Rating:  Summary: Poorly Targeted and Concieved. Review: Pass on this one. This book a loose collection of unrelated articles. It passes neither as a primer nor as an advanced reference. The index is a mess, i.e. "ActiveCell" isn't there; half the book (352 pages) is listing (without discussion)of the Excel and VBE object model; and the automation chapter begins with a discalimer that "We will not attempt to give detailed explanations...". On the bright side, there are a few gems buried within the drivel and your foot won't get broke if you drop this book on it.
Rating:  Summary: Excellent - It never leaves my desk... Review: The book is an excellent reference for Intermediate and Advanced VBA developers. I started programming with Excel 95. Personally, I prefer the Wrox books over Walkenbach anyday. They get to the point and tell you what you need. As developers, we aren't looking for the frilly stuff or whether or not the author has a sense of humor. We want the facts. This book gives it to you.
Rating:  Summary: Take a pass on this one and wait for the 2nd Edition Review: The Editors at Wrox are to blame for this one. The Authors have plenty to say, but the design and layout make it an impossible read. Who came up with such small type and putting the code behind a gray backgound? The index is also poorly layed out, not nearly enough entries. It's a shame because we need a book like this.
Rating:  Summary: Excel-lent bargain Review: This book is great if you are moving into VBA from other languages, or want to ramp up your current VBA skillset. It is concise, and covers topics not to be found in other titles.I agree with others: the editing is poor. Wrox needs to clean up its act in this regard, at least with this book. But Green et al. provide a wealth of information. I know of no other book that covers international issues so well (if at all), and the authors introduce reference conventions that are very efficient (speedwise), yet rarely covered in other books. There is no book that covers it all. While there is necessarily overlap with other books, this one offers fresh insight. You can wait for the next edition, as one person suggested, or just work your way around the editing flaws to get the information *now*.
Rating:  Summary: Horrible index Review: This book would have gotten 4 stars from me if it were not for the index. For example, in one short block of code, I tried looking up Resize, What:, LookAt, xlWhole, LookIn, and Is Nothing. Resize is found in the index under "Range," and the only reason I found it is that they are both under "R." As for the others, I have no idea where to find them in the book. Or try looking up less obscure items like Offset, Integer, InStr, GetName, or Get anything (there are no listings for "G" in the index). With the ability to create a computerized index, there is no excuse for this laziness. It cuts the usefulness of the book in half. You need another book with a good index to find almost anything. If you are relentless in finding a solution, you can slog your way through this book a page at a time, and you just might find exactly what you need. But then again, you might not.
Rating:  Summary: Horrible index Review: This book would have gotten 4 stars from me if it were not for the index. For example, in one short block of code, I tried looking up Resize, What:, LookAt, xlWhole, LookIn, and Is Nothing. Resize is found in the index under "Range," and the only reason I found it is that they are both under "R." As for the others, I have no idea where to find them in the book. Or try looking up less obscure items like Offset, Integer, InStr, GetName, or Get anything (there are no listings for "G" in the index). With the ability to create a computerized index, there is no excuse for this laziness. It cuts the usefulness of the book in half. You need another book with a good index to find almost anything. If you are relentless in finding a solution, you can slog your way through this book a page at a time, and you just might find exactly what you need. But then again, you might not.
Rating:  Summary: Overall, an Excellent Reference Book with Bonus Examples Review: This is obviously a WROX attempt at creating an O'Reilly "Nutshell" book and I think they did a great job, sans the index which is totally awful. NOTE: While I don't have it, the index for the comparable WROX book for Excel XP/2002 looked 200% better. Nonetheless it is what it is, a REFERENCE book with the bonus that you don't normally see in O'Reilly books, of an in-depth explanation of some of Excel's object models in the earlier chapters. The chapters on the Range object model are worth the cost alone! I had VBA experience with Access but very little with Excel. Within 1 month of utilizing this book, I was able to to show my employer that I deserved the new consultation job at a major pharmaceutical company and got it. While the index is very poor, this is an excellent REFERENCE book, even for beginners and those working with Excel 97. Most of what is in the book applies to '97 as well. The price, like most WROX books, is also very reasonable, especially for the content. You will need an Internet Service Provider to download the code examples in the earlier parts of the book though, another reason it only gets 4 stars. I don't agree, especially since anyone can buy a burnable CD for less than .25 now, with the philosophy that it substantially adds to the cost. Given most book publishers inclusion of a CD, I would think WROX would augment the quality of their publications by including the CD of source code/information for a nominal increased price. The costs involved are extremely reasonable to the business standards of their industry.
Rating:  Summary: Overall, an Excellent Reference Book with Bonus Examples Review: This is obviously a WROX attempt at creating an O'Reilly "Nutshell" book and I think they did a great job, sans the index which is totally awful. NOTE: While I don't have it, the index for the comparable WROX book for Excel XP/2002 looked 200% better. Nonetheless it is what it is, a REFERENCE book with the bonus that you don't normally see in O'Reilly books, of an in-depth explanation of some of Excel's object models in the earlier chapters. The chapters on the Range object model are worth the cost alone! I had VBA experience with Access but very little with Excel. Within 1 month of utilizing this book, I was able to to show my employer that I deserved the new consultation job at a major pharmaceutical company and got it. While the index is very poor, this is an excellent REFERENCE book, even for beginners and those working with Excel 97. Most of what is in the book applies to '97 as well. The price, like most WROX books, is also very reasonable, especially for the content. You will need an Internet Service Provider to download the code examples in the earlier parts of the book though, another reason it only gets 4 stars. I don't agree, especially since anyone can buy a burnable CD for less than .25 now, with the philosophy that it substantially adds to the cost. Given most book publishers inclusion of a CD, I would think WROX would augment the quality of their publications by including the CD of source code/information for a nominal increased price. The costs involved are extremely reasonable to the business standards of their industry.
Rating:  Summary: A great resource for a developing Excel programmer. Review: Those with no programming backround may find this a little advanced. I first read Walkenbach's Power Programming for Excel 2000 which was very good and then followed with this book so I had some familiarity of the subject matter. I found this book very helpful in teaching me some useful techniques dealing with range names, custom menus, error routines and the Excel 2000 Object Model. Most of the chapters require a solid effort in reading the material and experimenting to really understand it. They also have a website (Wrox.com) that allows you to download code so you don't have to key it in (although I found keying it in helpful toward learning). Overall, it's not a book to be read casually but requires time, patience and focus. The best approach if you're trying to teach yourself is to read a couple of pages per day AND even if you are an experienced VBA programmer to start with Chapter 1, History of Spreadsheets followed by Chapter 2, Primer for Excel VBA. There's usually a trick or technique that you can pick up that you didn't know prior. Then continue with each chapter after that. Also it is helpful to go back and read the early chapters again as your skill level improves. I found this approach to be a good self teaching tool. The index falls a little short so the idea of using it as a reference without reading it first will probably not work too well. I think it is better suited as a teaching book that flows logically so you have to be willing to devote the time necessary to each chapter. I usually put a check mark in the margin indicating that I read the material which was helpful if I was away from it for a few days. I would highly recommend this book to those who are serious about improving their skill as an Excel VBA programer.
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