High Performance Borland C++Builder
by Matt Telles
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High Performance Borland C++Builder
Matt Telles
Coriolis Group Books
1-57610-197-5
586 pages (+ CD-ROM)
This is a different book than the ones on C++Builder that I've read so far. For starters, it consistently calls the tool "CBuilder" instead of C++Builder (starting on page 3). Apart from that, the book does not start from scratch by showing how to use the IDE, etc., but rather consists of a number of interesting topics, each given the focus of an entire chapter. Some topics (chapters) are "beginners" topics, such as the chapter about Forms and Event Handling, and the one about Components and Component Event Handlers, but other chapters cover more advanced topics, such as the Standard Template Library, ActiveX, Threads, Applications and Wizards. There are even chapters that go beyond C++Builder, by mixing it with Delphi or even MFC (using the VCL in an MFC application)!
The only downside is that the book is written for version 1 of C++Builder, and with the latest version C++Builder 3, a lot of extra features have become available (like ActiveForms, One-Step-ActiveX, Web Modules, more extensive Open Tools API, etc), making some of the chapters a bit "dated" already.
Chapter 15, a few dozen Frequently Asked Questions, is a great resource of small topics that didn't get (or require) the focus of an entire chapter, but are useful nevertheless. Divided into nine categories, most are small Q/A-style, and I'm sure there are a few new to everyone. One things nags me: in the "Other Sources of Information" section, the author lists "Dr.Bob's CBuilder Gate" with the old URL, instead of www.drbob42.com

The book is clearly written, with nice screenshots and not too many C++Builder source code listings. The CD-ROM contains all source code, of course, as well as a lot of additional sources and tools. It's a good book for C++Builder programmers, although I hope an updated edition of the book will be published as well (covering some C++Builder 3 specific topics).

(Bob Swart)


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