Building Solutions with the Microsoft .NET Compact Framework: Architecture and Best Practices for Mobile Development (Paperback)

by Dan Fox (Author), Jon Box (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The .NET Compact Framework (CF) is a version of the .NET Framework for mobile devices such as cell phones, PDAs, and Pocket PCs. The final versions of the CF and the Smart Device Extensions (SDE) were released in February of 2003, yet in spite of widespread interest in the technology, there has been very little information released so far to help developers master these powerful new tools. Together the CF and the SDE provide a rich development environment for building both stand-alone and connected applications on both the Pocket PC and Windows CE platforms. The authors have been teaching developers about the CF and SDE for months now, and have based this book on the real-world questions raised - and solutions developed - in those training sessions. The authors strike a perfect balance between the "whys" of mobile development, the architecture, and the "hows", the best practices. Busy developers will appreciate their concise style.

From the Back Cover
"If you've been looking for one book on the .NET Compact Framework that will teach you everything you need to know, look no further--this is it!"

--Derek Ferguson, Chief Technology Evangelist, Expand Beyond Corporation

Whether you are an architect, developer, or manager, Building Solutions with the Microsoft .NET Compact Framework is your guide to creating effective solutions for mobile devices with .NET. Authors Dan Fox and Jon Box walk you through four essential architectural concepts and programming techniques, using extensive examples and code listings to show you how to develop more robust mobile development projects.

The book briefly describes the context, architecture, and features of both the Framework and Smart Device Programmability (SDP). The heart of the book is its in-depth coverage of key architectural concepts, including local data handling, remote data access (RDA) architectures, robust data caching with SQL Server 2000 Windows CE Edition 2.0 (SQL CE 2.0), and synchronization options. The focus then shifts to localization, security, and deployment, and the final chapter steers you away from potential pitfalls.

You will find helpful pointers to further resources throughout, and a companion Web site includes the source code and links to more information.

This book can be read cover to cover or the focus can be narrowed to key points of interest. It can also be used as a reference, with answers to questions such as:

• When should you architect and build your applications using the Compact Framework and SDP? Chapter 1
• What factors besides cost should you consider when planning your company's first Smart Device application? Chapter 4
• Can RDA allow SQL CE to interact with database products other than SQL Server? Chapter 7
• How should you handle differences in time zone for users of a world-ready application? Chapter 8
• How can you overcome the Compact Framework's inability to marshal complex objects within structures? Chapter 11

Both comprehensive and concise, Building Solutions with the Microsoft .NET Compact Framework shows you how to bring the power of .NET to your mobile applications.

0321197887B10142003

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional (November 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321197887
• ISBN-13: 978-0321197887
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #935,049 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great book for technical managers, not for developers, May 29, 2004

By	Daniel Moth (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a well written book with a nice overall structure and easy-to-follow language. Each discussion starts with an executive summary and ends with references to other resources for further reading, thus making it a very straightforward read. I will not enumerate the subjects covered, since you can do that by looking at the contents table.

Although the title tells us this is a .NETcf book, you should pay attention to the subtitle, as the topics of architecture and general advice on mobile development are also covered at considerable length. This may or may not please you, depending on your role. For example, the chapter on security includes general theoretical principles on the topic but omits examples of using the Cryptography API. We notice this in other parts of the book, and in fact the first chapter is a pure retrospection into the history of mobile devices as supported by Microsoft. Add to my previous comments that the book is only 350 pages long and the fact that there are no complete/end-to-end code examples, and you can see why it is not aimed at programmers. To be fair, the authors don't hide this and they state in their preface that the target audiences are technical managers and architects.

Like anything that goes to print, there are some errors including: the recommendation of using ResEditor (it simply does not work with the CF); the suggestion that C# is 100% compatible between desktop and compact frameworks (what about `volatile'?); and the claim that the class loader ignores the build & revision number (or that for private assemblies the version number is not consulted), which is not true. Overall, though, the content is correct and for technical managers this is probably the best book on the subject (but certainly not for developers). Finally, a small note that there is no mention of SmartPhone 2003 since the writing must have been completed prior to its launch (or indeed prior to CE 4.2).

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Just about the worst compact framework book, April 28, 2005

By	Michael Simpson "Owner of KronosRobotics.com" (Leesburg VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I purchased 8 books when decided to jump from VB6 to Pocket PC programming with VB .Net. Some were good and some were bad. This book rates at the bottom of the list. I found absolutely no value in the information provided. Just about every other book was better written and provided more information.

I returned the Book.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two Heavy Hitters write a great book, December 4, 2003

By	William G. Ryan "Uber Book Nerd" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As an avid Compact Framework enthusiast, I buy every book on the CF that I can find. As you may be aware, there aren't a whole lot of them out there, but they are all really good. This one is no exception. If you do much with .NET, then you probably know these authors already, and they lived up to their reputations with this one!

Why would you want this book? Well, most importantly it really explains the Why's of Compact Framework development. There really are a lot of considerations and while the CF is very similar to the full framework, there are a lot of differences. As a developer, this book thoroughly explains what you are getting into and how to avoid many common mistakes. However, even if you are a non-technical person this book will prove to be a great asset if you are involved in decision making. After all, who wouldn't want a mobile presence for their company? Well, like everything else, it comes with some strings attached. In most instances they are trivial compared to what you get. In others they may not be. Architectural considerations are critical because you are dealing with limited battery life, smaller processors and memory and reduced real estate. It's also a lot easier to lose a PDA than it is a desktop and since many of the advantages of using Handhelds are only realized when you have wireless access, issues like bandwidth and security can make or break any mobile initiative.

I think the best part of this book is its theoretical focus. It's very easy to run off and start coding, forgetting architectural concerns. In these instances, many find that getting a great little app that works great in a test environment isn't so good once you get it into production. This book can help you minimize the chances of that happening. Furthermore, it gives you a very sober perspective on what you will need to deal with. Due to the fact that the CF has only been commercially released for under a year, and PDA development hasn't been a practical reality for more that a few years, there just isnt' that much literature out there. And this book's focus on architectural issues and HOW TO Deal with them effectively will prove how hip the authors really are.

I've been really impressed with the recent direction of AW and they've been pumping out some really great titles. Couple a good publisher with some really informed and talented writers and you have a winner. Undoubtedly, this book is a winner.