Windows Ce Programming: Developing Applications for the Handheld PC (Paperback)

by Jeff Baker (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
One of the most interesting areas of software development is the new and thriving "handheld device" market. Jeff Baker's Windows CE Application Programming is a great one-volume introduction to using Windows CE as a way to create software for handheld devices. This text begins with an examination of the Windows CE platform, demonstrating how it resembles and diverges from standard Windows Win32 application programming interface (API) for programmers. (Much is taken out, and a few areas of API functionality have been added, but, all in all, the fundamentals of Win32 programming hold true here.)

The author also surveys the current crop of handheld devices as well as the tool used to develop software for them--Visual C++ for Windows CE, an add-on to Microsoft's standard compiler. Although this book avoids Microsoft Foundation Class (MFC) programming (now available in an updated developer's kit), it uses custom C++ to create an application that manages travel and personal information.

The heart of the book examines the capabilities of basic Windows CE-type applications feature by feature, starting with basic user interface conventions and controls. The author then moves farther afield to describe the unique features of Windows CE, such as file-conversion, database, and help APIs that are unique to this new platform. Features are added to the basic travel information manager until a final product is created. (The book includes all source code and a usable final product.) Although MFC is missing, this text can provide all you need to start programming for handheld devices, where small and efficient programming is the rule.

Product Description
Microsoft Windows CE, the next generation in "handheld PC" technology, is the newest member of the Windows family. It's an open, scaleable Windows operating system platform for a broad range of communications, entertainment, and mobile-computing devices. Written by a member of the Microsoft Windows CE beta evaluation team, this must-have tome teaches professionals how to connect this operating system to an existing network and program applications for it.

• The first book to teach you how to program Microsoft's newest operating system
• Learn the Windows CE Architecture and API Programming
• Understand the constraints to applications under Windows CE

Product Details

• Paperback: 466 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam (December 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578700051
• ISBN-13: 978-1578700059
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,032,691 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars What you need to know before buying this book..., January 14, 1998

By A Customer

1. Disappointingly there is nothing on MFC (except to say it came out after the book was written). If you prefer non-MFC programming you'll like it. 2. Be aware that previous windows programming experience and knowledge of C and C++ is most definitely required. 3. The book is WindowsCE v1 only. No mention of WinCEv2 or v3. 4. Some of the example listings are badly laid-out, making them hard to read (although the source is on the supplied CD-ROM) This is the first WindowsCE programming book I've seen, and it's already out-of-date. :-(

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Pass on this book for programming WinCE v2, February 11, 1998

By A Customer

The book appears to be written for version 1 of WinCE. The sample code was not formatted to fit the printed page and it is fairly difficult to read. If you are looking for CE 2 features such as the new UI elements, MFC or COM then this book is not for you. The one shining point of the book is it's coverage of the CE help system.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not a good book fora beginner or someone who uses MFC at all, March 31, 1998

By	[e-mail] (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This book is written with few samples, and nothing about MFC, the most popular way to program for Windows CE. It is really useless to anyone using MFC and a very bad title for anyone beginning CE programming.