<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Don't waste your money on this book.
Review: I am a consultant who has been developing applications using PowerBuilder for the last 5 years who has never used the PFC; so, I thought this would be a quick way to learn it. However, the book has directions that don't make sense and the first time I did an exercise, it failed with a bad runtime reference. It might be a good companion book if you're actually taking the class; at least you can ask the instructor why things aren't working. But to buy the book as a vehicle to learn the PFC, it's useless.
Rating: 
Summary: Very well organized and easy to follow
Review: I have been programming in PowerBuilder for about three years now. I have been frustrated with the documentation that has shipped with the PFC. This book takes a step by step approach to building PFC applications. It's almost like you are learning in 'slow motion'! Only one topic at a time is covered, and you must finish that topic before you can go on to the next. The book is divided into five sections; each section focuses on a different part of PFC development. They are easy to follow and very well written. I especially like the attention to actual code examples. This is a 'How to' book, not a theory or reference book. Because of this book, I learned more about the PFC in 3 days than I have learned in 3 weeks at my project. I do agree with the author that this book is for beginner/intermediate PFC developers. It was a great place for me to start - and I didn't have to pay for the class.
Rating: 
Summary: I liked it
Review: I knew very little about the PFC. This manual did an excellent job of explaining each service and its functions. This manual is much better than the PFC information that comes on the PB disks. This manual is not reference manual, it is a LEARNING GUIDE. I highly recommend this for someone not familiar with PB and wants to learn the PFC.
Rating:
Summary: I liked it
Review: I knew very little about the PFC. This manual did an excellent job of explaining each service and its functions. This manual is much better than the PFC information that comes on the PB disks. This manual is not reference manual, it is a LEARNING GUIDE. I highly recommend this for someone not familiar with PB and wants to learn the PFC.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad if you need a crash course on the PFC
Review: I thought the examples were very good. The book does a good job helping the student build simple PFC applications. On the downside, you have to be careful and use the libraries the ship with the book. Some chapters use different lib paths. At first I had problems and had to call the publisher. Once this was worked out all was OK (in all fairness, on the first page, the book DOES tell you what libs to use for each chapter. But who REALLY looks at directions!).I have been developing in PB for three years, and this is my first dive into the PFC. This was a good place to start. Don't expect the book to be a reference though. It does a great job of 'scratching the surface', but really is not a reference. All in all, high marks
Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your money!
Review: The directions in the book are confusing. Unless you have LOT of time to devote to deciphering what they are telling you to do you'll never be able to figure it out.
Rating:
Summary: Basically Courseware for a PFC class
Review: Yes, technically it's a book. But it's really a self-teaching, self-study PFC guide. Picture taking a PFC class without actually going to one - that's what this book gives you. It starts out with PFC basics, then leads you step by step in building a PFC application. I was impressed with the use of real examples. It seems the author's philosophy is teaching by example - rather than by description. After you build a PFC application, the services are added one by one. Bob Hendry does a great job explaining each service in easy to understand language. Something the PowerBuilder PFC documentation does not offer. Section Four is a non-technical discussion ion PFC development and management issues. In the last section, you are led through two working examples on how to extend the PFC. This chapter was a bit confusing and took a bit of work on my part to understand. On the downside, the table of contents is a bit weak. It really needs to be beefed up. All in all a great piece of work. Don't expect to read this book on the train. It is a companion manual to actual PFC development and really requires you to be at your computer to use the book. If you are a PFC beginner, this is for you.
<< 1 >>
| 
