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While there are any number of beginner's books for VB .NET, this one aims higher, with unique coverage of more advanced class design features. The text begins with a thorough guide to the data types available in VB .NET while introducing essential new language enhancements like inheritance and delegates. The authors next delve into modeling classes with data members, exploring all the options for scoping and sharing data in classes. After covering these "nouns" of class design, the authors next turn to methods (or verbs), starting with constructors. A standout section here is a thorough discussion of new conventions of passing by value and reference in VB .NET and how to pass strings and arrays effectively.
One of the strongest chapters in this book looks at the object life cycle, with in-depth information on a variety of constructor options, plus several design patterns (like Singleton and Factory), which shows how the new VB .NET can measure up to other object-oriented programming languages. Several later sections on new .NET features like properties, delegates, and events show how to use these features correctly. (A short case study using a banking application explores the options when it comes to event handling.) Final chapters demonstrate using inheritance, both with classes and through interfaces. The book closes with an in-depth discussion of deployment in .NET with full coverage of options for assemblies.
With plenty of short code samples and readable tables listing essential language keywords, this title is aimed squarely at the more experienced VB developer. Its concise format and considerable expertise on the object-oriented features of VB .NET makes this title an excellent choice for anyone serious about class design in this new language. --Richard Dragan
