An Excellent Reference for Managed C++

Title Programming with Managed Extensions for Microsoft Visual C++.NET 2003 Author Richard Grimes Publisher Microsoft Press Published 2003 ISBN 0735617821 Price USD 49.95 Pages 583

Review

After developing stand alone Windows applications using Microsoft Visual C++ with MFC for the past several years, the transition to .NET has been frustrating, to say the least. I had purchased a few books on the topic, but starting in on my first production Managed C++ project I found them all lacking in details on the deeper subjects. What is more, Microsoft C++.NET on-line documentation in the MSDN Library was getting hard to wade through. As I’ve done in the past, I decided it was time for another trip to the book store. My hope being, if I can find just ONE book that covers a few of these topics in depth, the money will be well spent. Let me say, I was very excited to pick up Richard Grimes’ book "Programming with Managed Extensions for Microsoft Visual C++.NET", as it has exceeded all my expectations and has become a regular desk reference for this project.

Grimes’ "matter of fact" approach is refreshing and to the point. No sales pitch, no watered down glossing over the details. This book is well written, thorough and easy to understand. Pick a chapter on any topic and you will find a rich discussion with usable example code. In some cases, a subject can be addressed clearly and thoroughly in one paragraph. In other cases, when it takes 3 pages to sufficiently cover a topic, Grimes’ book delivers.

Conclusion

It may be that some or all this information lies buried within the MSDN Library somewhere, but personally, to have a tangible BOOK that I can read through, underline, dog-ear pages and sick yellow post-it notes all over is well worth the money. This is one book that will be well used, and is likely to be one of the more tattered ones on my shelf. I give it an A.