Inside WAP: Programming Applications with WML and WMLScript - Softcover

Niskanen, Pekka

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0201725916 ISBN 13: 9780201725919

Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 2000

Synopsis

(Pearson Education) A beginner's guide to Wireless Application Protocol. Explains the basics of WAP programming, how to write programs, explains all WAPScript commands and libraries, the basics of CGI programming and Java Servlets, and the Nokia WAP server. The CD-ROM features all of the code for the examples in the text, plus a Nokia WAP toolkit, and other tools. Softcover.

About this title

Review

One way to distinguish a technical book is by the gut feeling it gives its readers. Pekka Niskanen's high-quality Inside WAP makes you feel confident that you can, with study and diligence, make a living developing Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) programs for mobile telephones and other wireless devices. The book's explanations of the technologies that are involved, primarily Wireless Markup Language (WML) and WMLScript, are clear and technically accurate--Niskanen had the support of a technical reviewer from Nokia, as well as his own consultancy. If you have knowledge of HTML and JavaScript, you'll have absolutely no problem following the author's stepwise approach to his subject languages--and very little trouble figuring out WAP, if it's the environment for your first effort at application scripting.

Niskanen's approach to teaching WML and WMLScript is a popular and proven one. He explains the requirement for a particular language element, shows its general syntax, and presents a boiled-down example. Many readers will wish for straight language documentation that's better suited to alphabetical lookups, but what's here works. Probably, you'll need to acquire--either through education or hired talent--the skills that are needed to develop the server-side components of your WAP, even though this book does a remarkably good job of introducing Common Gateway Interface (CGI) programming with Java servlets and Perl. The server-side material here certainly should be enough to help you both figure out what you need and communicate intelligently with specialists. --David Wall

Topics covered: The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), particularly its client-side markup language (WML) and scripting language (WMLScript). All interface elements get attention, as well as WMLScript logic, events, and communications capabilities. Server-side coverage goes to Perl, Java servlet programming, and the Nokia WAP Server (which appears on the companion CD-ROM). Software examples were tested on the Nokia 7110 telephone, the Ericsson MC218 palmtop, and a couple of standard simulators.

From the Back Cover

A complete self-study package for WAP programming

The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is an open, global specification that gives mobile users with wireless devices the power to access and interact with information and services instantly. The rapid acceptance of this technology has opened up unprecedented opportunities for developers to use their existing internet-based skills to create and deploy a new generation of wireless applications.

Inside WAP is a clear and simple guide and reference to programming with WAP, using a wealth of illustrated examples to help readers visualize the development process and lay a solid foundation for their own applications.

Inside WAP explains:

The basics of WAP programming
The essential information about the architecture and protocols - no more than you need to know to start programming.

WML
How to write programs with the WML formatting language - this forms the basis for simple WAP services, as well as for more sophisticated applications. Learning WML is straightforward if you already have some knowledge of HTML.

WMLScript
A walk through all WMLScript commands and libraries, enabling you to create short WAP applications. WMLScript adds dynamic and interactive elements to your WAP documents.

CGI Programming
The basics of server side CGI programming, including some WAP-CGI solutions for a company intranet. CGI can be used to create versatile and impressive applications for mobile devices.

Java Servlets
Servlet programming, Java basics , and how to install servlets on WWW and WAP servers.

The Nokia WAP Server
A complete server for WAP content and applications, or a WAP-compliant gateway, allowing WAP devices to communicate with content servers. This section also describes how to transfer WAP documents to a server and how to publish them.

CD image
Every example in this book has been tested on a Nokia 7110 phone, an Ericsson MC218 palmtop, the Phone.com UP.SDK 3.2 emulator and the Nokia WAP Toolkit program. Version 2.0 of the Nokia WAP toolkit is included on the accompanying CD-ROM.
The CD also features: source code for all the examples in the book, the Nokia WAP Server, plus tools for creating and testing CGI programs for web servers.

0201725916B04062001

Edition details

• Publisher: Addison-Wesley
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0201725916
• ISBN 13: 9780201725919
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 240