Java Power Reference: A Complete Searchable Resource on CD-ROM - Softcover

Flanagan, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1565925890 ISBN 13: 9781565925892

Publisher: O'Reilly Media, 1999

Synopsis

Java (TM) programmers have come to depend on the efficient quick-reference style of the bestselling "Java in a Nutshell. Now David Flanagan and O'Reilly have taken the quick-reference style one step further with "Java Power Reference: A Complete Searchable Resource on CD-ROM.

As developers are well aware, the Java API is complex, and it has become even more so with the release of the Java 2 platform. The official online documentation is complete, but it can be difficult to navigate. That's where the "Java Power Reference comes in. The CD-ROM contains a complete set of files (browsable using Netscape Navigator 4 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 4) that present all of the packages and classes in Java 2. The CD includes synopses for:

182 core and standard extensions packages3,900 public and protected classes

Unlike the official documentation, the "Java Power Reference groups methods functionally, providing a unique view of the functionality of the Java APIs. For example, property accessor methods, methods that implement the same interface, and methods that override the same superclass are displayed in separate groupings. There are other new features as well, including package summary listings, tables of inherited events, properties, and methods, and graphical hierarchy diagrams.

The "Java Power Reference is searchable, so you can type in the name of a Java class, method, or field and go directly to the page for that entity. Or, if there are multiple items with the same name, you get a list of the items, so you can view the one you are interested in. This searching capability makes it easy to find the information you need in the Java API.

In addition to the CD-ROM, the packagealso contains a concise, printed overview of the newly released Java 2 platform. The "Java Power Reference is a portable, easy-to-use resource that no Java developer should be without.

About this title

About the Author

David Flanagan is a computer programmer who spends most of his time writing about JavaScript and Java. His books with O'Reilly include Java in a Nutshell, Java Examples in a Nutshell, Java Foundation Classes in a Nutshell, JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, and JavaScript Pocket Reference. David has a degree in computer science and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He lives with his wife and son in the U.S. Pacific Northwest bewteen the cities of Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia. David has a simple website athttp://www.davidflanagan.com.

Review

Read the full review for this book.

Clicking a particular link, such as javax.swing.JComponent, displays a unique view of the API. The synopsis displays Public Constructors, Public Constants, Inner Classes, Public Class Methods, Event Registration Methods (by event name), Property Accessor Methods (by property name), Public Instance Methods, and Protected Instance methods and fields. The view also displays the Class Hierarchy, Subclasses, JavaBeans Properties, Inherited Properties, Inherited Events, Inherited Methods, Passed To, Returned By, Uses and Used By (number of classes), and Type Of (displays a list of fields of this type). The view is exhaustive, but since it is divided into subtopics, browsing through the information is rather easy. The one thing missing is a paragraph describing the purpose and usage of the class, maybe even a code snippet. --Laryn Fernandes, Dr. Dobb's Electronic Review of Computer Books -- Dr. Dobb's Electronic Review of Computer Books

Edition details

• Publisher: O'Reilly Media
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1565925890
• ISBN 13: 9781565925892
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 64