Customer Reviews

XML Developer's Guide

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This text focuses on software construction. Key technologies are illustrated by example in Java, explained using design patterns, and accompanied by UML diagrams. Arciniegas opens the book with a succinct expression of XML fundamentals such as namespaces and DTDs. Following is professional coverage of the core technologies: SAX2, DOM2, XPath, XLink, XPointer, XSLT, XML Schemas. This text also explores Wireless applications, XML-RPC, and database integration. While many surveys are stuffed with specification detail or pointless listings, this book is suprisingly low-fat. The case studies (two complete applications) are my favorite part. It is refreshing to see actual analysis and design in a book of this type. Highly recommended.

Heartened by the glowing reviews I bough this book from Amazon. After --reading-- the first half of the book, and studying the examples, I was disappointed at the hastily written, and unproofed examples such as :

Page 18

<list>

<product> (Content deleted ....)

<product> <--------- This should be </product>

<list> <---------- This should be </list>

At first I thought an editor had 'corrected' these examples, however there are other places: Chapter 5 Page 115, QuadTreeViewer.Java

// Ask the creator to make a quadtree out of an XML file

try {

Quadtree myTree = myDirector.readFromXMLFile("filename");

}

catch (CreationException e){

System.out.println ("Unable to create quadtree from " +

filename);

}

Note readFromXMLFile("filename") is clearly a bug. If I can't trust an author to check to make sure a program is correct, how can I trust that he has verified that what he says is correct? I checked on his CD and the source code was the same. There are automated tools out there for making sure programs inside of document compile, and are tested,so there are just no excuses. One author I rely on is Bruce Eckel. He has an engaging writing style and automated tools to assure that code compiles, and JUnit tested. There are other gripes like missing files on the CD, etc.

The author did have a good section about good design patterns to use when working with SAX, and common pitfalls.

Since the author doesn't credit anyone in the introduction I assume that it had very little technical review, and it shows. I will continue using this book as a occasional reference. Also note that the webb site listed for errants has been deactivated.

70% of the work is completed in 30% of the time. Because of the may mistakes in the examples, I wouldn't recommend this book for beginners, look else where. For the intermediate programmer who can quickly spot the many code/technical mistakes I would say go to your local book store and personally browse this book BEFORE buying it.

This is a great book about XML. It covers almost every XML-related available technology in a very well integrated way. The examples are pertinent, complete and useful. It is not a presentation of specifications but a big tutorial of how using these technologies to develop real applications. Without doubt this book should be a reference for XML developers.

I've been reading about XML now for quite some time. I have visited countless XML websites and perused numerous XML tutorials and documents. I found this book to be not only the most usefull XML resource I've come across, but it was the first to offer such a real-world point of view. It's technical, historical, applicable, and sufficiently motivating.

No other XML book gets such a good balance between depth and readability. Important issues generally overlooked by most general XML books (such as encodings, XSLT extensions, Design and implementation patterns) are masterfully integrated in this great book. Excellent.

Even though the content of the book is very intriguing, and provides a clear introduction to the XML technologies (XML, SAX, DOM etc.) most of the Java code in the book does not even compile. The errors some times are deeper than mere typographical errors, e.g. void member methods later on called with the expectation to return a rather complicated Tree object etc. Too bad, because together with the attempt to use standard design patterns in java code dealing with XML, it could have been indeed an excellent book.

This book may cover lots of ground, but it seems that I can not find anything in the companion CD. The book lists code fragments and refer the complete code to the CD. There is no src for chapter 6 (DOM). Src list is incomplete for chapter 7 (DOM).I have not found a DOM API, I have not found an evaluation (or recommendation) of DOM parsers. The book may be OK, but the CD is horrible. The web-site is lot much better either.

After reviewing/reading numerous books, I've finally found a serious development book that focuses on the advanced tecniques for the design and writing of XML applications, and not just the syntax and APIs available. The variety and high level of the examples in this book are the main difference between it and any other. Highly recommended.

It is clear that the author understands that the work associated with a book is not over once it hits the shelf. The book's homepage, program updates, and fast email answers enhance this nice book into a great deal. Highly recommended.

First and foremost, this is NOT a book for beginers. I found it hard to understand at times but this might be because of all of the errors in it. The book itself seemed to be written well. If I was more advanced in XML, I think I would have gotten a lot more out of this book. I will review it again after I become better at XML. Get this book if you already have a good grasp of XML.