Core Java 2, Volume II: Advanced Features (5th Edition) (Paperback)

~ Cay Horstmann (Author), Gary Cornell (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The fifth edition of Core Java 2: Volume II--Advanced Features brings a classic Java text up to date for developers tackling JDK 1.3 and 1.4, with a fast-moving and example-based tutorial. Perfect for those who want to learn programming through small, complete demos, this new version is still an excellent choice for mastering the more advanced topics in Java.

The salient feature of this tutorial is that authors provide small, complete programs that demonstrate each area of functionality in "core" Java along with reference material on essential APIs. Beginning with using multiple threading (and synchronization, which allow threads to communicate), the authors provide an engaging tour of advanced Java. The focus here is on client-side Java based on the Java 2 Standard Edition (J2SE), both versions 1.3 and 1.4, including APIs for building applets and applications with Swing and JavaBeans. As in the previous edition, sections on the Java collections do little to simplify the complexity here. Coverage of JDBC is very good, though, with a fine mix of examples showing off basic SQL and queries, plus transactions and newer JDBC features. Later on, this text turns to Swing, including how to extend three powerful Swing controls (lists, trees, and tables), plus improved J2SE 1.4 support for progress controls, plus drag-and-drop and clipboard support.

Besides providing source code and APIs, this book is filled with tips and gotchas to avoid. A robust section on security covers the entire spectrum of security issues in Java, including signing JAR files (along with good practical details). Though it's probably rare enough today, the authors go into good detail about creating custom JavaBean components. Examples make use of Sun Forte Community Edition, a capable Java tool (bundled on the accompanying CD-ROM).

Standout later chapters include an excellent tour of Java's strong support for internationalization (illustrated with a "retirement saving calculator" in English, German, and Chinese). A final section on XML introduces this powerful new standard, plus some essential Java APIs for getting starting with parsing and transforming XML. Chock-full of examples and useful advice, the latest edition of Core Java 2--Volume II is a worthy update to an already successful Java tutorial. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered: Programming with multiple threads (states and priorities, daemon threads); thread synchronization; avoiding deadlocks; using threads with Swing (dos and don'ts); introduction to collections (including lists, sets, trees, and maps); the collections framework; algorithms (sorting and searching); legacy collections; Java network programming (sending e-mail, using sockets and URLs, basic Web programming); JDBC and databases (quick SQL tutorial, connecting and querying data, metadata, and transactions); new JDBC 3.0 features; remote method invocation (RMI); Java and CORBA; advanced Swing tutorial (JList, JTree, and JTable, including custom rendering options); advanced AWT and Java 2-D graphics (including image manipulation and graphics filters); clipboard and drag-and-drop support; JavaBeans (properties and events, property editors and customizers); Java security (class loaders and bytecode verification, digital signatures, signing JAR files, encryption); internationalization (including date and time and multiple character sets); the Java Native Interface (JNI); Java and C interoperability; and a quick tutorial to XML (SAX and XSL in Java).

Product Description

Ask any experienced Java programmer: Core Java delivers real-world guidance for accomplishing even the most challenging tasks. That's why it's been an international best seller for five straight years. Now fully updated for Sun's brand-new JDK 1.3, Core Java, Volume 2, Fifth Edition offers all-new discussions of XML and servlets, plus thoroughly revamped coverage of many advanced features -- from collections to native methods, security to Swing. Cay Horstmann begins with thoroughly updated coverage of JDK 2 Version 1.3 multithreading, collections, and networking. He presents a detailed chapter on advanced database integration utilizing the JDBC API; completely revised coverage of remote objects; advanced techniques for utilizing JavaBeans; and much more. The book contains advanced techniques for building GUIs with both AWT and Swing; internationalizing software; and leveraging the latest Java security model. The CD-ROM contains complete source code examples, JDK 1.3, Forte for Java, Community Edition, and more.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 1232 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR; 5 edition (December 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130927384
• ISBN-13: 978-0130927385
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #921,274 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This item is part of The Core Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Only if you don't own a previous edition, October 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Core Java 2 , Volume 2: Advanced Features (4th Edition) (Paperback)

This book is great for it's intended purpose, but some seem to have confused what that purpose is. Some feel that because the subtitle is "Advanced Features", this book would unravel the mysteries of the most advanced features of Java 2. Not so! You have to understand that this is nothing but a volume 2 of the Core Java 2 duo! The volume 1 has the fundamentals and this volume 2 goes to MORE advanced topics, compared to the first volume. This talks about JDBC, Corba, Swing, etc, but not very deeply, just advanced for those who have just finished volume 1.

I think the two books are the best option if you don't already have other similar books. If you have the previous 1.1 edition, or other very similar books like Just Java or Thinking in Java, then you'd probably get very little for your money from this one.

After finishing both Core Java 2 vols 1 & 2 you have a very good basic knowledge of using Java 2 for different purposes and then you can buy a more indepth book on some aspect that you especially need (JDBC, Beans...).

A Very good book when combined with volume 1.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clear but brief overview of advanced features of J2SE 1.5, May 28, 2006

By	calvinnme "Texan refugee" (Fredericksburg, Va) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Core Java(TM) 2, Volume II--Advanced Features (7th Edition) (Paperback)

This book does not substitute for all of the specialized books on the subjects that it covers, and it is by no means encyclopedic in scope. However, even in its 7th edition it is still the best and the clearest overview of advanced features of the language for Java 1.5. What is particularly nice is that the author has split his Core Java series up such that if your goal is just to learn the language you need only buy volume one, and if your goal is to get a handle on the changes in the advanced features of the language you need only buy volume 2. They are pretty much independent of one another. Add to that the fact that both of these volumes can be found used for about $20 each, and it is definitely worth the purchase. The writing style is very clear with much sample code. The author even gives a little bit of background showing how each feature of the language has changed over the years. I notice that Amazon only shows the table of contents for the previous edition, so I show the table of contents for the current edition next:
1. MULTITHREADING
What Are Threads?; Interrupting Threads; Thread States; Thread Properties; Synchronization; Blocking Queues; Thread-Safe Collections; Callables and Futures; Executors; Synchronizers; Threads and Swing;

2. COLLECTIONS
Collection Interfaces; Concrete Collections; The Collections Framework; Algorithms; Legacy Collections;

3. NETWORKING
Connecting to a Server; Implementing Servers; Sending E-Mail; Making URL Connections; Advanced Socket Programming;

4. DATABASE PROGRAMMING
The Design of JDBC; The Structured Query Language; JDBC Installation; Basic JDBC Programming Concepts; Query Execution; Scrollable and Updatable Result Sets; Metadata; Row Sets; Transactions; Advanced Connection Management; Introduction to LDAP;

5. DISTRIBUTED OBJECTS
The Roles of Client and Server; Remote Method Invocations; Setup for Remote Method Invocation; Parameter Passing in Remote Methods; Server Object Activation; Java IDL and CORBA; Remote Method Calls with SOAP;

6. ADVANCED SWING
Lists; Trees; Tables; Styled Text Components; Progress Indicators; Component Organizers;

7. ADVANCED AWT
The Rendering Pipeline; Shapes; Areas; Strokes; Paint; Coordinate Transformations; Clipping; Transparency and Composition; Rendering Hints; Readers and Writers for Images; Image Manipulation; Printing; The Clipboard; Drag and Drop;

8. JAVABEANS COMPONENTS
Why Beans?; The Bean-Writing Process; Using Beans to Build an Application; Naming Patterns for Bean Properties and Events; Bean Property Types; BeanInfo Classes; Property Editors; Customizers; JavaBeans Persistence;

9. SECURITY
Class Loaders; Bytecode Verification; Security Managers and Permissions; Digital Signatures; Code Signing; Encryption;

10. INTERNATIONALIZATION
Locales; Number Formats; Date and Time; Collation; Message Formatting; Text Files and Character Sets; Resource Bundles; A Complete Example;

11. NATIVE METHODS
Calling a C Function from the Java Programming Language; Numeric Parameters and Return Values; String Parameters; Accessing Fields; Encoding Signatures; Calling Java Methods; Accessing Array Elements; Handling Errors; Using the Invocation API; A Complete Example: Accessing the Windows Registry;

12. XML
Introducing XML; Parsing an XML Document; Validating XML Documents; Locating Information with XPath; Using Namespaces; Using the SAX Parser; Generating XML Documents; XSL Transformations;

13. ANNOTATIONS
Addition of Metadata to Programs; An Example: Annotating Event Handlers; Annotation Syntax; Standard Annotations; The Apt Tool for Source-Level Annotation Processing; Bytecode Engineering;

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Java 2 Reference, May 30, 2000

By	Gary Thomas (New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Core Java 2 , Volume 2: Advanced Features (4th Edition) (Paperback)

I am a professional developer, recently switched from C++ and VB to Java. For my purposes, as an experienced OO programmer this book, and its companion volume could not be bettered. Every subject is covered sufficiently for me to write code, at a professional level. I cannot recommend this book highly enough as a reference. I would not suggest that anyone try and learn Java (much less OO) from it - that is not its purpose.