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Summary: Excellent reference; inadvertent exam prep book!
Review: I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I bought it on the strength of the reader reviews here, and I was very pleased with the results. This book is marvelous in three ways: 1) Comprehensive reference of Access 97 features. The manual is intended mostly for intermediate to advanced users but it is also written with a very easy style to understand. It is very extensive in its coverage, and it not only teaches you advanced aspects of Access, but also other programming/database techniques (class modules; Win API; automation) that let you fully leverage Access as a development platform. 2) Excellent source code examples on the CD-ROM. Many snippets will illustrate the learning thrust of the chapter, but others are very handy functions that you will be introducing into your workshop of tools. (SQL Scratchpad; string manipulations) 3) Good prep for 70-069 MCP exam. I recently took the test and passed using mostly this book. I was surprised how tightly intertwined the book's subject matter was with the exam material. Several of the Handbook's Warnings and Tips, were profiled almost verbatim in MCP questions. It was wonderfully precognitive. In short, this book is a great resource. Buy it, study it, and you will definitely profit from the experience.
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Summary: The BEST Access book ever!
Review: This book is a must have for Access developers! How did I live without it?The book is clearly marked on the back "intermediate/advanced" and the authors assume you understand the basic concepts of relational databases and programming. If you don't, this book may be over your head, but if you know something about Access and coding, you'll wonder how you lived without it. Unlike other books on Access, like "Mastering Access 97 Development", this book doesn't waste your time with beginner level stuff. It is called "Developers Handbook" because it is truly written for developers. You won't have to read the first 200 pages before you learn something--you'll start learning on page one and never stop. To the authors, thanks for a great book! I can't wait for the 2000 edition.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Reference Book
Review: Warning this book is not for the faint-hearted! More than 1000 pages of pure reference material for the intermediate/advanced Access user. It's a great book but not one that you can read through from the beginning to the end (and it's not written like that). Don't buy this book if you're a beginner. However, if you're into major Access coding and want to know the deep deep stuff of how to make Access obey you, then this is a fantastic reference book.
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Summary: Outstanding 1500 Page Reference. I listed the Index below.
Review: . A great book for an intermediate or advanced database programmer. If your goal is to get really good at MS Access this is the book for you. It is an outstanding reference for specific information on whatever topic you are interested in. If you only find one or two interesting chapters below, you may want to pass on this one. Not the kind of book you can master overnight. Remember how to eat an Elephant-one bite at a time. This book is too complex to digest except in small bites. I strongly recommend that if you are into databases and want to master this material, that you open this book every day (or as often as possible), and highlight a new topic and put some effort into using it. A good second reference is Microsoft's "Jet Database Engine Programmer's Guide." Index: 1. What's New in Access 97 2. The Access Event Model 3. Using VBA Class Modules 4. Database Design 5. Access SQL 6. Using Data Access Objects 7. Controlling Controls 8. Topics in Form Design and Usage 9. Topics in Form Report Design 10. Controlling Your Printer 11. Shared Office Programmability 12. Developing Multiuser Applications 13. Master Replication 14. Securing Your Application 15. Developing Client-Server Applications 16. Error Handling and Debugging 17. Application Optimization 18. Accessing DLLs and the Windows API 19. Harnessing Wizard Magic 20. Using Access as an Automation Client 21. Controlling Access as an Automation Server 22. Building Add-Ins 23. Web-Enabling Your Applications 24. Using Source Code Control Appendix A: The Reddick VBA Naming Conventions, Ver. 4.0 Appendix B: Startup and Global Options
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Summary: The Best Advanced Book on Access
Review: As a professional programmer who works primarily with Access and VB I am always looking for any additional help with advanced programming concepts and techniques. And over the last 4 years I have purchased this book for Access versions 2.0, 95 and 97.
The reasons are very simple, number one the authors of this book are renowned and respected leaders in the Access developer community. A lot of this book is obviously information gleaned from many hours of hard-core coding sessions.
Number two is the code and techniques found in this book are PRACTICAL and USEFUL. The CD is great source of generic reusable procedures.
Number three is the authors do NOT glaze over topics or leave out details. In fact, what I like about this book is the amount of expert RESEARCHED information about the product they present. This detail is useful because it allows you to take advantage of certain behaviors of Access or avoid programming pitfalls.
I firmly believe this book is an absolute must for anybody who needs advanced and detailed information about Microsoft Access
Rating:
Summary: Excellent source material
Review: I've been using this book for over a year, and continually keep going back to it for refreshers, and to look for solutions to new problems. I find this book to be very easy to understand, and my personal Bible for Access '97.
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Summary: THE Bible
Review: As a God-fearing Christian (sans Bible-thumping), I generally object to the label "bible" being applied to software books that are either excessively comprehensive or simply weigh a lot. But when you are looking for a comprehensive guide for programming Access applications, the Access Developer's Handbooks are the best place to start. This, the third edition of the series for Access 97, continues the fine reputation that the authors have earned for their work.
Let me say up front that I don't much like programming in Access. I was born and bred with Visual Basic and find that programming in Access is unnecessarily restrictive. (But I'd give up my first-born to have the Access report writer available to VB.) Give me a good database application in VB any day. Nonetheless, I frequently find myself having to create or modify Access applications. When I do and hit a stumbling block, the Handbook is the first reference I reach for. And it rarely lets me down.
With close to 1,500 pages the range of topics, particularly relating to using Office 97 with Access, is impressive. Part 1 gives an overview of Access 97, highlighting the new features, and covering the Access event model and VBA class modules. The next part covers manipulating data; relatively little is new here for database programmers. Part 3 gets into presenting data, covering form and report design, and discussing the use of shared Office components such as the Office Assistant. Part 4 starts getting into the fun stuff: multiuser applications, replication, security, and client-server. The next part covers error handling and application optimization. Part 6 moves your focus to the world outside your application, describing how to use DLLs and the Windows API, using some of the features of the Access wizards that aren't otherwise available in Access (a way cool chapter), and using ActiveX automation. The last part adds some finishing touches: building add-ins, web-enabling your applications, and using the source code control features. Two appendices, absent from the book but included on the CD, cover naming conventions and database startup properties.
My only problem with the books is that it frequently lacks depth. But with the range of topics and the limitations of book binding, that's to be expected. I've rarely found a situation where I didn't find enough in the book about my current problem to at least get me started in the right direction.
The authors are some of the true gurus of Access programming, and I don't use that word lightly. If you program in Access, get this book. And if you ever have the opportunity to hear any of them speak, grab a first row seat. You'll learn a lot.
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Summary: A must have for MsAccess programmers
Review: Daily employed subjects, very good explaineds and an useful INDEX to found what you need. That is aplicable to the whole serie "Access xxx Developer's Handbook". I own all of them!. The best book about MsAccess.
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Summary: Nice book
Review: The book is probably one of the best books I have come across. The way this book is organized is pretty good and suits all level of developers. I found the examples and code libraries extremely useful. A must have title.
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Summary: If you develop or support Access applications, buy this book
Review: If you have ever searched in a bookstore or online for computer support books, you know how easy it is to become overwhelmed by the number of choices available. Let me help you simplify your search. Buy this book. Well, if you are not a beginner buy this book; it is not for the novice. And that is why it is so valuable. There is no shortage of intro books on the market, and many of the works aimed at "advanced" users still spend have the book telling you what a database is and how a relational database differs from previous types and so on. In this book, you do not get cheated. I work on a team of three database consultants and we are constantly stealing this book from one another. I have found it useful for troubleshooting existing databases, but it really shines as a wealth of new ideas and possibilities. I have added things from this book to many projects. It is rich is code samples and the cd that comes with it is a treasure trove of functions and files. You'll find things here that you never knew Access could do, which allows you to create richer, more powerful applications. Well worth the investment!
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