Rating: 
Summary: I agree with Daniel J Brunkow ...
Review: ... and many functions are obsolete. If you want to learn about PFC, read the Online Books.
Rating: 
Summary: A job well done!
Review: Congratulations on a job well done Rik! I visit your PowerBuilder Dojo frequently and found this book to be up to the high standards of all of your articles. For those of you that have difficulty with using this book, might I suggest buying a "How To" book instead of a reference manual, this book does not hold your hand but will help you navigate the pitfalls and rough spots if you are a serious PFC Programmer.
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Summary: Just like the CD and Help files in PB 5.0
Review: I found that this book was not very helpful and got more out of the CD from Power Builder. As developers, we don't need more repeating documentation. We need first hand experience.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Reference
Review: I thought that this book was quite well done. As a resource manual, it gave me just about everything that I could have wanted. If it was lacking at all, it would have been nice to add a little more in the way of descriptions, but this was a reference not a text. Nice book. I'll be looking forward to the datawindow book.
Rating:
Summary: A first class book from the best technical author I've read
Review: I would highly recommend this book for anyone even considering developing with the PFC. I first picked up Powerbuilder with version 5.0 and was completely intimidated by the PFC due to the very sparse and difficult to follow information included in the online help and CD. If Rik's book would have been around then, I would have written my first application on top of the PFC. This is a very well thought out and exhaustive review of the PFC. It is not meant to be a novel. You will find a step by step, object by object, function by function overview of everything in the PFC. Yes, some of the chapters contain information directly from the CD. But this is just background information. Rik goes on to explain in patient detail all of the ins and outs of each function and object. One very nice feature is that he also notes quite a few gotchas that can trip up those unfamiliar with this class library. There is also code galore in here that really helps explain the material. The level of detail and insight provided here only comes from a few very rare resources with the extensive knowledge Rik brings to this topic and Powerbuilder in general. The rating system out here only goes to 5 stars. I have read a very small number of 5 star books. This one honestly rates slightly higher than that. Combined with the very thorough and complete explanation of the PFC is Rik's distinctive writing style. I have not met another author who even approaches Rik's ability to present complex, technical information in a very easy to understand manner. With everything I have ever read from Rik, I get the impression that he is sitting by my side and patiently walking me through the subject. In addition to recommending this book, I would not hesitate to highly recommend any book written by Rik.
Rating:
Summary: Can't believe the reviews
Review: I've read this book. I've even reviewed Richard's new book. I can't believe those that are slamming the book. Sure, it doesn't give you everything that you need to learn the PFC's but it doesn't claim to. Richard Brooks has a world wide reputation for free help for PowerBuilder programmers stretching many years back. That anyone could slam him is beyond me. Thousands of us have learned PowerBuilder from his writings and this book is just more of his teachings.
Rating: 
Summary: PowerBuilder Foundation Classes Programmer's Reference
Review: If you'd like to master the ins and outs of PowerBuilder Foundation Classes, here's a book that covers all the objects and functions you might use with both PB5 and PB6. With each function, the author shares his extensive PB experience and gives special attention to those hard-to-understand objects and services that can enhance your expertise. Recognized PB authorities add a how-to dimension to this reference book by tackling head-on some of the more difficult aspects of Powerbuilder. You'll find that PFC Programmers Reference Manual is both a guide to the use of the entire scope of these libraries and a handy memory tool for finding exactly what you need at implementation time.
Rating:
Summary: a total flop
Review: Mr. Brooks is possibly the worst author I have ever read. The help files really were more helpful than this book was. He ought to go move to the Hedonism resort he reviewed a book on because the programing world could not possibly miss him if his wok is on the level of his writing.
Rating:
Summary: Doesn't add anything to the online help.
Review: Mr. Brooks' book simply doesn't add anything substantial to the online help included with PowerBuilder. The book mainly consists of each user object's events and functions and their arguments--exactly what the online help does.There is a clear need in the PowerBuilder PFC programming community for a good full-featured manual.
Rating:
Summary: Brooks PFC is first class exposition of Powerbuilder classes
Review: Rik has done an incredible job of crafting a book that is both a detailed examination of the use of the Powerbuilder Foundation Classes as well as providing one of the best references I have seen. There are few books which sit next to any programmer. This is destined to be one which has a permanent position on the desk. Rik Brooks has detailed PFC functions and inter method operations at a level which tells you what is happening where and why. Most books merely give the name of the function and its return values. This give the details that you need as a PB programmer hammering out production apps in a time pressed setting. Very excellent layout, and perfectly oriented as a permanent reference. You can tell that the author has sweated out thousands of lines of PB code. This level of knowledge only comes from real work with PB. Great job! Look forward to the next Brooks book.
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