Product Description

“Look it up in Petzold” remains the decisive last word in answering questions about Windows development. And in PROGRAMMING WINDOWS, FIFTH EDITION, the esteemed Windows Pioneer Award winner revises his classic text with authoritative coverage of the latest versions of the Windows operating system—once again drilling down to the essential API heart of Win32 programming. Topics include: • The basics—input, output, dialog boxes • An introduction to Unicode • Graphics—drawing, text and fonts, bitmaps and metafiles • The kernel and the printer • Sound and music • Dynamic-link libraries • Multitasking and multithreading • The Multiple-Document Interface • Programming for the Internet and intranets Packed as always with definitive examples, this newest Petzold delivers the ultimate sourcebook and tutorial for Windows programmers at all levels working with Microsoft® Windows 95, Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows NT®. No aspiring or experienced developer can afford to be without it. An electronic version of this book is available on the companion CD.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #163122 in Books
• Published on: 1998-11-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1100 pages

Customer Reviews

The Definitive Guide to Programming in Visual C++ Maybe...
But Programming the Windows API independently it is not. First of all the writer barely mentions explanations to certain aspects of the code and then talks about simple things for ages. For instance he does not tell you how to make a Dialog Box without using a *.rc file that appears in Visual C++. So Borland C++ users (such as me) and left short of what to do since all of the code over the internet is Visual C++ based only.

However, at the end of the day this IS the best book for the Windows API. The examples that come along with the code do actually work, and everything is explained simply to the reader.

5/5 stars if you are using Visual C++, but if you using Borland C++, be very, very wary.

A good introduction to Windows programming.
This is quite a good book. Though Petzold devotes quite a chunk of space to Unicode which is really only of use if you are programming for NT and he glosses over common controls in one sentence, it is non the less an excellent introduction to programming for Windoze in C.

Previously I had bought Herbert Schildts book, Windows 98 programming which glossed over some of the subjects that Petzold covers in more detail. However, Schildt does cover common controls very well. I discovered that with both Schildts and Petzolds book on Windows I had all the information I needed to write Windows applications.

That said, if you are not fluent in C you will find both of these books hard going and I would recommend that newcomers learn C in a character mode environment such as DOS before attempting to program in Windows.

Worth the money? I'd say yes, buy both books.

It IS definitive !
I have wasted a lot of money on books trying to learn Windows programming and have been easily confused by MFC. After working through this book, I can now understand MUCH more about where MFC is coming from, not to mention being able to get to grips with REAL Windows programming. If your buying just one book....buy this one!