C++Builder 5 Developer's Guide [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

by Jarrod Hollingworth (Author), Jamie Allsop (Author), Daniel Butterfield (Author), Bob Swart (Author), Malcolm Smith (Author), William Woodbury (Author), Keith II Turnbull (Author), Joseph Bonavita (Author), Damon Chandler (Author), Jason Banks (Author), Khalid Almannai (Author), Mark Cashman (Author), Phillip H Blanton II (Author), Sui-Fan Wu (Author), Chris Winters (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
C++Builder 5 Developer's Guide is a completely new book authored by insiders of the C++Builder development community. You will learn advanced debugging techniques using CodeGuard, master multi-tier distributed applications with MIDAS 3, discover the latest in multi-media techniques with OpenGL, DirectX, and others, master memory management, learn how to build a chat system with TCP/IP, and more. XML, HTML, CORBA, VisiBroker, ActiveX, and COM+ Server are new features covered by this new edition.

From the Author
This book was created to fill the gaps in several areas of programming with C++Builder, and to provide content on many of the new features in C++Builder 5. It is aimed mostly at intermediate and advanced programmers, though several beginner chapters are included and many chapters contain lead-in information to get you up to speed. In total there are over 1750 pages of raw content!

In particular, we have covered essential topics that are not well covered in other C++Builder publications. These include: programming conventions, the Standard Template Library (STL/SCL), advanced exception handling, user interface principles and techniques, program speed optimization, basic and advanced debugging, detailed information on creating custom components (over 250 pages), basic communications programming, working with DLL's and plug-ins, detailed COM/DCOM/COM+ and MIDAS information, on-screen and printed data presentation, the Win32 API (over 100 pages), multimedia techniques such as playing video and audio files and image processing, OpenGL programming, creating help files, and distributing and installing your applications.

Additionally, chapter 30 contains many tips, tricks and how-tos by presenting specific techniques such as implementing splash screens, ensuring that only one copy of your application can be run, drag and drop operations, screen capture, using tree-views, basic NT services, basic cryptography and many more.

The appendix lists the best C++Builder resources, including web sites, discussion lists, newsgroups, books and magazines, and tells you where to go to learn more about programming with C++Builder.

In order to include as much information as possible, unnecessary code listings and screenshots have been minimized. All code is provided on the CD-ROM.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 1440 pages
• Publisher: Sams (December 8, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0672319721
• ISBN-13: 978-0672319723
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #790,461 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's about time C++Builder 5 got a book!, December 21, 2000

By	L. Parker "larrywp" (Carson City, NV USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First off, there are two things that would have made this book better. Not putting any chapters on the CD (and lose a lot of value), and make it a hardcover instead of the flimsy glue-back binding. I like my textbooks to be strong and able to fold out on a desk and not bend permanently. This one as thick as it is really should be a hardcover.

On to more important things...

The content is excellent. A lot of possible space wasting images have been left out which leaves a lot more information. There are plenty of images to get the point across. It starts out with chapters explaining the more simple features and ending with OpenGL & DirectX, and Creating Help Files. The contained CD is excellent and makes a great example for other authors to go by. The installation program actually works! Source code, 3rd party programs, 60 day trial of C++Builder 5, components, and other goodies are included on the CD.

The Debugging Applications chapter is one I plan on spending a lot of time with. It includes great pictures and explanations galore of Builder's debug window setup.

The layout as well as overall content is what is to be expected of a Developers Guide. I own hundreds of technical books and this one is right up there with my best ones! This team of authors did a great job of combining skills.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The book on C++ Builder I was looking for!, December 15, 2000

By	ROBERT B CALCO (Alachua, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

OK, so there haven't been a lot of them. Nevertheless, this one will be tough to beat. I just got the book and have already found several topics that simply aren't covered (or covered well) in other tomes. The chapters on compiling/optimizing, debugging, and DLLs and Plug-Ins alone are worth the price of the book. The chapters on COM/DCOM are a tad short, but not the worst I've seen. I am also pleased with the chapter on Microsoft Office integration. The early chapters on programming with C++ Builder 5 and user interface principles were also excellent. All in all, I'm glad I got it "hot off the presses" and I'm sure I'll get plenty of wear and tear out of it before too long. A satisfying purchase. :)

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Only for master C++ developers, February 12, 2002

By	Marco Lazarini "Tulio Lazarini" (Brasilia, DF Brazil) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book starts where all others end. Imagine a book about C++ where operator overloading is at page 40! Normally, books about programming starts with a brief introduction about object-oriented development, and some about the language itself. However, in this book, the author starts from the point that you're a master in C++, you know everything abou classes, instantiation, constructors, destructors, virtual functions, operator and function overloading and overriding, and so forth.
Due to this, it's an excellent book for programmers who knows C++ and need to know more about C++ Builder tool, and how to extract the maximum power of this tool to implement professional resources in their applications. However, if you're a dummy in C++ (as dummy as me!), don't buy this book before reading a good C++ basics title. Learn C++ before buy!