Re: Best books available for C# - C# Discussion Boards

Tom Archer10-May-02 7:03

10-May-02 7:03

I definitely don't cover Windows Forms as that's way outside the scope of Inside C#. I do cover some .NET classes, but those that I feel most programmers would logically associate with a language (regardless of where they're actually supported in .NET). The classes in include things like file streaming, strings, reg expressions, and security.

By the way here is the table of contents.

Cheers,
Tom Archer
Author - Inside C#, Visual C++.NET Bible

Joao Vaz10-May-02 2:57

10-May-02 2:57

Table of contents of Inside C#

Disclaimer : The author of the book is a friendy guy and if you ask directly to him any doubt , I sure he will be answering you.

Cheers,
Joao Vaz
Addicted C++ programmer

James T. Johnson10-May-02 3:18

10-May-02 3:18

*grin* Thanks Smile | :)

Don't know why I didn't think to go to Microsoft Press' website.

James

Simplicity Rules!

Joao Vaz10-May-02 3:35

10-May-02 3:35

Don't worry man, it can happen to the best C# MVCPP (Most Value Code Project Profissional ) , don't you think ? Wink | ;-)

Cheers,
Joao Vaz
Addicted C++ programmer

James T. Johnson10-May-02 15:12

10-May-02 15:12

Joao Vaz wrote:
it can happen to the best C# MVCPP

Yeah, but what about me? Poke tongue | ;-P

[By the way, thanks Smile | :)

]

Actually I do know the problem, its me visiting and trying to make intellectual posts when I'm dead tired. In fact, I should probably give up nowk and go to bed _z Suspicious | :suss:

^z.

James

Simplicity Rules!

Tom Archer10-May-02 7:04

10-May-02 7:04

Thanks for the kind words, mate.

Cheers,
Tom Archer
Author - Inside C#, Visual C++.NET Bible

Joao Vaz10-May-02 7:18

10-May-02 7:18

Your welcome , but I only said the truth (all the truth and nothing more than the truth), so you don't need to thank me .

Cheers,
Joao Vaz
Addicted C++ programmer

Tom Archer10-May-02 7:00

10-May-02 7:00

Jeff Prosise's book is for that. In fact, at MS Press we tried very hard to make sure that the entire line up (Richter, Prosise, Petzold and mine) all complimented one another with a miniumum of overlap.

Therefore:

Jeffrey Richter - .NET programming (mainly low level with lots of internals)
Jeff Prosise - Programming with the .NET class library
Tom Archer - Specific to C# with a few basic .NET classes (file streaming, strings, regular expressions, security, exception handling, etc.)
Charles Petzold - WinForms and UI

Cheers,
Tom Archer
Author - Inside C#, Visual C++.NET Bible

Joao Vaz10-May-02 2:34

10-May-02 2:34

Here's the Amazon Review of the 2nd edition:

I thoroughly enjoyed the first edition, but as another reviewer stated, it was a one-time read where you could easily absorb everything in one sitting and not have much need for it again. This edition simply rocks. I don't know if it was Mr Archer learning more about the language or adding Mr Whitechapel. What I do know is that this book as some incredible content.

Where do I begin? The chapters on attributes, delegates and interfaces are excellent. Finally, someone that explains what these are, why they exist, how to use them and how they work internally! From there, my favorite chapters are the ones on file streams, strings and regular expressions and security...

Finally, the COM interop chapters are the best I've read any place. This has become *the* definitive book on C#. A definite recommended buy!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I advise you to buy this one , and complement with Petzold Programming Windows with C# . These 2 definitely are a great pair ...

The inside C# leads properly with the language and it's internals and some complementary .Net Framework stuff and Programming Windows leads with Windows Forms , GDI + , Graphical user interfaces ... you get the point ...
For Asp.NET , I personnally don't know any good introductory book, but if you want a intermediate/Advanced level book then definitely you should go to ASP.NET Unleashed.

Cheers,
Joao Vaz
Addicted C++ programmer

Tom Archer10-May-02 7:05

10-May-02 7:05

Joao Vaz wrote:
I advise you to buy this one , and complement with Petzold Programming Windows with C# . These 2 definitely are a great pair ...

I definitely like the idea that Amazon thinks enough of my book's potential to couple with Charles Petzold's book - especially since they work great together.

Cheers,
Tom Archer
Author - Inside C#, Visual C++.NET Bible

Joao Vaz10-May-02 7:21

10-May-02 7:21

Tom Archer wrote:
Amazon thinks enough of my book's potential to couple with Charles Petzold's book

Yeah, Amazon despict some minor issues on his search engine , have some intelligent guys backing it up Smile | :)

Cheers,
Joao Vaz
Addicted C++ programmer

kek10-May-02 14:19

kek

10-May-02 14:19

The MS-Press books listed are, I think, essential titles for any .Net dev.

The 4 MS-Press publications listed previously are pretty good (well I anticipate that Prosise's title will be as well written).

I also look forward to getting my copy of the 2nd edition of Tom's book and also Jeff Prosise's book when its published (this month?).

I am however disappointed with the Developmentor .Net/C# efforts compared with their previous Win32/COM publications. I don't bother using them any more to be honest. That said though, the upcoming Don Box title from them "Essential .NET" looks promising (drafts were available at last years PDC) but has been delayed until September which is a shame.

The Wrox press titles are also disappointing and try to cover far too much - Professional C# meanders all over the place.

Kev

11-May-02 1:11

kek wrote:
The Wrox press titles are also disappointing and try to cover far too much - Professional C# meanders all over the place.

I know what you mean, I bought Beginning Asp.NET and it have TEN chapters about C# basics !!! OMG | :OMG:

But I bought ASP.NET Unleashed from SAMS and it only have a tiny chapter to the basics of ASP.NET , then is all real content , the book have 1300 pags!!!! WTF | :WTF:

Great stuff !

kek wrote:
Developmentor .Net/C# efforts compared with their previous Win32/COM publications

Yeap , their Win32/COM publications rocked , but I believe that they will increase the quality in upcoming books, I have faith in the guys !!!

Regarding Essential .NET, I'm afraid by the time , it hit the shelfs , it will not bring additional content to the hundreds of books published !!! Although Don Box is a great author(Essential COM was a masterpiece) , I think that he will have poor sales .

I already have the Mspress Guys Tom Archer(Inside C#,2nd), Serge Lidin(Inside Il Net Assembler), Petzold(Programming Windows with C#) ,Prosise (Programming .Net ...) , Ritcher (Applied Net...) , Dino Esposito (Ado.NET) , Stephen W ...(ASP.NET Unleashed) ,John Gough (Compiling For .NET) and many others !!! How he can bring additional content ???? I think is almost impossible to achieve this !!!

James T. Johnson11-May-02 2:05

11-May-02 2:05

Anonymous wrote:
Although Don Box is a great author(Essential COM was a masterpiece) , I think that he will have poor sales .

I think people learning .NET coming from the COM world will pick up Box's book to because its Don Box. Hell, I'm not from the COM world and I'm tempted to get it when it comes out Poke tongue | ;-P

James

Simplicity Rules!

Re: amazon link

Joao Vaz10-May-02 2:38

10-May-02 2:38

Inside C#, 2nd Edition

Even Amazon recommends and are selling the Inside C# and Programming Windows with C# together at a lower price, so you can't go wrong Smile | :)

Cheers,
Joao Vaz
Addicted C++ programmer

Eric Gunnerson (msft)10-May-02 7:46

Eric Gunnerson (msft)

10-May-02 7:46

Depends on what you're trying to do.

If you're interested in the just the language, Tom's book or my book from Apress.

If you're interested in fewer details about the language but more about the frameworks, I think Troelson's Apress book or Liberty's O'Reilly book are good.

You might also look on http://www.dotnetbooks.com for some more info.

TreeNode.Text

Serge R9-May-02 15:56

9-May-02 15:56

Is there a reason why when accessing the TreeNode.Text property is slows down the redraw of a treeview and it doesn't even take in consideration the BeginUpdate/EndUpdate of the TreeView???

In this example if you comment out the "NewNode.Text" line the
BeginUpdate/EndUpdate will work fine

TreeNode NewNode;

treeView.BeginUpdate();

for( int i = 0; i < 1000; i++ )
{
    NewNode = treeView.Nodes.Add( "Node: " + i.ToString() );

    NewNode.Text = "Node: " + i.ToString();

    Application.DoEvents();
}

treeView.EndUpdate();

And in this example if you comment ou the "NewNode.Text" line the tree view will repaint alot faster.

TreeNode NewNode;

for( int i = 0; i < 1000; i++ )
{
    NewNode = treeView.Nodes.Add( "Node: " + i.ToString() );

    NewNode.Text = "Node: " + i.ToString();

    Application.DoEvents();
}

James T. Johnson9-May-02 18:10

9-May-02 18:10

Serge R wrote:
Is there a reason why when accessing the TreeNode.Text property is slows down the redraw of a treeview and it doesn't even take in consideration the BeginUpdate/EndUpdate of the TreeView???

In this example if you comment out the "NewNode.Text" line the
BeginUpdate/EndUpdate will work fine

Confused | :confused:

I'm not sure what you are trying to do; the point of BeginUpdate/EndUpdate is to not-redraw the treeview while populating nodes making it faster because you won't redraw after each addition/removal. When you put in the Application.DoEvents() and by setting the text value you are telling it to redraw.

Nearest I can tell that is the culprit.

James

Simplicity Rules!

Serge R10-May-02 0:41

10-May-02 0:41

James T. Johnson wrote:
I'm not sure what you are trying to do

If it takes 5 min to load the tree I want to be able to move the window around without using a thread so I use Application.DoEvents()...

The best example is that I'm trying to do something like this product for myself: www.jamsoft.net/treesize.html

James T. Johnson10-May-02 2:03

10-May-02 2:03

Comparing the source from MFC and the source for TreeNode (.NET), they do almost the exact same thing... BUT! The .NET TreeNode does a scrollbar update if the TreeView is scrollable.

Try setting Scrollable to false, when you call BeginUpdate; and to true when you call EndUpdate.

James

Simplicity Rules!

Eric Gunnerson (msft)10-May-02 7:43

Eric Gunnerson (msft)

10-May-02 7:43

A couple of suggestions:

1) If you want to do a file system like thing, it usually works much better if you populate the tree on demand. I did something like for my book; if you find "A programmer's Introduction to C#" on the Apress website, you can download the source code.

2) It's a lot easier, and usually much more efficient to derive your own class from TreeNode and use that rather than using the string operations. Each time you call Add, it has to create a new TreeNode object and put the string into it, where if you have your own object already, it can be added directly. I do that in my code as well.

Serge R10-May-02 8:47

10-May-02 8:47

Thanks,

I'll probably have to go more fore the second suggestion because for the type of project I want to do, on demand is not a solution, I don't think I can do it another way, if you would know let me know please.

I want to display the size of the folder with the name of the folder to get the size a folder you need the size of each folder inside the folder so on and so on it's a recursive thing... so why not populate the tree in the mean time but we still want the user to have control of the application, move it, size it, minimize it, stop it, browse the folders that were loaded up to now, etc.

The main idea is:

LoadFolder( foldername )
{
    int totalsize

    add node

    totalsize += size of files in foldername

    for each sub folders in foldername 
    {
        totalsize += LoadFolder( subfolder )

        update new node text with totalsize

        need to process messages here
    }

    return totalsize
}
then you just need to call LoadFolder( "c:\" ) on you button once

If you look at this software it does exactly what I want to do...

www.jamsoft.net/treesize.html

10-May-02 9:11

I don't think I was very clear here. There are really two tasks:

1) Scanning the filesystem to figure out the size of each dir (which my app does).

2) Showing that information in the treeview.

The app requires #1, but it doesn't require putting all that information into the treeview at once. This can take quite a bit of time to do.

Serge R10-May-02 9:04

10-May-02 9:04

Is there a reason that the set of the TreeNode.Text property triggers the entire control to redraw/erase.

The SetItemText in MFC of the CTreeView does not trigger the entire control redraw/erase so there must be something extra in the set of the TreeNode.Text that make the control do that.