Product Description

Since their introduction, the MCSD certification exams have been enthusiastically received by VB programmers who consider certification very important to their professional credibility. Programmers tend to be specialists--they tend to do the same kind of programming over and over. The MCSD exam is targeted at technical generalists--developers familiar with a broad array of Microsoft technologies and development approaches that are incorporated into Visual Basic. With its comprehensive overview of core technology areas, MCSD in a Nutshell is the perfect study guide and resource to help developers master technologies that are less familiar to them. In fact, its thorough review of Visual Basic-related development technologies also makes this an excellent tutorial for experienced VB programmers who wish to get up to speed on speed on some technology with which they work infrequently, if at all. Most certification books are really tutorials in disguise. In contrast, this book focuses on the advanced topics about which developers are actually tested on the exam. Topics include:

• Understanding COM
• Creating ActiveX Code Components
• Creating ActiveX Controls
• Creating and Using ActiveX Documents
• Creating Internet-Aware Applications
• Testing and Debugging
• Integrating Help with an Application
• Optimizing an Application
• Package and Deployment
• Incorporating Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS)

Incredibly, most certification books appear to assume that the reader has no prior experience with VB programming. In contrast, this book assumes an intermediate to advanced programmer who is concerned with learning more about each of the core technologies that are covered by the exam. And unlike some certification books, MCSD in a Nutshell is written by an author who has successfully passed the certification exams.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #576406 in Books
• Published on: 2000-10-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 611 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Study guides aren't intended to be entertaining so you won't be surprised to hear MCSD In A Nutshell, aimed at VB6 exams, is a book the majority would pay to avoid reading.

Foxall assumes you are a competent VB programmer though your work has involved using only a few of the vast range of Microsoft technologies accessible to VB. His aim is to familiarise you with the whole technology sweep, their application and usage.

As with most other certifications, an MCSD is mainly multiple choice questions with a little programming thrown in. What little code exists is only there to demonstrate the way a technology is accessed and tends to be just a line or two. Instead Foxall concentrates on covering those Microsoft technologies you must know in order to pass the exam. Naturally, extensive MCSD-style sample questions check you've understood each section.

In fact most of the book consists of a brain-achingly fast review of any Microsoft technology accessible via VB; including the obscure--for example, ActiveX documents. Just because hardly anyone uses a particular MS technology doesn't mean you aren't expected to understand it. One of the reasons MCSDs exist is to create a pool of people Microsoft can depend on to know all of VB's possibilities--and hopefully use them in projects.

Overall, one of the better books available for wannabe MCSDs and one of the few which can be considered truly portable. --Steve Patient

From the Publisher
Programmers tend to be specialists--they often do the same kind of programming over and over. The MCSD exam is targeted at technical generalists--developers familiar with a broad array of Microsoft technologies and development approaches. With its comprehensive overview of core technology areas, MCSD in a Nutshell is the perfect study guide and resource to help developers master the technologies that are less familiar to them.

About the Author
James Foxall is a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) and Vice President of Tigerpaw Software, Inc., a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider specializing in commercial database applications and known for the award-winning Tigerpaw Business Suite. His experience in creating distributed, certified Microsoft Office compatible software has made him an authority on application interface and behavior standards of applications designed for the Microsoft Windows and Office environment. James has personally written over 90,000 lines of commercial production Visual Basic code in both single-programmer and multiple-programmer environments. James has written several computer books on both Visual Basic and Microsoft Access including the definitive work, Practical Standards for Microsoft Visual Basic. He has also written for Access/Office/VBA Advisor magazine and is an international speaker on Microsoft Access and Visual Basic. In addition to speaking and writing, James has taught Visual Basic at the college level, and has been featured on numerous television news shows, in trade publications, and in newspaper articles for his technology expertise.

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Customer Reviews

Excellent Book - 2 exams for the price of 1
I have used this book as the main revision book for the 2 VB MSCD exams and I cannot recommend it highly enough as it covers the actual material that is required for these exams. It is also interesting for programmers who are not familiar with some of the topics.

If you know VB reasonably well, then this book will answer all your questions on the more advanced areas eg. COM, DCOM, Package and Deployment, ADO, MTS, Active X controls etc. etc.

best book for exam as well as for real work
I read this book and passed the exam. The author really knew what was important, and in fact, the book told me what would be covered in the test. The book had good focus on set-up and package deployment and the desktop test really had many questions on that. I think ActiveX and deployment wizard cover half of the desktop exam. This is inexpensive, slim, and covers everything necessary for exam. Really good book.

Excellent Book, must have for the VB Exams
This book is excellent. It covers just about everything you need to pass the VB6 Exams. As well as telling you what you might encounter on the exams I found it a useful reference also - the author encourages you to stop and think about some of the stuff rather than just blindly listing facts for you to memorise. You'll find the book goes into a lot more detail than you will actually need to pass the exam. If you use the Transcender along with this book and fully understand what this book is saying you WILL PASS!!!!!