Product DescriptionVisual Basic Orcas Programmer's Reference is a language tutorial and a reference guide to the upcoming Orcas release of Visual Basic. The tutorial provides basic material suitable for beginners but also includes in-depth content for more advanced developers.
The second part of the book is a reference that quickly allows programmers to locate information for specific language features. The entries in these appendices allow the reader to quickly review the details of important programming, objects, properties, methods, and events.
Visual Basic Orcas Programmer's Reference will be fully revised (30%) to cover the latest features of the Orcas release, including:
Changes to variable declaration and initialization
XLinq support for XML data types; query comprehensions for using SQL-like syntax to extract data from arrays and other data structures
Extension methods for adding new features to existing classes
Nested subroutines and functions
Anonymous subroutines and functions ('lambda expressions')
Nullable types
Relaxed delegates
Dynamic interfaces
Dynamic identifiers
The author expects about 100 new pages of new examples covering these features; he will also extensively revise and retest all code to ensure compliance with the Orcas release.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Another Excellent Stephens Book!
I have taught programming for about 20 years in a local college. I have several other Rod Stephens books so when I needed a book to help me with the new features in Visual Basic 2008, this book was my first choice. I was not disappointed. At over 1000 pages it covers just about everything you might need, whether you are a beginner or an expert. The good explanations are backed up by good examples. I highly recommend it.
Rating: - Solid examples: a great book for beginners, or seasoned vets.
For the novice user this book will take you by the hand, and guide you through VB.NET from the IDE, to basic principles and concepts of OO programing, and into concrete examples, covering a vast amount of information. There is an incredible 200+ page appendix.
Like most other books on the subject, the sections that cover parts of VB that I work with daily (and thus understand well) offered few new insights. The other 75% of the book has proved to be extremely helpful!
Rating: - Stephens never disappoints
A weighty tome with substance to match the heft. Mr. Stephens knows his material and knows how to make his knowledge accessible. This book has become a necessary adjunct all of my VB projects.
Rating: - Nice Overview with Useful Examples
I'm experienced with VB.Net but needed a quick reference book for the new features (esp. LINQ) and that would also provide an overview for features I might not otherwise discover.
My first project with VB 2008 sent me right to the book. I was able to easily adapt code lifted right off the page on the first task. However, different code from the book for a second task was less successful (LINQing on a data set table). The syntax (in the book) for the ORDER BY clause was erroneous and ... Read More
Rating: - Excellent book of a programmer for programmers
This is a great book. Starting for the simplicity and going strong describing in simple language the complicated topics for the beginner to the advanced programmer in VB 2008(VB 9).
I enjoyed the reading and I am not done yet with the book. And after reading some paragraphs again, have been able to find new details that allow me to improve my routines.
- Nice Overview with Useful Examples
