith (List $39.99), 865 pages, ISBN 1-861001-76-2. Reviewed 11/12/99.
This is my first choice on Access programming. It does not try to cover the entire range of things that can be done in access, but focuses in on programming side. Like black coffee, it may take some getting used to, but it contains a treasure-trove of information. There are many code examples, although the book is not illustrated as profusely as others. Object Models are presented as text tables rather than the more familiar hierarchical diagrams. Having said that, there are many "nuggets" that make the book worth purchasing as the primary or secondary reference on Access programming. For example, the book provides detailed information on creating a code library that can be set as a reference from other programs to make favorite functions and subs available to those programs. The book also discusses making the choice between DAO and ADO, and between Jet and MSDE. The longer I used this book, the more "happy little surprises" that I found buried in the text ... many more than most texts provide. On top of that, the price is lower than than of many competitors.
Grammatical idiosyncrasies, such as the use of "whilst" may make the book more appealing to British readers, but could make it seem somewhat stilted to U.S. readers. The apparently revised "Summary of Contents" pasted over the original inside the front cover of the book, but should not deter anyone from purchasing an otherwise excellent book. The book does not include a CD-ROM, but does make sample code available from the publisher's web site.
Building Microsoft Exchange Applications, Microsoft Press, 1996, by Peter J. Krebs, (List: $40), 481 pages. Companion CD-ROM. ISBN 1-57231-334-X. Reviewed 4/27/97
Are you programming in Visual Basic? Has your enterprise yet to commit to a workgroup technology? Want to get in on the ground floor in an important technology that most people don't even understand
yet? Pick up this book and start developing applications that exploit the power of MS Exchange. Exchange is beginning to emerge as an important competitor in the workgroup arena, and it has the advantage of being integrated with the overall MS Office and BackOffice technologies. It provides examples of specific applications to increase both personal and group productivity, including a personal information application, project library, employee handbook, specification library, and many others. It's an exciting new area, and the book gives an easy-to-understand roadmap to the programmer who wants to jump into it.
C++ Nuts & Bolts: For Experienced Programmers, McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1995, by Herbert Schildt, (List $24.95), 432 pages. ISBN 0-07-882140-1. Reviewed 1/5/99.
This is the book for which I have been looking for over three years. During that search, I was frustrated by books entitled "Introduction to C++" but advised (inside the book!) that the book was for those who are experienced in the C language. Since C representes the old way of doing things, I did not want to have to learn the obsolete language first.
Schildt does an outstanding job of presenting principles clearly, providing examples, and answering the "Yes, but ..." questions that pop up as one absorbs new concepts. If you have a solid background in Visual Basic and a burning yearning to learn, you should be able to get through this book in about a week ... and then use it as a reference as you put your new knowledge to work.
Note that this book covers only the C++ language, not the Microsoft Visual C++ product (or any other specific development environment). If you want to do Windows programming at the same level as you may have been doing in Visual Basic, you will need to move on to a book on Visual C++ that explains the programming environment and how the Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) works.
Client/Server Technology for Managers, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1995, by Karen Waterson, (List: $17.95), 219 pages.
A good complement to the survival guide above, this book is presented more from the managers view. One of its most valuable features is the inclusion of many "mini-case-studies" ... a half-page or so describing various companies' experiences in implementing client/server solutions. This book would be a valuable addition to the library of any CIO or VP/Director of IT/IS/IM, or those who aspire to such a position.
Client/Server Computing,
McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1993, by Dawna Travis Dewire, (List: $unknown), 339 pages.
Review updated 10/13/96
Information gets out-of-date quickly in the client/server area, and this book is somewhat dated. Nonetheless, it provides a lot of specific information about real products and their backgrounds. It could be a good supplement to other, more current references.
* Developing ActiveX Components with Visual Basic 5.0, Ziff-Davis Press, 1997, by Dan Appleman (List $50), 729 pages. Companion diskette. ISBN 1-56276-510-8. Reviewed 5/16/97.
Here's the number one book on my hit parade! Rather than repeating the vendor's instructions on use of each element of the environment, Dan Appleman explains the how's and why's behind them. Before he even starts talking about ActiveX, he lays a solid foundation by explaining Microsoft's Component Object Model with a clarity and depth that comes from his years of experience evolving with the environment. In order to do that, he has had to become expert in the much more difficult C and C++ environment. The result is by far the clearest explanation I have seen, putting those C and C++ terms and concepts in a context that any reasonably advanced Visual Basic programmer can understand. I learned a lot from this book. Warning: despite Dan's opinion that beginning programmers can do well with this book, I would not recommending it unless you've got a solid understanding of VB fundamentals and at least an idea of what object-oriented programming in VB is about. Every medium-to-advanced VB programmer needs this book.
Developing Applications with Office, Microsoft Press, 1995, by Christine Solomon (List $39.95), 546pp plus 22pp index. Companion diskette. Reviewed 10/14/96, updated 2/20/97
This book has a lot to offer if you are still supporting a 16-bit (Windows 3.1 or 3.11) environment (there is also a newer version covering Office 95, which will be appropriate for a very large audience today). Based on real-world
projects, the it presents specific suggestions.to make your programs easier for the end-user. It is full of ways to enhance performance and to reduce the expense and effort of program maintenance (classically 70-80% of an application's life-cycle cost!). This edition includes Visual Basic 4.0 but is pre-Office95, which makes it a little dated for most readers. Nonetheless, I learned many things about Word, Excel, and Access ... and I've been using those applications since each one was introduced (thought I knew more than I did, it turns out!). There are many step-by-step instructions on doing custom dialog boxes (each product handles them a little differently), handling Add-In's in Excel and Access, and dealing with Access security. I also learned that it makes sense to use ODBC to retrieve information from Access or Excel files if you don't otherwise need to have those applications running as servers ... reduces system resources (tradeoff's involved in this approach are also discussed). The section on OLE Automation is not as comprehensive as some of the other texts, but will at least get you started if you've not used it before. The last section of the book covers working with the Help system, documentation of your application, and rollout of a new product in an organization (something many of us technical types don't find exciting, but can be very important to our future employment!). Worth the investment!
Developing Visual Basic 4 Communications Applications, Coriolis Group Books, 1996, by Michael Floyd (List $40), 533 pages. Companion CD-ROM
- Have you ever wished for a terminal program whose features you could tailor to suit your whims? With this book, Floyd gives us a working (if not comprehensively complete) program complete with address book, two communication protocols, and MAPI features. He takes you through the code from the ground up, developing it piece by pieceand explaining things like modem commands and communications protocols along the way. Has chapters on Email, MIME, Serial Communications, the Comm control (2 chaps), a Communications Framework, MAPI, Internet, and more. If you need help in communicating using VB, this book probably belongs on your bookshelf.
* Doing Objects in Microsoft Visual Basic 4.0, Ziff-Davis Press, 1995, by Deborah Kurata (List: $40), 463 pages. Companion 3.5" floppy diskette.
Super book! ... and something of a surprise, too. This is a "must have" for your VB library. Starts with good coverage of the entire project process, from concept through implementation. Presents a system developed by the author for doing Object Oriented Analysis (OOA) and Design (OOD), building on the new object mechanisms in VB 4.0. My surprise came from the fact that I bought the book expecting details on the mechanics of implementing OO applications. That information is provided, but does not begin until the midpoint of the book! While the material on getting real user requirements (as opposed to "think-I-want's") and planning the process may be somewhat of a review for experienced programmers, it provides fresh insights that tie directly into the OO process. In addition to describing many useful programming techniques, the author provides a framework of reusable code to eliminate the drudgery and speed the development of new applications. Worth every penny!
Essential Client/Server Survival Guide, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1994, by Robert Orfali, Dan Harkey, Jeri Edwards (Approx: $25), 500 pages.
Good overall coverage of this subject area. Although presented in a rather light and humorous fashion (e.g., cartoon figure saying "Greetings, Earthlings!"), this book has solid underpinnings in theory and practice. The authors are experts, experienced in the material about which they write. Their explanations are understandable to those with limited technical depth, but are deep enough to satisfy those who want to know how the pieces fit together. A good reading of this book will enable you to ask good questions of experts. Despite some evidence of the authors' bias toward OS/2, this is the best book on the topic that I've seen so far. If I had only one client/server book, this would be it.
Excel 97 Developer's Handbook, Microsoft Press, 1997, by Eric Wells and Steve Harshbarger (List $39.99), 623 pages. Companion CD-ROM. ISBN 1-57231-359-5. Reviewed 1/5/99.
This book covers a lot more than Excel! In addition to showing the reader how to navigate the sometimes-arcane Object Model of the Excel application, it provides a decent amount of information on integrating Excel with databases and other Office applications. With the unique capabilities provided by a spreadsheet product, this book belongs on the bookshelf of any developer of office applications where the Microsoft Office suite is in use.
Hardcore Visual Basic, Microsoft
Press, 1995, by Bruce McKinney (List: $40), 598 pages plus 24 page index.. Companion
CD-ROM.
Reviewed 10/13/96
This is not a cookbook, nor is it a book for the beginner. There is a lot of valuable information in its pages, but they will appeal most to the more advanced VB programmer ... and also to those who appreciate a somewhat iconoclastic approach to life! I found a lot to like in this work, but it's more easy-chair reading rather than a sitting-in-front-of-the-computer reference work. For most, this would be a third or fourth book in their VB library, rather than the first volume to buy.
Hitchhiker's Guide to
Visual Basic and SQL Server, Microsoft Press, 1996, by William R. Vaughn
(List: $45), 620 pages. Companion CD-ROM. ISBN 1-55615-906-4
Reviewed 4/27/97
If you are working with database applications using MS Access or Visual Basic with MDB files (Jet Engine), then there is a very good liklihood that you will encounter a database that "grows up" to a size that no longer performs acceptably in that environment. The easy path to upgrading is the use Microsoft's "Upsizing Wizard" and convert your application to client/server status with Microsoft SQL Server. Before your reach that point, get a copy of this book. It will help you with your transition. It contains good coverage of VB and the Jet Engine, including ODBC and Remote Data Objects. To those it adds material on Microsoft SQL Server and VBSQL that will help you adapt and modify existing applications and build new one's that take best advantage of your set of tools.
Inside Visual Basic, Scripting Edition, Microsoft Press, 1996, by Scott Hillier (List $40), 467 pages. Companion CD-ROM ISBN 1-57231-444-3, Reviewed 5/16/97
Clearly written, with lots of code, many illustrations and explanatory tables. Mr Hillier has an easy-to-read style that makes this a good introduction to the subject. Includes coverage of the Internet Explorer object model, the Internet Services API, the Internet Data Connector, Remote Data objects, and more. Most important to some readers will be the inclusion of four complete projects which makes this book more valuable than those which simply describe the mechanics of the software tools involved. Appendices cover HTML, URL's for interactive web sites, a glossary, and more. Well worth the price.
Inside Visual C++, Microsoft Press, 1996, by David J. Kruglinski (List $45), 864 pages plus 32 page index. Companion CD-ROM. Reviewed 10/13/96
Step-by-step guidance through version 4 of the product with lots of "do it yourself" examples. Appendix A is a "Crash Course in the C++ Language" which was invaluable to me. While this book, like most of the other C++ books I've found, assumes that the reader is comfortable in the C Language (which I am not), it was much clearer than the previous (962 page) text I went through. Believe this one will give me enough that I can get started in using the language myself and start learning from the interaction. If you're getting started in VC++, this is a book worth getting.
* JavaScript Unleashed, 3d Ed., Sams, 2000, by R. Allen Wyke et al (List $49.99), 996 pages. Companion CD-ROM. ISBN 0-672-31763-X. Reviewed 10/6/02.
If you are creating web pages you should know JavaScript. Regardless of the browser or platform for which you are programming, there are times when you will want to create programs that run inside the client's browser ... even if you are using ASP.NET! Simple tasks like placing focus on a particular button or textbox are easy with JavaScript. Any action that needs to be done without a trip to the server and back requires client-side programming, and JavaScript is the universal solution to this requirement. JavaScript Unleashed gives you everything you need to get started and work you way up to handling events, programming the Document Object Model, and creating custom objects. If you are a VB programmer, the syntax will seem a little odd at first, but you should have no trouble with the concepts. Amazon has the book for about $35, but I went to their used books section and got an unused copy for $8 plus $3 s&h.
Jet Database Engine Programmer's Guide, Microsoft Press, 1995, by Dan Haught, Jim Fergusson (List $40), 582 pages. Companion CD-ROM.
- Different perspective focusing on the Jet Engine and DAO on a standalone basis rather than being included with coverage of VB or Access. It does have a VBA orientation, but says code examples are "easily ported to other languages" including VC++. Lots of history and background, with details on various versions of Jet. One chapter is devoted to ODBC Desktop Database Drivers, and another to performance issues. Includes a separate large chart, about 20x30 inches, illustrating the DAO Hierarchy for the MS Jet Database Engine. Book looks like a valuable reference.
Mastering Microsoft Exchange Server, Sybex, 1996, Barry Gerber (List $40), 659 pp . Companion CD-ROM. ISBN 0-7821-1867-4, Reviewed 4/27/97
Based upon a fictitious company, this book explains what you'll need to do to plan for, install and maintain your MS Exchange installation. Mr Gerber takes pains to explain many of the pitfalls to watch out for, and provides a liberal collection of screen shots that show you many of the dialog boxes you'll encounter as you tune your setup. Inside the front cover is a list of How To answers ... a nice touch that can reduce your "search time" to find the topic you know was in the book someplace.
* Microsoft Office 2000 Visual Basic Programmers Guide, Microsoft Press, 1999, David Shank, Mark Roaberts, Tamra Myers (List $49.99), 940 pp. CD-ROM. ISBN 1-57231-952-6. Reviewed 9/27/99.
This book is a must have if you want to take advantage of the wealth of pre-programmed objects in Microsoft Office 2000. Close to double the size of the previous edition (below), the it is extremely well-written and provides good examples of customizing the Office applications themselves (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook, FrontPage) as well as creating custom applications of your own in which the Office applications may be invisible. More than 250 pages at the end of the book are devoted to working with data in Office solutions, making it an excellent reference not only for Access programmers but also those who want to exploit corporate data in applications best supported by the other applications. This section includes an excellent discussion of ActiveX Data Objects (ADO), and some of the arcane details concerning the best use of its streamlined object model. The book provides explicit details on creating COM Add-Ins, compiled DLLs that can be incorporated in multiple Office applications. If you are a VB/VBA programmer, this book should be second only to your primary VB reference. Of all the books reviewed in these pages, this is one of the top few.
Microsoft Office 2000 Expert Companion: Tips, Tricks and Utilities for the Power User, Microsoft Press, 1999, by Reed Jacobson (List $49.99), 934 pp. CD-ROM. ISBN 0-7356-0527-0. Reviewed 11/12/99.
A wealth of useful shortcuts and topics not addressed in other books are presented in this volume. A few that caught my attention were the set of keyboard shortcuts for working with Excel ranges and how to choose between an Excel spreadsheet and a Word table. Web techniques get extensive coverage, especially in working with Data Access Pages (DAP). The material covers both the user interface (UI) and programming techniques. Because of that mixed focus, it is probably not the first choice for either user or programmer but would be a valuable second or third reference for both types of reader.
Microsoft Office 97 Developers Handbook, Microsoft Press, 1997, Christine Solomon (List $40), 578pp . Companion CD-ROM. ISBN 1-57231-440-0 Reviewed 6/5/97
An updated version of a book that has been popular in previous editions, this one includes coverage of internet/intranet/web topics and the latest features of Office 97. In addition to providing a lot of good general information on both user interface and programming topics, Ms. Solomon tosses in some small but important goodies such as the use of named arguments in parameter lists and use of the Object Browser (one of my most reliable tools). If you are a VB/Office developer, you will not regret purchasing this book.
Microsoft Office 97 Visual Basic Programmers Guide, Microsoft Press, 1997, Eds. Casey D. Doyle, Maureen Williams Zimmerman (List $35), 528pp . Companion CD-ROM. ISBN 1-57231-340-4 Reviewed 2/20/97
This is the book to get if you are moving to the Office 97 environment! It covers all the new features, including how to program the cute little animated Office Assistant, and the bombshell inclusion of ODBCDirect which provides an upgrade of the Remote Data Objects previously available only in the Enterprise Edition of VB4. A highlight is the appendix which provides a suite of Object Models for all the Office components, and then some. Must reading for the serious VB5 programmer.
Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit, Microsoft Press, 1997, Eds. Casey D. Doyle, Maureen Williams Zimmerman (List $60), 1151 pp . Companion CD-ROM. Reviewed 2/20/97
This is a comprehesive compendium of reference material including version compatibility.interoperability, policies, import and export file type, and loads more.
Microsoft SQL Server 6 Unleashed, Sams, 1996, by David Solomon, Daniel Woodbeck, Ray Rankins, Jeffrey R. Garbus, and Bennett Wm. McEwan (List: $60), 957 pages. Companion CD-ROM.
- Good overall coverage, very readable. For those who are not extensively grounded in the MS SQL Server 6.0 product, it can be extremely valuable. In-depth coverage of the new Enterprise Manager tool (which everyone needs to understand well). Lots of material on Transact SQL (MSSS 6.0's dialect), including Triggers and Stored Procedures. Very impressive, so far.
Microsoft Visual Basic 4.0 Developer's Workshop, Microsoft Press, 1996, by John Clark Craig (List $40), 552 pages. Companion CD-ROM.
- Practically-oriented book ... topic headings start "Dear John, How do I ...". Lots of good information, hints and tricks. Thorough understanding of book will provide answers to many frequently-asked questions that you'll get in Learning Tree's Visual Basic 304 class. Good supplement to the course.
Microsoft Visual Basic 5 Step by Step, Microsoft Press, 1997, by Michael Halvorson (List: $35), 380 pages. Companion CD-ROM. ISBN 1-57231-435-4. Reviewed 5/16/97
- This is a beginners book, targetted both to the new programmer and the programmer switching from another dialect of BASIC (including Visual Basic for Applications) or the C Language. It is well-illustrated, and the illustrations are well-labeled. Halvorson follows through on the "step by step" title, walking the reader through each process in sufficient by not excessive detail. Working with this book and a copy of VB5, most people should be able to attain a comfortable level of proficiency with the environment and create simple programs. It includes simple projects that provide examples of useful applications, although it does not go into great depth in more complicated projects. This book does not cover advanced topics such as DLLs or UserControls, which are beyond the interests of the beginner. This is the current book provided with Learning Tree International course 304, as of the review date.
Object Programming with Visual Basic 4, Microsoft Press, 1996, by Joel P. Dehlin, Matthew J. Curland (List: $40), 502 pages. Companion CD-ROM
Starts with general VB4 programming, works into detailed coverage of Excel (a full chapter), and somewhat less-detailed coverage of Word Basic and PowerPoint. Access is not covered (!!), since the book "covers only the Standard Edition of Microsoft Office". Seemed like rather a major oversight to me. Eventually, I may get to like this book, but compared to the others it doesn't seem nearly as valuable to me.
Official Microsoft Intranet
Solutions, Microsoft Press, 1997, by Micro Modeling Associates, Inc. (List:
$40), 682 pages. Companion CD-ROM. ISBN 1-57231-509-1. Reviewed 5/16/97
If you have tried to put together a Microsoft-based web site that does more than simply
presenting static web pages (say, for example, connecting to a backend database), then you
know the experience can be somewhat frustrating (to put it mildly). Add a tight deadline,
and you're probably ready to climb the walls! This handy book, comparatively inexpensive
on a per-page basis, helped me through my crisis by providing a few details that might
escape even a seasoned veteran (did you happen to know that the MS Internet Information
Server (included with Windows NT 4.0) has its own set of folder permissions, over and
above those provided by Windows NT? And if you knew that, would you know how to set those
properties quickly? The book is consistent with the style, content, and illustrations
provided with most MS Press books. If you're going to be working with FrontPage97,
Internet Information Server, Internet Explorer, VB Script, and internet features of Office
97, then you really do not want to be without this handy reference!
*
Programming Access 2000, Microsoft Press, 1999, by Rick Dobson (List $49.99). 587 pages, CD-ROM, ISBN 0-7356-0500-9This book is one of my top recommendations for those who know how to operate Access as a user and want to move on and become developers. It does an excellent job of covering everything from design of Tables, Queries and Forms through introductory VBA programming and on to Class modules, integration with other applications, Access Projects (.adb), Web functions and Data Access Pages (DAP). The book is amply illustrated and provided with a multitude of code samples that illustrate clearly the points being described. In addition to presenting the spectrum of VBA in a logical and straightforward fashion, it also includes coverage of multi-user applications, replication, and components of the Office Developer Edition. This should be the first book in your Access 2000 programming library. If you learn everything that it has to offer, you will be ahead of the vast majority of your competitors. For those who have taken Learning Tree course 377, this book provides reference material builds on the foundation that you received in the course.
Programming Components with Microsoft Visual Basic 6, Second Edition, Microsoft Press, 1998, by Guy Eddon and Henry Eddon (List $44.99), 389 pages. Companion CD-ROM. ISBN 1-57231-966-6. Reviewed 9/27/99.
Clear explanations of complex concepts are a hallmark of this book, which is ideal for those who want a deeper understanding of classes, objects, and ActiveX without having to become a C++ programmer. Creating ActiveX controls, Active Documents, and programming Data Access and Internet Information Server are all covered well in this compact book, amply illustrated and sprinkled with many examples throughout. When you get the book, be sure put the CD-ROM in your computer and listen to Guy's expert cello rendition of Tchaikovsky Variations on a theme Rococo Opus 33 (Allegro vivo). The music begins automatically when you select the "Meet the authors" topic on the CD-ROM.
Running MS Office 97 Standard and Professional, Microsoft Press, 1997, Michael Halvorson and Michael Young, (List $40), 1117 pp . Companion CD-ROM. Reviewed 2/20/97
Looks good ... will provide details when I've been through it in a little more detail.
Using ActiveX, Special Edition, Que, 1996, by Brian Farrar (List $40), 382pp . Companion CD-ROM. Reviewed 2/20/97
Lot's of good info on the latest COM/OLE technology from Microsoft. Includes coverage of ActiveX and dynamic Web content ... OCX, ActiveX Control Pad, use of ActiveX in Web Pages, and VB Script. Particularly good coverage of the ActiveX Internet Control Pack, with its tools for TCP, UDP, FTP, HTTP, HTML, SMTP, NNTP, POP. Final section covers the ActiveX Server Framework, with topics on security, CGI, ISAPI, ISAPI MFCs, ISAPI Extension Wizards, and building ISAPI filters.
Using Microsoft Commercial Internet System, Que, 1997, by Peter Butler, Roy Cales, and Judy Petersen (List $60), 656 pp . ISBN 0-7897-1016-1. Reviewed 5/16/97
I bought this book for its coverage on the details of Internet Information Server and its configuration, along with its material on Active Server Pages and providing for Browser connection to current database content. It paid for itself with that material alone. Once I get past my current deadlines, its going to provide many hours of worthwhile reading on the flood of new servers that Microsoft has loosed upon the world ... Chat Server, Locator Service, Content Replication, Merchant Server, not to mention some old-timers such as the Internet News and Mail Servers, Proxy Servers, and more. If you're trying to stay ahead of the crowd as your enterprise starts to exploit the Internet, this book should be on your shelf (close to the computer!).
Using Microsoft Exchange Server,
Que, 1996, by Mark J. Kapczynski, et al. (List $50), 857 pp . ISBN 0-7897-0687-3.
Reviewed 2/20/97
MS Exchange is an incredibly powerful tool that can dramatically enhance enterprise productivity. It is also quite complex, especially if you are encountering it for the first time. Mark Kapczynski is chairman of the Los Angeles Windows NT User Group. He and his co-authors (Sal Collora, Kent Joshi, Ruben Perez, and Ed Roberts) are obviously real users who understand both the questions that others will ask and how to explain the answers effectively. The book is liberally sprinkled with charts, diagrams, and screen shots to illustrate steps, settings, and processes. This book belongs in the library of anyone charged with setting up or administering an Exchange installation.
Using Microsoft FrontPage 97,
Que, 1997, by Neil Randall & Dennis Jones (List $50), 1003pp . Companion CD-ROM.
Reviewed 2/20/97
Excellent tutorial and reference on the PC Magazine "Editor's Choice" Web page/site development and management tool. If you've done Web page development "the hard way", using Notepad to do the HTML, or any other Web development tool including Netscape Navigator 3.0 Gold (my choice until FrontPage 97 showed up), this is the time to change. The software is excellent and so is the book. Although FrontPage 97 is easy to learn, it does involve a change in perspective ... and this book will help you find the way to do things that may not be obvious from the environment alone.
Using VB Script, Que, 1996, by Ron Schwartz
and Ibrahim Malluf (List $50), 589pp . Companion CD-ROM.
Reviewed 4/27/97
Covers VB Script and related topics in a readable and usable style. The material on VB Script seemed quite good to me ... plenty of programming examples. As a bonus, I found the ActiveX material better than some books focused just on that topic. The section on the ActiveX Control Pad and the HTML Layout Control was particularly valuable to me. There is also a voluminous appendix on HTML. If you're doing anything more with Web pages than just displaying static content, this book could meet most of your needs.
Using Visual C++ 5, Special Edition; Que Corporation, 1997, by Kate Gregory (List $39.99), 956 pages. Companion CD-ROM includes five more books. Reviewed 1/5/99
Well written and full of examples, this book is a bargain that shows a C++ programmer how to use the Microsoft Visual C++ environment and Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) that are the most popular way of creating Windows programs today (and eliminate a giant portion of work that is required to do it without MFC!). I am using this book as a follow-on to Schildt's C++ Nuts & Bolts reviewed elsewhere on this page.
You may want to look for the C++ 6 version of the book, especially if you are an experienced VC++ user. If you are a beginner (either with C++ or VC++) and canfind the C++ 5 version on the sale table at your computer store or bookstore, you'll probably find that it has all you need to know at a very attractive price.
Visual Basic 4 Performance Tuning and Optimization, Sams, 1996, by Keith Brophy and Timoth Koets (List $50), 753 pages. Companion CD-ROM Reviewed 2/20/97
- Essential reading for any but the most casual programmers, this book provides the information you need to make your programs run efficiently as well as correctly. It is understandable, readable, and usable ... covers a multitude of useful techniques, as well as alternatives for testing and measurement of your results. Worth more than it's weight!
Visual Basic 4 Enterprise Development, Que Corporation, 1996, by Craig Goren, James Schmelzer, and Jeffrey Smith (list $59.99), 974 pages (937 without the index). Companion diskette. Reviewed 10/12/96
An excellent book, despite the disclaimer "This book is sold as is, without warranty of any kind ....", careless editing, and occasional lack of attention to clarity. VB4 Enterprise Development takes a project-oriented approach that is much more valuable than simply explaining how various features are utilized. It provides many detailed explanations of the importance of less-obvious features like designing an object hierarchy that are important to large-scale developments. I would suggest this book as a follow-on companion to Kurata's book ("Doing Objects ...", above).
Visual Basic 4.0 Programmer's Guide to the Win32 API, Ziff-Davis Press, 1996, by Daniel Appleman (List $42.50), 1518 pages (45 pages of index!). Companion CD-ROM.- Visual Basic 4.0 Programmer's Guide to the Win32 API, Ziff-Davis Press, 1996, by Daniel Appleman (List $42.50), 1518 pages (45 pages of index!). Companion CD-ROM.
For those who want "to go where no novice has ever gone before" and explore the brave new frontiers of Windows programming, this (huge) book provides an invaluable guide. If you've gotten all the speed an efficiency available through other VB techniques and your program still doesn't perform as well as you want it to, using calls to Windows API's may provide the edge you need. Appleman tells us what's possible, what makes sense, and how to do it. When you've mastered all this book has to offer, you'll probably be able to understand C++ in a couple of days. This is not a book for the beginner, but it is an essential reference for the serious VB programmer.
Visual C++ 2 Developer's
Guide, Second Edition, Sams Publishing, 1995, by Nabajyoti Barkakati (List
$49.99), 966pages plus 34 page index. Companion 3.5" floppy diskette.
Reviewed 10/13/96
The current version of this book may be a good reference for the experienced C programmer. Although I have programmed in many languages, C has not been one of them up until now ... so I really struggled with the book for a long time. The information was almost all there, but some critical concepts were not explained fully. Since VC++ is up to version 6.0 as of late 1998, I presume that Sams has a new version of the book on the street.
Visual C++ 5 Programmer's Reference,
Ventana, 1997, by Richard C. Leinecker (List $49.99, Street Price $4.99), 1213 pages plus
a 60-page "Jump Table" listing Classes alphabetically and Functions
alphabetically by Class, with page references. Companion CD-ROM.
Reviewed 1/24/99
This is a steal if you can find it! I found it for $4.99 on the bargain shelves at Micro Center (Nutley St exit from I-66, just outside the Washington beltway). It is one VC++ version out-of-date, but most of the information is still applicable and the cost per page is unbeatable! Unless you are using the latest features of VC++ 6.0, it is a super reference.
According to the author, the book "is intended as a supplement to Microsoft's online documentation." There are times when a book is more convenient than a computer screen, and this one gives a very usable organization to help find your way around all the programming built into the Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC). For someone who is moving into VC++ from the VB/Office/Access world, as I am, the current version of this book would be worth the list price. The v5.0 copy that I found was an irresistable bargain! One word of caution ... since this is a reference volume, it will not teach you the language or environment. See the other reviews if you need the latter topics.
* Word 2000 Developer's Handbook,
Sybex, 1999, by Guy Hart-Davis (List $49.99), 1271 pages.
ISBN 0-7821-2329-5. Reviewed 9/27/99
If you want to find an exhaustive reference to customizing and programming Word, this book is it. Contains an incredible amount of detail on everything from Macros and beginning VBA to program integration, class programming, using DLLs and APIs, special templates, and Help. As an example of the level of detail in the book, Tables 13.1 and 13.2, Properties and Methods of the Selection Object, cover eleven pages. The book gives a decent introduction to the VB Editor that is common to all of the MS Office applications and Visual Basic, including the Object Browser. If you learn everything in this book, you will not only be able to program Word like an expert, but also move on to programming the other Office applications with little effort.