Pocket PC, Handheld PC Developer's Guide with Microsoft Embedded Visual Basic (Prentice Hall Series on Microsoft Technologies) (Paperback)

by Nick Grattan (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The Windows Pocket PC and Handheld PC are the most robust handheld development platforms ever created. Now, there's a start-to-finish guide to VB handheld development for every Windows programmer. Best-selling Win32 expert Nick Grattan focuses on today's most exciting opportunities for handheld development: integration with existing enterprise and Web applications. Grattan begins with a thorough introduction to the Embedded Visual Basic (EVB) environment used to create Pocket PC/Handheld PC applications, and the key differences between EVB and desktop VB. He shows how to develop database applications using SQL Server for Windows CE, presenting detailed techniques for managing remote data access and replication. The book includes detailed coverage of sending and receiving data from IIS using ASP pages and Pocket Internet Explorer; receiving and parsing XML documents; and the role of .NET Services and SOAP in handheld development. Coverage also includes: managing remote access connections; interacting with data stored in Pocket Office; the Registry; file and serial I/O; and finally, architecting mobile solutions for maximum performance and reliability. For all developers interested in creating applications for Microsoft Pocket PCs and Handheld PCs, and for developers migrating from earlier versions of Windows CE.

From the Back Cover

Mobile solutions—in your pocket!

• The complete guide for developing wireless applications using Microsoft(r) eMbedded Visual Basic(r)
• Enterprise solutions, including XML, SQL, SOAP, and .NET
• Fully illustrated with code examples, available live on CD-ROM
• CD-ROM also contains the full version of Microsoft eMbedded Visual Basic and SDKs

The Pocket PC offers more wireless capabilities than any other handheld mobile device. Now you can use the power of Microsoft eMbedded Visual Basic to develop applications that allow you to manage connections to corporate networks, access data from any Web site, synchronize information with corporate databases, and call SOAP and .NET web services, all on your Pocket PC. This is the one book that provides comprehensive coverage of all these applications and more.

Developers at all levels can learn to take advantage of the Microsoft SDKs to interact with existing database and Internet applications, using such technologies as:

• User interfaces for Pocket PC and Handheld PC 2000
• SQL Server for Microsoft Windows(r) CE
• XML and DOM
• SOAP and .NET
• HTTP and ASP

No other book provides more complete coverage in a single volume. Jump right into wireless mobile computing with the Pocket PC, Handheld PC Developer's Guide.

About the CD-ROM:

The CD-ROM includes live code for all the examples in the book, plus a full working copy of Microsoft eMbedded Visual Basic and SDKs.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR (September 27, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130650773
• ISBN-13: 978-0130650771
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #993,518 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for the intermediate developer, June 17, 2002

By	Jerry Robison (Sunnyvale, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I bought this along with Tiffany and Tacke. My development project involves several PocketPC's working in a wireless networked data management environment. For my purposes Tiffany was a throw away because he never gets beyond the basic Access and ADO subjects. Tacke provides details of his sample SQLCE application. Gratton is most useful because he writes to the intermediate level, provides insight on technology and architecture, teaches the methods of using/creating key features, and doesn't waste time and patience. I found him pulling up short only on the topic of customization for merge conflict resolution, but this is probably covered in SQL Server docs. His discussion on XML, SOAP and .NET gives a valuable heads-up on Web services. Grattan is a great starting point for the serious enterprise developer.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Takes you alot further than Microsoft..., April 4, 2002

By	"hackeronice" (South Burlington, Vermont USA) - See all my reviews

This is a really good book for trying to understand the bewildering array of tools needing to come together to develop in eVB for the PocketPC. Nick's projects examples are more robust and more correct examples of how to write code for eVB than the Microsoft examples. Most of the explanations I have read so far in this book (I just got it last night) were just the right medicine I needed to make the next part of the project come together. What I really like about this book is that its really to the point of what does it take to make the application work. From where to get the correct software updates (SDK's, SSCE, etc), how to setup the project, how to use the controls, and enough working example of code interacting with control and libraries to make it all come together. The author doesnt spew out conceptual market buzz fluff, he gets you to code that works quickly. The treatment of SQL Server CE was worth the price of the book. ... Definitely a keeper !

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Putting it together, November 9, 2001

By	"[e-mail]" (Odessa, Fl United States) - See all my reviews

This book not only teaches programming with Embedded Visual Basic, but also show's the pocket pc's place in the big corporate picture. Showing XML, ASP, SOAP, SQL CE, RDA and more. Good examples. If you worked with all of these before, this will show you how you can incorporate Pocke PCs with what you already know and do.