Rating:  Summary: Title is Misleading Review: Judging from this book's title I was hoping for some good examples of programming with MFC. While I found this book to be complete and thourough in its information, it was disapointing with its lack of concrete examples. This is not the book for you if you are looking for step by step instruction to learn MFC programming techniques by example. The only reason much of this book made sense to me is because I have already been using MFC on and off for a couple years. The examples provided leave the user to make too many decisions and are vague. There is no rescue if you get backed in to a corner.
Rating:  Summary: A new approach to MFC books Review: MFC is a massive subject. Not only does it involve a library with dozens of classes and hundreds of functions but it also encapsulates a Windows API with considerably more services and a desktop tool (the Visual Studio) with several editors and Wizards. The on-line help is as massive as its subject but has little or no guidance where to start or perspective on what's important and what isn't. Examples have ironically diminished even as functionality has been added and yet examples have always been a great, perhaps even best way to learn MFC--they give you an idea of how an API or class was intended to be used by their creators and when. Most MFC developers live on examples, finding them in other people's work, on the MFC CD, over the Internet and yet most MFC books simply rehash the on-line documentation and use examples only occasionally to suppliment the text. So I conspired to write a book on MFC where the text supplimented the examples. And rather then a rag tag selection of examples, these examples would form the basis for an MFC application, from interface to internals with a detailed summary of how each worked so that it could be modified for any purpose. And rather then have these examples just languish in the book, they would be on a CD with an application that could inject them right into a new application. I would also preface this book with what I started looking for five years ago--a comprehensive overview of what makes MFC work, it's Windows, Classes, Messaging and Drawing--even if it meant crawling around inside the system--so that making new examples would be much easier. And in this overview, I would try to stay away from jargon and funny stories and allegories (where mythical animals represent objects and an application is a wonderous kingdom). This is that book. I hope you find it just as useful reading as I found writing.
Rating:  Summary: A must for all MFC programmers! Review: This book is a must have for all MFC programmers! It's got really cool examples on how to do certain things in MFC like adding controls to the status bar and such and it makes a great reference. And the examples are well laid out and very easy for anyone to follow. All in all a great book to have around the office or home :)
Rating:  Summary: Not very useful Review: This book is very dismal in presentation. Not an interesting read at all. The author tries to cram too much stuff into the chapters haphazardly. It is very painful to grasp the thread of what the topic is trying to tell you, when poorly organized. I bought this book with an intention to gain knowledge on MFC usage, but so far no gain. It could be done better.
Rating:  Summary: A very handy and useful reference tool Review: This book paid for itself the day I bought it. I found a solution to a problem which I had already spent a few hours on and had put aside. Swanke's solution was simple and clean. The book is packed with useful information and I like the way it is organized. I can find specifically what I need very quickly. The examples are explained very thoroughly so that you get depth of understanding in bite size chunks with each example rather than just a cut-and-paste solution. I have several MFC books and this is one of the few I take to work with me.
Rating:  Summary: A wonderful application oriented book Review: While learning something new, it's always a dilema whether to learn concepts first, of whether to learn the application first. It's a lot easier, if you have a book like this, which maintains a proper balance for you. language is good, examples are reasonably well structured, coverage is adequate. A great go for totally new beginner, but not much in for experienced one. If you are starting with MFC, I strongly recommend this book for use and for ready reference.
Rating:  Summary: A wonderful application oriented book Review: While learning something new, it's always a dilema whether to learn concepts first, of whether to learn the application first. It's a lot easier, if you have a book like this, which maintains a proper balance for you. language is good, examples are reasonably well structured, coverage is adequate. A great go for totally new beginner, but not much in for experienced one. If you are starting with MFC, I strongly recommend this book for use and for ready reference.
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