ARC/GIS Developer's Guide for VBA (Paperback)

by Amir H Razavi (Author) "VISUAL BASIC FOR APPLICATIONS (VBA) is one of the best technologies developed in recent years..." (more)
Key Phrases: add the following procedure, object model diagram, map surrounds, End Sub, Document Set, Visual Basic (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Develop professional-quality ArcGIS applications while learning to automate and customize activities with the help of this newly revised handbook. Updated to version 9.0, ArcGIS Developer's Guide for VBA, 2E proposes better methodology for application development by breaking down and simplifying the "must have" information readers need to begin developing ArcGIS applications. No prior experience with ArcObjects is required! This compact reference manual begins with an introduction to the VBA development environment and an explanation of underlying theory, followed by well-structured descriptions of the tools available to develop ArcGIS applications. Chapters dealing with the actual application development are written independent of each other, so that readers can move directly to the topic they need to know. In no time at all, students and professionals alike will be developing simple and complex ArcGIS applications because they will have learned how to apply ArcObjects and extend the power of ArcGIS.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: OnWord Press; 2 edition (August 19, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401891071
• ISBN-13: 978-1401891077
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,197,780 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Anticipation unrealized, June 25, 2002

By	Kevin Gooss (Richmond, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ArcGIS Developer's Guide for Visual Basic Applications (VBA) (Paperback)

Only one word I can think of to describe this latest offering from Razavi and OnWord Press: DISAPPOINTING.
I pre-ordered this book months ago because this topic is not covered by any other current books and Razavi's tome on ArcView programming is well written and informative. Unfortunately, he did not rise to the occasion in this instance. I received this book on a Monday and by Wednesday I was done reading it and ready to sell it off. First, the book is NOT 256 pages as the Amazon description says it is. At a scant 188 pages this ... "book" reads more like a pamphlet with a cursory introduction to the basics of programming that barely caters to ArcGIS specifically. When the book finally starts to get up and running with some useful coding examples (at page 80!), Bam!, it ends appruptly with no closing section, no advice for further research, no additional help tips. It almost seems as though the thing had to get off Razavi's desk to make it to the publisher so he just spit out the index and sent it off.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. If you are just starting at programming the intro sections are far to shallow and brief to be any help. If you are working at a more advanced level and would like to cater your programming to ArcGIS you had better keep your dough and wait it out.
Unless half of my book got lost in the mail, this one is useless to those of us starving for a volume to fill the hole in programming this new software. {This refers to the 1st (2002) edition.}

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Thin and light, July 6, 2002

By	Kevin J. Weaver (Glenshaw, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ArcGIS Developer's Guide for Visual Basic Applications (VBA) (Paperback)

I too was disappointed with this book. There's not much substance here, especially if you already know a bit of VB/VBA programming. Half of the book reviews basic VB/COM concepts, syntax and programming practices. I bought this book because I already know VB and I am starting an ArcGIS programming project. I learned more looking at the ESRI provided samples and poking around their excellent support forum and sample code web site... Just by tinkering around with ArcGIS in the time it took for the book to arrive, I built sample applications that are way beyond those presented in Razavi's book.
The book doesn't really give you enough information to begin to grasp the ArcObjects data model. If you're going to do any serious ArcObjects programming, you'll need the ESRI reference book "Exploring ArcObjects" ... which is also included in electronic format on the ESRI CD's, but it's so big that the paper version is easier to use. {This refers to the 1st (2002) edition.}

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not good, August 7, 2002

By	Ryan Hill (Logan, UT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ArcGIS Developer's Guide for Visual Basic Applications (VBA) (Paperback)

In the introduction of this book it states that "you do not have to be a seasoned programmer to understand this book". Not true. Razavi's treatment of the subject is superficial, and does not cover the fundamental bases well enough to give beginning programmers what they need. If you do not know how to program in VBA before you read this book chances are you won't know how to after reading it. {This refers to the 1st (2002) edition.}