Customer Reviews

Palm OS Programming Bible, Second Edition

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is considered a standard reference by many Palm OS developers. The other reference to consider is "Palm Programming" by Neil Rhodes (OReilly), although that book doesn't have the depth and needs to be updated as of November 2002. The second edition adds details on topics including communications and Palm OS 5. It focuses on development using CodeWarrior/Constructor, but includes info on Gcc/PilRC and FalchNet Developer Studio. If you own the first edition, monitor newsgroups and work on Palms regularly I wouldn't automatically update your copy.

I've been a programmer for 10 years but was new to the Palm OS development environment when I bought this book. It shaved weeks off of my development time. While there is a huge amount of free Palm OS development information online, the online information is geared towards those that are already experienced in the field. There is a paucity of comprehensive, introductory information. This book serves that function excellently. Each topic is introduced in a very understandable manner, while also being discussed in great depth. When embarking on a new area of Palm Programming, this is a great place to start.

Regarding the review beating up this book for lacking more examples and reference information, this type of information is amply supplied by PalmSource.com, user groups, and other sources, all for free and all in digital format. PalmSource.com alone released several reference volumes in searchable PDF format that are a great compliment. It would be a waste of paper to put it in this book.

Along with "Palm OS Programming: The Developers' Guide", this is a must have addition to your bookshelf if you wish to be proficient in devloping Palm applications. It is more up to date than the other book; but is complemtary to it. With the two books together, all aspects of Palm programming for the serious developer are handled. But beware, this is not a trivial beginners book.

This is a "must read" for people programming or interested in programming apps for the palm.

BUT:

a.- Does not cover Palm Developer Suite (Eclipse).
b.- It covers the Codewarrior and AFAIK this is not available anymore (at least for now) from Metrowerks.
c.- Even if it says "covers palm os 5" you will also need to read all the newest info from Palm to get a real feeling of "what's new" with OS 5.

Again, I insist, is a MUST READ, but it will not be your only reference.

1 star goes down because of what I mentioned before.
4 stars go up because of I did NOT mention. This is a really great reference for Palm OS Programming.

If you want to display a form how do you do it? The key is using api function calls. So where is the comprehensive list of api calls along with easy to understand examples? There is none. Not in this book. You have to think of what you want to do then brouse the index in the back and hope something jumps out. Then you have to go to the various parts of the book where the fuction call is indexed and determine what the call is doing by analysing the sample code. The whole process works but, whoa is it slow and exhausting.

This book is very well written and easy to follow. No more scouring the web for information... what I want is right here. I would like to see a little more info on graphics and color in the next edition though. Overall, excellent book. I'm programming the Clie T615C, so this book will prove to be very handy. BTW, this book also covers conduits.

Perhaps this was my bad planning but I purchased this book after having already purchased the "Professional Palm OS programming" book by the same author. Don't get me wrong, I assume any book by the same author will contain some of the same information but this book duplicated more than HALF of the same material from the other book. I was hoping to read something new to cover what the other book didn't but instead I found myself reading the same thing.

Let this be a lesson to those who pay closer attention to what they purchase. This book is helpful but not any more helpful than the other book "Professional Palm OS programming". I guess I'll just have to use the Palm example programs to learn the remainder of what I need to know.

Maybe I'll write my own book some day. Yeah.. I guess that might not happen any time soon (or until I take a class in school or something).

Well organized, understandable, and has a good index. Associated web site also useful.

This book covers both basic and advanced aspect of Palm OS Programming. The author is able to explain complex and difficult to understand items in a very simple and clear manner. A must read book for those who are planning to go into Palm OS programming world.