I purchased this book because I need to work with Excel Services, and this was one of the few books available on the subject.

So far, I have read the first two chapters, and I must say that this book is by far the WORST programming book that I have ever read!

The author often goes into incoherent ramblings, the source code contain errors, etc. A number of times, a piece of source code is presented, only to inform the user later that it will not run.. huh? I don't like to waste my time typing in source code only to find out that the author was just kidding!

I am especially dissapointed because this is a Microsoft Press book, I really do expect more from them, this was a very unpleasant suprise.

Also, what's up with the author reviewing his own book (and giving it five stars, of course ;-), isn't that the role of the reader?

If you don't absolutely have to, don't buy this book, it's a complete waste of money!

Perhaps you would like to know what you get when you buy this book. Here is a detailed overview. Chapter 1 is an introduction aimed at decision makers. You won't find code there. This chapter simply tells the story of MOSS and its evolution. It presents an argument on why I think you need to consider Excel Services as an enterprise solution. It also outlines what you need to watch out for with regard to installation, licensing and other thorny issues that you won't find on MSDN.

Chapter 2 thru 5 lay the foundation of Excel services. I talk in-depth about the Excel Web Service, Calculation Engine, Excel Web Parts. I show you how to use the new tools such as the extensions for Visual Studio that help you to build web parts. There is code on at least every page. That's how I like it. I mix the code with a good dose of theory, but at the end of the day, this book is code heavy. Period.

Chapter 6 lays it on thick. If you don't have a solid foundation, you shouldn't even bother tackling this chapter. In there, I show you how to embed objects into web parts to include managed and unmanaged objects such as charts, spreadsheets and other types of objects. I walk you thru the process of embedding managed usercontrols into web parts so that you can automate desktop objects thru web parts. For instance, if you want to place your favorite windows control in a web part on SharePoint, I show you how to do this through code.

I focus on advanced web part programming as well to include real-time object automation and so on and so forth. In my research leading up to this chapter, I've not seen any examples of this type of programming out there. I'd like to point out that I worked closely with MS Support in figuring out how to do this stuff because initially, they didn't think that it could be done. What's in this chapter will amaze you.

Chapter 7 starts where chapter 6 trails off, that is, uphill. Steep! The focus of Chapter 7 is to show how the SharePoint product can be consumed by ASP.NET. I tackle the difficult subjects such as Code Access Security issues around web parts and User Defined Functions and show you how to properly configure embedded managed controls in web parts. SharePoint features provide in-depth probes of the architecture.

Want to do AJAX with Web Parts? Microsoft recommends against it, but I show you how to do it safely within the confines of the SharePoint architecture. Want to learn to fire an event on MOSS 2007 and transition that event so that it is caught in script running in the browser? I show you how to do that and how this is different from plain-jane SharePoint eventing. Want to learn how to automate an Office application on the desktop from a Web Part? Didn't think it was possible? Go ahead, try chapter 7. It's real code. Working examples. New concepts.

I round off the advanced pieces with a deep-dive into SharePoint Web Part connections. Have you seen the pages of code posted on MSDN to build connected Web Parts? Why should it be so difficult to connect web parts? I show you how to do it in less than 10 lines of code. No kidding! I take it one step further by showing you how to drag and drop any control on a web part and wire them up to communicate with each other - barely 10 lines.

I've tried to write this book with the real world in mind. One of the things that turned me off about SharePoint is the fact that you have to manually write formatted output to a textwriter object. Whatever happened to drag and drop? Manual programming is for affecionados, busy people want to get the job done. One word. Productivity. I'll show you how to use the designer to write web parts with point and click ease. It's not built in but who says it can't be done? You won't need to use that textwriter stuff to build world class applications. Drag and drop controls, wire them up just like in ASP.NET and off you go. Focus on implementing business logic, not on writing HTML tags! That's how you add value to your business.


All in all, this is the best book I've written. This is not a dig against the other books that I have written because they continue to sell extremely well. However, I feel that my writing process has matured and come full circle. I had some of the best technical people review the code so that every line does what it is supposed to and there are no ugly compilation or run-time issues. It's a technical book so it should behave as such.

Perhaps you would like to know what you get when you buy this book. Here is a detailed overview. Chapter 1 is an introduction aimed at decision makers. You won't find code there. This chapter simply tells the story of MOSS and its evolution. It presents an argument on why I think you need to consider Excel Services as an enterprise solution. It also outlines what you need to watch out for with regard to installation, licensing and other thorny issues that you won't find on MSDN.

Chapter 2 thru 5 lay the foundation of Excel services. I talk in-depth about the Excel Web Service, Calculation Engine, Excel Web Parts. I show you how to use the new tools such as the extensions for Visual Studio that help you to build web parts. There is code on at least every page. That's how I like it. I mix the code with a good dose of theory, but at the end of the day, this book is code heavy. Period.

Chapter 6 lays it on thick. If you don't have a solid foundation, you shouldn't even bother tackling this chapter. In there, I show you how to embed objects into web parts to include managed and unmanaged objects such as charts, spreadsheets and other types of objects. I walk you thru the process of embedding managed usercontrols into web parts so that you can automate desktop objects thru web parts. For instance, if you want to place your favorite windows control in a web part on SharePoint, I show you how to do this through code.

I focus on advanced web part programming as well to include real-time object automation and so on and so forth. In my research leading up to this chapter, I've not seen any examples of this type of programming out there. I'd like to point out that I worked closely with MS Support in figuring out how to do this stuff because initially, they didn't think that it could be done. What's in this chapter will amaze you.

Chapter 7 starts where chapter 6 trails off, that is, uphill. Steep! The focus of Chapter 7 is to show how the SharePoint product can be consumed by ASP.NET. I tackle the difficult subjects such as Code Access Security issues around web parts and User Defined Functions and show you how to properly configure embedded managed controls in web parts. SharePoint features provide in-depth probes of the architecture.

Want to do AJAX with Web Parts? Microsoft recommends against it, but I show you how to do it safely within the confines of the SharePoint architecture. Want to learn to fire an event on MOSS 2007 and transition that event so that it is caught in script running in the browser? I show you how to do that and how this is different from plain-jane SharePoint eventing. Want to learn how to automate an Office application on the desktop from a Web Part? Didn't think it was possible? Go ahead, try chapter 7. It's real code. Working examples. New concepts.

I round off the advanced pieces with a deep-dive into SharePoint Web Part connections. Have you seen the pages of code posted on MSDN to build connected Web Parts? Why should it be so difficult to connect web parts? I show you how to do it in less than 10 lines of code. No kidding! I take it one step further by showing you how to drag and drop any control on a web part and wire them up to communicate with each other - barely 10 lines.

I've tried to write this book with the real world in mind. One of the things that turned me off about SharePoint is the fact that you have to manually write formatted output to a textwriter object. Whatever happened to drag and drop? Manual programming is for affecionados, busy people want to get the job done. One word. Productivity. I'll show you how to use the designer to write web parts with point and click ease. It's not built in but who says it can't be done? You won't need to use that textwriter stuff to build world class applications. Drag and drop controls, wire them up just like in ASP.NET and off you go. Focus on implementing business logic, not on writing HTML tags! That's how you add value to your business.


All in all, this is the best book I've written. This is not a dig against the other books that I have written because they continue to sell extremely well. However, I feel that my writing process has matured and come full circle. I had some of the best technical people review the code so that every line does what it is supposed to and there are no ugly compilation or run-time issues. It's a technical book so it should behave as such.