Customer Reviews

Dan Appleman's Visual Basic Programmer's Guide to the Win32 API

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is definitely for Advanced VB developers. Accessing the API is something that you do not do all the time as a VB developer. It will tell you though almost everything you need to know how to access the Windows API from VB, IF you have the heart for it.

If you don't have it, probably Appleman's other book, "Developing COM/ActiveX Components from Visual Basic 6" is for you. Not only is it easier to understand and truly worthwhile, but you'll be easily proficient in designing classes, objects, DLLs, Exes, Controls, etc., extremely useful concepts I never thought I'll understand before I started reading it. Now, those, I can say, can even be for the faint-hearted.

This is a mandatory book for every serious VB developer. It indeed holds hunderds of API functions but that doesn't mean you'll have to read all of them to understand the concept. Ever since I bought this book (that was the former edition, for VB5) I used it primerily as a refference, rather than a tutorial. Everytime I came accross the need for an API function, I opened the book at the respective chapter, searching for the right function. Just like a dictionary. You don't to read all of those frightening 1500+ pages... just look for the function you need/want... and yo're all set.

This book is *the* book for all Visual Basic programmers. Essentially it is a refrence and partial tutorial on the WIN32 API or Applications Programmers Interface, the bones of the Windows OS. This book is essential to every Visual Basic programmer in that it teaches about the API and its interfaces and shows you how to use them to your advantage. This book does what it says and does it well. It can be used with most modern versions of Visual Basic but is updated for the VB6 version of Visual Basic. It is well laid out and the examples are fairly easy to follow. Great book and should be made a mandatory purchase for every Visual Basic programemr.

I have to admit when I bought this book, I had cruel intentions for it. But after reading it and begginnig working with the Win32 API from VB6. I was amazed as I watched the barriers that set VB and C++ apart crash down.

Many say this book is for advanced users, but I knew very little about anything VB related when I picked up the book. And I understood every thing that Mr. Appleman said. It is a very easy to understand book that contains advanced food for your brain. I would reccomend it to anyone interested in expanding there programming horizons.

This is the best book covering Windows API funtions in DEPTH ! What is Windows API ? When I was first introduced to API, I thought it was a new language entirely and that people were ditching VB in favor of it. Fortunately, I was wrong. Since learning, I have been told that API stands for "Alternate Programming Interface", "Advanced Programming Interface", "Application Programming Interface". In all reality it is "Application Programming Interface". Reading this book you will be able to take control of ANY windows based applications using Windows API Functions ! I even make America Online Add-ons using this GREAT book covering Windows API functions which are a MUST-NEEDED knowledge for VB Developer ! I want to thank Daniel Appleman for writing such a GREAT book which BREAKS all the limits of Visual Basic environment and gives us knowledge to CONTROL windows and its based applications ! - Dmitriy Gerasimov

If I were stuck on a deserted island writing VB code and only had one book, I'd want it to be this one. The knowledge within is what separates amazing VB programmers from the other 90%. Here's the most basic example: You have an .ini file you want to read. You can write the VB code to open the file, read it, parse it, and close it and THEN debug it. OR forget all that and simply call "GetPrivateProfileString". I've observed at work that the folks who don't own and use this book are not truly serious VB programmers.

it works well as a desktop reference but it also takes a little time to explain some of the more hardcore concepts. i recommend this book to ANYONE wanting to start and sucessfully finish an API project.
from this book it is apparent that mr Appleman believes VB can do ANYTHING by using a little API and, after owning it for a few months, you'll know it's true and you'll know how to make it happen too. a must-have for any self-respecting vb programmer

The book is an excellent resource on using the Win32 API--as long as you don't want to know how to sub-class. I find, however, the books reliance on a custom made DLL(Provided with the book on the CD) frustrating. This is especially frustrating since you need this DLL to make many of the API examples function properly, and since, in VB6 (using AddressOf), you can do your own subclassing and don't need the DLL (or the sublclassing custom control). Plus the book is aware of VB6. And subclassing is not nearly as hard as the book makes it out to be. As risky maybe, but using the API iteself is risky. Plus the book has references to Appendixes that don't exist.

This is an excellent resource for anybody needing to do any kind of work with the Win32 API. More than just covering the function headers, this book provides examples of most of functions and dicusses any issues you might have using them from VB.

Even better, the functions are divided into major topics, and each chapter goes into great detail explaining *how they relate to each other*. A fantastic reference.

I looks for some advantage in VB and I find it at this Books. Interfacing, communication, networking and win98/NT system in depth programming. In CDROM you will find some component that usefull for you in Advance Programming.