XML for ASP+ Developers

This is easily the best book for working with XML in ASP.NET, devoted to the subject. The examples are all in C#, but that doesn't really matter. When I needed C# I could copy the code directly; when I needed VB.NET it was easy to convert. This is a well-written, easy to follow book that covers the most important parts of a complex subject, and has lots of good samples to follow. Other XML for .NET books are better for an overall survey of the subject, but the nice thing about Wahlin's book is that it has the gist of XML for ASP.NET programmers. Highly recommended.

If I were to analogize this book, it would be something in the vein of "Dan Wahlin's `Ferrari'". This assessment implies that the author has crafted a fast, powerful, much sought-after reference to those of us who appreciate the finer things in life (at least in terms of Web development). This was actually the fourth book I read about .NET, having picked it up just shortly after its release in September of 2001. It's a great piece of work, and a must have for the experienced developer looking to take his or her game to the next level. I've found the book to be extremely well written, both grammatically as well as syntactically in the code examples provided.I'm President of an ASP.NET User Group, and this title is on my "Must Buy" list for books to get.The book is admittedly smaller than most .NET texts at a "mere" 496 total pages, but don't let the size fool you - it's chock full of helpful stuff. And it's not for the faint of heart - it's hardcore. Dan whets the appetite of the seasoned developer by providing a general discussion about (1) what's possible with XML, (2) how the .NET Framework fits into the picture, and (3) how to do it. This isn't some tutorial for the beginning programmer looking to tackle .NET development and XML at the same time, nor is it for those just looking to find some cool code to instantly plug into their Web projects - the book is best used as a starting block for the experienced developer looking to build robust e-business systems. Hence the title, it's geared specifically for developers looking to expand their skill set or upscale their existing apps to a more manageable and portable form.This is a true book written for developers, by a developer. Plain and simple.While the first few chapters of the book give an excellent primer to XML, validation through DTDs/XDR schema, XPath, XPointer and XLink, XSL/XSLT, XHTML, SAX integration, and navigating and programming the DOM, Dan kicks into high gear full speed and blazes into full on apps development. His explanation of the relationship between XPath and XPointer is in my opinion of the better explanations, from any XML text. He also spends much time with managing XML data into and out of databases in his chapters on ADO.NET's XML capabilities and incorporating SQL Server 2000. More than 1.5 years in the making, the various examples are current with the .NET Framework Beta 2, so barring any major dramatic syntactical changes in the final release of .NET (which at this point is highly unlikely), the book will be relevant for some time, not to be run obsolete in 6 months. However, a slight concern of mine is the use of C# throughout the book, making it rather alienated in terms of audience. The examples may prove a bit more challenging for the developer choosing to code exclusively in Visual Basic.NET. To truly maximize effectiveness of this book, the reader should possess:Ø An intermediate-level familiarity with programming within the .NET Framework (Bet

A very detailed resource that doesn't get bogged down. Numerous coding examples provide great support to the narrative. Some authors try to impress the reader with their capability while, at the same time, losing the audience. Wahlin obviously knows the subject matter and competently presents the material to an audience that is still learning.

This book is excellent. As one who has studied XML and XSLT extensively, I was looking for applying this knowledge in the .NET paradigm. If you're a person who knows nothing about XML, the first several chapters are worth $2,000 to $3,000. This is NOT an exageration. I have some time ago spent that type of money for this training, but it doesn't stop here. After you get the basics of XML, XSLT, you'll go on to ADO, ASP.NET, SQL Server, SOAP, and even web services. I read through the book in about 1 week, but it will take me about a month to digest all of the robust and clearly laid out code examples.Don't hesitate!

I thought this book was written very understandably and read very smoothly. XML is a something I have been trying to improve on and this book created a good medium for me to do that especially when using ASP.NET. Being somewhat new to XML this book provided me with a great look at why I should use it, where, and how. Although a couple select sections were a little too advanced I thought, overall the book provided me with what I was looking for.