Don't Try the COM Examples
I used this book to navigate around the Windows Internet API and managed to put together a decent desk top application in C++.NET. Great. But the COM examples are so full of errors that they can not be compiled from the source code provided from the publisher. Now I'm not a super COM programmer but have put together COM applications with some success. However, it seems the author slapped together the COM chapter with little or no thought.
Get the internet internals here
A handy book covering various aspects of the Internet protocols; sample application simple enough to illustrate the concepts.If you want to learn WinInet programming, this will be a great start.
I bought this book while I had to research ISAPI but found coverage on ISAPI just adequate. Wish the author comes up with a second edition or print with more alternatives to ISAPI.
First impression
I just got the book. I skimmed all chapters and read selected chapters. Note, this book is pretty old, but I think it still has practical value. The book talks about Windows 95 and NT 4, but more importantly, it talks about IE 4, which is the foundation of IE 5 and 6. I think the WinInet functionality began w/ IE4 and has not changed much, if at all.The book does illustrate all examples in C++; however, there are enough non-language-specific *explanations* throughout the book to give it some value to everyone--I say this mainly because there are no other books on WinInet, at present, and clear explanations are not easily found on the Web. I know C++ so I cannot say how easy or hard it is to follow the examples if you don't know C++.
I'd love to see a newer book on this topic that would cover VB/C# .Net and IE 6, but until then, this book is my primary source for WinInet info.
Not For VB
I arrived at this book when I was doing searches on a refrence to help me use WinInet with Visual Basic. The book is not really a VB book at all. It barely mentions how to accomplish the tasks of their projects in VB. Everything is aimed at C++.
Well written, clear examples, through coverage.
This book gives you everything you need in order to effectively use the WinInet DLL. The coverage is very complete the explanations clear and the code examples relevant and nicely written. The HTTP, FTP, And Gopher protocols are covered using both the MFC wrapper classes and the WinInet DLL directly. An intermediate to advanced C++ windows programmer will have no trouble getting through this book, beginners stay away. You will also need to have a at least a basic understanding of MFC in order to get the most out of this book. A strong recommendation for those needing to use the communications capabilities of the WinInet DLL.
