Windows Forms Programming in Visual Basic .NET (Microsoft .NET Development Series) (Paperback)

by Chris Sells (Author), Justin Ghetland (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Much of the publicity around .NET has focused on using .NET to build Web-based applications and Web services. Many developers, however, are using .NET to build traditional Windows-based applications. Microsoft has provided a package called Windows Forms, or WinForms, which makes the development of these apps easier and faster than ever. Chris Sells has written the definitive book to help experienced Microsoft developers master the use of this powerful toolkit. Based on the experience he has gained developing with and teaching WinForms for the last two year, he goes beyond other books currently on the market. Chris has a critically acclaimed writing style that allows him to keep the material concise and easy to follow. He concentrates on what you won't find in the documentation, giving developers the information they really need. While this book is basically similar to his book on WinForms for C# developers, Chris has brought in Visual Basic .NET expert Justin Gehtland to make sure that the style and content of this version are fully optimized for the needs and concerns of Visual Basic coders.

From the Back Cover

"If you are just beginning to use WinForms, or even if you are already an experienced hand, you will find this book an antidote for confusion and a friendly companion on the road to writing modern applications."—Alan Cooper, Father of Visual Basic

Windows Forms Programming in Visual Basic .NET is the ultimate guide to using the Microsoft .NET forms package. Readers will learn how to build applications that take full advantage of both the rich user interface features of the Microsoft Windows operating system and the deployment features traditionally associated with HTML-based applications.

Authors Chris Sells and Justin Gehtland draw upon their WinForms research and programming experience to go beyond the Windows Forms documentation to give you a clear picture of exactly how Visual Basic .NET programmers can use WinForms. Readers will gain an understanding of the rationale behind aspects of WinForms design and learn how to avoid or solve common problems. Throughout the book, detailed illustrations of WinForms user interface features and working code samples demonstrate best practices. All code has been tested with Visual Studio .NET 1.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 736 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321125193
• ISBN-13: 978-0321125194
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.8 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #329,963 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This item is part of The Microsoft .NET Development Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In-depth practical knowledge from a master, October 28, 2003

By	Henry Stapp (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Before I rave about this title, let me start with a caveat. This is not a beginner's "Learn VB.NET" or "Learn to Program" book - it's for intermediate to advanced programmers.

That being said, this is a great book for anyone who actually needs to do _real_work_ (shudder) with Windows Forms.

Unlike a lot of books out there, this isn't a huge tome that rehashes the MSDN docs or goes into all the minutiae of Microsoft's latest GUI framework. Instead, Mr. Sells has condensed much of his deep knowledge of WinForms into these chapters, detailing many of the traps you need to avoid - and tricks you'll need to use - if you want to create WinForms apps that do more than just say "hello world".

The author is a true expert on Windows Forms. I don't know how he did it, but he knows stuff - key stuff - that you can't find in any of the written docs from Microsoft. He shares this vital information in a style that is both logical and concise.

IMO, if you need to build WinForms apps, this book will return the money you spend on it many times over.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you only buy one WinForms book this year..., November 3, 2003

By	Martin Naughton (UK) - See all my reviews

If you are a VB.NET developer - or one coming from a 'classic' VB background - and you want a no-nonsense guide to the key elements of WinForms development, this book is for you. In-depth practical experience shines through every chapter.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A master work!, December 28, 2003

By	Kent Sharkey (Saanich, BC, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Should be considered *THE* reference for any Windows Forms developer for .NET. This book covers everything from intro material to details of threading and security, and covers it all well. Keep it nearby when developing.