Product Description:

This is the core book for the serious adopter of Microsoft's implementation of Java. It's all here-ActiveX(r) integration, HTML and the Web, animation, Web security, AFC, and more. For starters, readers get an overview of the object-oriented paradigm and specifics of how Java has improved the C++ grammar. Then users go on to learn about building powerful, useful applets with the Java AppletWizard; handling the power and pitfalls of multithreading; performing flicker-free animation for extra visual sizzle; and developing full-featured Windows(r) applications.

Amazon.com Review:

Programming Microsoft Visual J++ 6.0 provides a solid working introduction to Microsoft's new Visual J++ tool for Windows development using Java. This tools-based tutorial delivers a quick tour of the strengths of the Visual J++ product.

Early sections in the book discuss the differences between the versions of Java promoted by Sun and Microsoft. The author presents several simple console programs written in both Sun "core" Java classes and Microsoft Java using the Windows Foundation Classes (WFC). A comparative approach is used again for simple graphical user interface (GUI) applications written in both AWT and WFC. (The author also compares the event models used by Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT) and WFC, including the controversial Microsoft delegates keyword.)

The book then delves into the more advanced aspects of building WFC user interfaces, including ListView and TreeView controls, toolbars, and even simple drag-and-drop functionality. A chapter on graphics programming covers basic graphics output in WFC.

Further on, the author looks at multithreaded programming, ADO database programming, and building "local" and ActiveX controls using the Visual J++ tool. Standout sections include coverage of native Win32 calls--and even custom C++ DLLs--using J/Direct. The book closes with material on Java applets and programming dynamic HTML (DHMTL) via Java on the client and server, though the book only scratches the surface of this topic. An appendix provides an introduction to the syntax of the Java programming language for the Java novice.

Best suited to those readers with some previous Java or C++ experience, this book is all you need to start using the Visual J++ tool productively for Windows development. --Richard Dragan

Summary: The basics, but not well organized

Rating: 3

As a prevous reviewer stated, this book does indeed cover all the basics on how to create Windows-based Java applications, including all the dialogs, frames, and controls you'd want to use. (Note: becasue this is a J++ book, it DOES focus on WFC and windows-specific applications, and only touches on the platform-independent AWT packages) My main problem is with the organization of the book. When topics such as hash tables and the Debug classes is covered, the surfaces are only scratched, and a lot of detailed information is left out. (The Debug class section is particularly poor and lacking in explanation). This is all true in other sections where some controls are covered and others are not. Some important topics are brought up in an off-hand way in seemingly unrelated sections, which, for me, breaks up the flow of the book and confuses things. (for example, bringing up the topic of the java.lang.reflection package and ennumerations in the middle of the ListBox explanations).

Code samples are great, but this book depends on you actually READING the code, and follows the code with a breakdown of what happened in the code. Although this method of writing works, it makes it a bit tedious on the reader.

Although a lot of these comments sound bad, however, it is a useful book. You just really need to focus when you are reading the material. Make sure you read a good "learn java in XX days" first if you haven't already learned the basics of Java - quite a bit of general knowledge is assumed.

Summary: This book is very thorough.

Rating: 5

This book is better than online support. I was able to accomplish both idle event processing and custom dynamic link libraries from the examples presented in this book. It is by far the best Visual J++ book written.

Summary: covers the basics, a good start

Rating: 4

I think this is a good book for starting Visual J++ programming. It covers pretty much all of the major programming aspects. The author did a good job. I also found it easy to follow and appreciated that most of the programs I have worked (except one, that I still don't know what it does) are executing fine. Since I am coding a Java wrapper for custom DLL access, I wish there were more J/Direct examples. But overall, I would highly recommend this book to people who would like to start on Visual J++

Summary: Excellent Visual J++ Programming with WFC

Rating: 5

I particularly like this author's writing style. The book is filled with interesting typical programming tasks and Visual J++ solutions. I especially like the chapter on Accessing Databases. Author Davis is very knowledgeable on this subject matter and he shares a lot of very useful information.

Summary: If you are interested in VJ++, this is a must

Rating: 5

Clearly structured, good examples, covering rich to thin client development. Well, a little minus: MTS is not covered - but the best VJ++ book currently available.