Favorite Reference Materials Everyone?

[bmanske]

I'm curious as to everyone's favorite reference materials when working with PPL. I have copies of Boling-Programming Microsoft Windows CE and Petzold-Programming Windows in CHM format. Boling isn't a complete reference to the Win CE API and Petzold covers a superset. Neither of these make a good reference on COM.

The other thing I did is download the Embedded Visual Tool 2003 ed and installed it. This included some great reference material, but I can't use it on my Pocket PC.

So what kinds of references is everyone using?

B.

[PointOfLight]

[kornalius]

[kornalius]

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies, but what I was looking for were reference materials that could be loaded on my PPC along with the necessary viewers for when I am not at my PC.

I started by going through the CDs that have come with the books that I have purchased. I was trying to use CHMReader.NET from the free article on CodeProject.com, but I think I'm going to buy a copy of MicroOLAP CHM eBook Reader. (I also looked at Aroy CHM Reader, but it doesn't seem to work at all on PPC 2003.)

Does anyone have the older version of Embedded Visual Tools installed? I was wondering if the older version came with a CHM that was a good API reference? I have it, but I don't want to load it unless I have to.

B.

[bmanske]

Wouldn'tcha know it. I forgot to log in.

This is only my 3rd message. I'll get the hang of it after a few more.

B.

[mervjoyce]

[webba]

Hi all

I think I'm in the same place as bmanske. My intention is to do most of my programming on the PPC and reference material for the windows api (and windows programming in general) is what's been holding me up. I too have tried the Chm reader and it seems ok... maybe a little slow. Did the chm files of the two books you mention come with the books? How do you find using them in practice? Maybe between us we could come up with a 'recommended' reference set or something - for those of us who want to do all this onboard...

Kind regards.
andy.

[bmanske]

Hi All,

Sounds like I struck a chord with Webba. The rest of you sound like you plan on doing most of your development from your computers. I plan on doing about 50% at my desk so I'd like to be prepared for when I'm not.

The CHMReader.NET program is slow. It keeps getting better, but for good fast access to pages try the MicroOLAP CHM eBook Reader. It's about $15 (US dollars) - worth it if you plan on using it a lot.

The books Boling-Programming Microsoft Windows CE second edition and Petzold-Programming Windows 5th edition came with CDs that had the CHM files on them. I find that both of these books are great reference material. The material in the books don't overlap much so I think both are needed. Petzold covers things that aren't in the CE API. Being more familiar with Windows PC programming, I feel I really need a reference to the PPC API so that I can learn what I can't do.

This is a sort of road map of dead ends I have taken in the search for good reference documents. First while I like the MicroOLAP reader, it doens't highlight the links on a page after a find. That would have made scanning down the page for your topic much easier. So be aware of that minor irritation.

I have loaded 2 versions of the Embedded Visual Tools. The newer on is not the CHM format. The older version is in CHM format, but it seems to require a helper DLL and therefore doesn't seem to work with MicroOLAP (or outside the installation for that matter). Maybe I'll try loading an older version of MSDN and seeing if I get something useable.

I have looked on these CDs (all from books) for referencd material with no luck:
Windows CE from the Ground Up
Windows CE Technology Tutorial
COM/DCOM Unleashed
Inside COM
Windows CE 30 Application Programming

So right now I have the 2 books I mentioned and the PPL.CHM file for reference. I'll let you know if I find more that are good.

B.

[webba]