HTML Books

A worthwhile read, but it's already out of date (as it itself warns). Some of the things I tried didn't work because of deprecation. Easy to follow though. Glad I read it.

If you've been developing Flex, chances are good you've heard a little something about Apollo. This book provides a great overview -- I came away with an excellent understanding of Apollo's "whats" and "hows" within a half hour of picking up this book.

This book is a good overview of what is involved building applications that use the Adobe Flex Framework with the cross-platform desktop runtime, Apollo. The book assumes that the reader has experience creating Flash-based applications using Flex and ActionScript 3.0, and that you want to leverage that experience and move on to deploying applications with Apollo. It is a good basic introduction to get you started, not an in-depth guide by any means.

1. Introduction to Apollo - Explains the difference between the Apollo runtime and Apollo applications, the capabilities and the limits of Apollo, and the basic structure of Apollo applications.
A Short History of Web Applications
Problems with Delivering Applications Via the Browser
Introducing the Apollo Runtime
Primary Apollo Technologies

2. Getting Started with Apollo Development - Discusses how to initialize your development environment and begin building Apollo applications that use the Flex framework. It shows you where to get the resources necessary for Apollo application development and goes through the details of writing and deploying a Hello World application.
Installing the Apollo Alpha 1 Runtime
What You Need in Order to Develop Apollo Applications
Building a Sample Apollo Application
Next Steps

3. Using HTML Within Flex-Based Apollo Applications - Describes how Apollo gives developers a new means of integrating HTML rendering into their desktop applications. Included are some basic applications that demonstrate how to write HTML-enabled Apollo applications.
HTML Support in Apollo
Using the Flex HTML Component
Using the HTMLControl Class
Script Bridging: Communicating Between ActionScript and JavaScript

4. Using the File System API - Discusses the various aspects of the Apollo file I/O API that enables applications to have a great deal of freedom in dealing with the files and directories of the user's computer. There are quite a few code snippets in this chapter that serve as simple examples.
Security Model
Accessing Files and Directories
Asynchronous and Synchronous Versions of Methods
Reading Directory Contents
Getting File Information
Copying and Moving Files and Directories
Creating Files and Directories
Deleting Files and Directories
Reading and Writing Files

5. Apollo Mini-Cookbook - O'Reilly, famous for its cookbook series, provides a mini cookbook of solutions to common problems in Apollo applications and includes working MXML code. Recipes include those for reading and writing text from a string, encoding data into PNG or JPEG format and writing it to the file system, and working with the Windowing API.
Working with the File System
Working with HTML
Using the Windowing API

Apollo Packages and Classes
Apollo Command-Line Tools

Actually you can find this book freely available online. Just type "Adobe Apollo for Flex developers pocket guide" without the quotes into Google. It should be the top address.

§
Adobe's Apollo, in the just-released alpha runtime, is the latest entry in the world of "Rich Internet Application" frameworks.

Advocates of RIA frameworks often weaken their arguments for the Web-aware desktop by disparaging browser-based applications beyond the credible. The universe of browser-based applications continues to expand for very good reasons.

Give the authors, all members of the Apollo product team, plenty of credit for their relaxed approach in this guide. Their introductory chapter sticks to a positive case for their approach rather than attack the weaknesses of current Web apps.

Chapters 2 and 3 outline setting up the environment and move quickly to working with the HTML rendering engine. Following chapters deal with the security model and the file system and windowing APIs.

The weakness of the book is that it is Flex-centric in its "hello world" examples. The book reflects the state of the Apollo alpha. The book itself is clear and easy to follow.
§

OMFG i hit a google search wit my name and it came wit this book my names Justin M Ashford ima get dis book this is tight.

By TT reviewer Susan Tam

Arabella was banished to northern England by her husband, Justin, when he found her in a compromising situation. Upon notification that her husband was killed while fighting Napoleon, her banishment ends and she is reunited with Justin's family. Unfortunately, the news of his death was incorrect. After almost four years, husband and wife meet again. Justin has ignored her for all those years. He did not read her letters nor enquired about her welfare. She suffered immensely at the hands of his Aunt Mary during her banishment. She gave birth to their daughter and Justin knows nothing of her since he never read any of her letters. She was a naïve 17 year old at the time of her marriage, but she is no longer that young, naïve girl. She is a mother and she will fiercely protect her child. Caroline, her sister-in-law, is about to embark on her Season in London and Arabella is forced to help. She must appear with her husband in society so there will be no scandal to taint Caroline's coming out. Justin offers her a chance to set up her own household if she would cooperate and she would not be sent away again. Arabella agrees to this and they all set out for London. Spending time with his wife causes Justin to have second thoughts about his marriage - - he yearns for the halcyon early days of his marriage -- he yearns for his wife and he wants his family back. How can he accomplish this when he still believes she was unfaithful to him? More importantly, can Arabella get past his treatment of her?

There were so many twists and turns in this plotline. At the heart of the story is the love Arabella and Justin still harbor for each other. Justin is the typical brooding hero who slowly realizes that maybe what he saw was not correctly interpreted. Arabella is no longer the young girl with stars in her eyes - she has matured into a woman. Her four-year banishment has strengthened her and she doesn't accept everything at face value. She has to get past the hurt of Justin's mistrust and his actions resulting from it. I enjoyed reading this book. It was a well-written book with strong main characters and a great supporting cast.

I don't know that I can write a review to do Banished justice, a historical romance interwoven with suspense and intrigue as well as some steamy scenes between the hero, Justin Ashford, earl of Waverly, and the heroine, Arabella. I knew from the first meeting between husband and wife that I was going to enjoy this story.

Justin is my type of hero: tall, dark, brawny, handsome, roguish, a cad, but when he gives into love you know like everything else he does in life, he gives it his all.

Arabella is a good heroine for him: she's willful, determined, willing to stand up for what she believes in, but at the same time caves in to the passion that Justin brings out in her.

Arabelle claims innocence to what she was accused of, and begins to penetrate the armor Justin has woven around his heart. It's obvious the passion between these two will erupt, and it does but unfortunately things happen outside the bedroom, including attempts on his life, that lead Justin to continue to distrust Arabelle.

The subplots in the story were well written and added to the story rather than detracted to it. I'll have to admit there was a subplot that seemed to be lurking with Justin's cousin, Jeremy, that never amounted to anything. I assume this was intentional to throw another person to be suspicious of into the mix.

Banished is well worth the read.

When I discover a writer that I like, I stick to his/her books. BM is one of my favorite authors, I believed I knew all her styles, until I read "Banished". I could only compare her writing style to Judith McNaught's memorable historical romance. Unlike her shorter and light Silhouette or Harlequin Romance, the story is longer and deeper, thus very well developed. The characters seem so real that readers got carried away. This is not her usual style but surely better. She should write more books like this one. Althought at first I have doubt about buying a book in this format, now I'm glad that I bought it. A must buy for Barbara McMahon's fan.

I got this book for Christmas and it saved my job. My boss just assigned me to update our company web site using Dreamweaver, and this book answered all of my questions, and then some, about how Dreamweaver works, and how to make our web site even better using its tools.

Web design applications like Dreamweaver speed up the design process with templates, macros, and word processing style capabilities. Such applications work similarly to a powered up word processor and ease the learning curve for getting started. The challenge is figuring out how to use its features for creating CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), frames, layers, timelines, tables, image maps, positioning elements and clean up tools.

When first learning Dreamweaver, I dove into the text, behaviors and tables management aspects of it. It wasn't until much later that I discovered the power of using its image maps and style sheet capabilities. Those needing support with HTML won't find it in this book since its focus, as it should be, is solely on using the Dreamweaver application to design HTML pages, create and manage templates, manage the site's structure, and create pages that work on all browsers and platforms.

One of the hottest things today is creating Web pages with XHTML markup accompanied by CSS. There are several pages dedicated to tweaking Dreamweaver to produce correct XHTML markup and an entire chapter devoted to using its CSS features. The book briefly touches on the importing and exporting of XML content, also gaining attention.

The authors can't control what Dreamweaver can or cannot do, but they show you how to use it to work around browser issues such as linking to external style sheets with @import as opposed to using link or using both where one satisfies older, lesser compliant browsers and the other for the newer browsers.

Surprisingly, there is little reference to making Dreamweaver pages accessible except for a downloadable extension that validates the pages. Though the book is not focused on teaching general Web design, it does add a few tips in utilizing Dreamweaver to create accessible pages such as Javascript workarounds for people who have it turned off.

The timelines and interactive chapters lack concrete examples. At least, there are step by step instructions for completing the process.

Dreamweaver befuddles the users working with tables especially when they're nested. Though we should be moving away from complex tables in design, the book walks you through various ways to create and manage tables using layout and standard views accompanied by advice on when to use which.

Those already using Dreamweaver can count on the book to push their knowledge and skills beyond its basic features and make the most out of this powerful application. It doesn't happen magically, however, but the book's reference style will make it reliable as a "when you need help" or "when you're ready to go to the next level" reference.

This book is well-organized and easy to reference. It covers all Dreamweaver features with explicit figures and instructions.

I've used Dreamweaver since version 1.2, and while DW keeps getting better, it's also undoubtedly becoming more complex. This book has stopped me from being one of those people that just stays with the basic feature set, into really knowing and using every aspect of Dreamweaver.

Like many (most?) of the O'Reilly books, this is one of those books you'll want to keep handy on your desk. If you want just one book on DW, this is the one. CSS, Javascript behaviors, DHTML timelines, site management. It's all in here.

This book covers all the basics you need to get going on your own RoboHelp project. Easy to follow, well written and concise, the chapters take you through projects from beginning to end. The confidence building segments are a great help for all. I also now know that I need to add a module called WebHelp to my RoboHelp HTML application so I can benefit from the tutorial more fully. I highly recommend this book.

I was handed a project at work that required me to learn RoboHelp HTML in less than a week, which is the equivalent of reproducing the Sistine Chapel on the side of a building in about twenty-four hours. Valium looked to become my newest friend until I tried the book "The Essentials of RoboHelp HTML X3" from IconLogic. After I had completed a couple of modules of this excellent training manual, I was becoming giddy with how easy the project had suddenly become. The best I can say about these IconLogic Books is in what the Project Manger said to me when he saw what I was producing; he said, "There is no way I'll ever believe you haven't used RoboHelp before now." True, there are cheaper books available about RoboHelp--but I don't think there are any better than those from IconLogic.

While this book might be good for beginners, it didn't meet my needs for a good Robo X3 reference. It's well-written, but before buying, be sure that what you want is a training manual, not a well-indexed and throrough reference to Robo X3.

I have heard nothing but good things about Iconlogic books (a couple of co-workers had learned Robohelp 2002 with their books) and decided to look for myself. I was a bit put off by the price, but considering the cost of taking a course, I decided to give it a try. I was happy I did. As the book promoted, I finished with it in two days. While I would not rate myself an expert, I can do what I set out to do, I can create new projects complete with style sheets, links and an index.

The main things that I like about this book is that it is small, light-weight, and easy to find things in. I carry it in my briefcase, so that I can use it at home, as well as at the office. There is nothing so far that I have needed to know the syntax of that I haven't found right away in Hip Pocket Guide. It is not a thorough, in-depth reference to HTML, but it is just the thing when you can't remember the format or allowable attributes of an HTML tag.

I will be purchasing the HTML 4.0 version.

Good indexes and some accurate guidance. Mostly it is great. The authors seem to be more familliar with the extensions from Microsoft than Netscape. It seems somewhat incomplete for example: Netscape 3.0+ supports WIDTH and HEIGHT attributes of INPUT TYPE=Image and can scope FONT around H3 and OL neither of these are listed.

Rather than haul around some massive tome on web page authoring, get this handy spiral-bound guide to all the popular supported HTML tags. They're all listed alphabetically with syntax and rules. Navigator- and IE-specific information is clearly identified. I use Microsoft Front Page to develop the initial drafts of my pages, and then use this book to clean out the extra garbage so that both Navigator and IE users can use them. This book is a good value for programmers.

The guide is very well laid out with simple examples and do's and dont for each html tag. Nice for people who have just a little experience and still very useful for the advance htmler.

This book is a great help for Webmaster and Internet application developer. This book is easy to use and easy to understand (the great help for it are many samples).

The only thing what lack's this book is the notes for every tag or function about the browser. Because we all know, that some tags and functions we use only for MSIE and some only for NN. This is a little bit confusing to try run on NN a tag, what should be used only for MSIE.

I was walking out of the book store the other day and I hadn't found a reference book for HTML...I was disappointed. Just before I hit the door this book caught my eye sitting on a web-development display. I picked it up (hefty book!) and thumbed through it...WOW! Not only does it cover HTML, but it also covers Cascading Style Sheets, DHTML, XML and MathML. You won't find examples for every entry (that would probably add a few thousand more pages) but at least you will have a reference/cross-reference to declarations, methods, elements, concepts, and just about any other tiny morsel of you could imagine.

This reference is certainly one of the best available. The author includes a CD with examples from the book, however the sample pages are very juvenile and difficult to look at. These pages are almost insulting to a professional Web designer. But, if you don't get hung up on the poor quality of the CD, the book itself is well written and complete, although I would like to see more short examples of syntax and usage for every tag. If I knew how to apply the tag, I would not be looking it up.

Such a great book! Alphabetically listed HTML tags and cross references make finding whatever you need so easy!

A good quick way to learn HTML. We are using it to train web developers in a professional corporate environment. I like the video. Yes, it is not from script, but neither is a class you attend in person. The print, fonts, and colors used in the book make it a joy to read the book. You can get through this book in two days cover to cover and have a good basic understanding of HTML.

I gave this book a 2, because most people, like me will buy the book thinking that there is value in the video. The material covered in this book can be found on the Internet 100 time over for free so the only reason to buy this book is the video of a real person teaching.

I teach an HTML class and thought this book would provide some video I could show my students. I looked at the video on tables, which is the most important part of HTML, because it's what you use to layout the page. I tried to listen as a student and not someone who already knew HTML. Here are my observations.

He is speaking without a script, which lends itself to mistakes, which he does make, and though he corrects himself it's confusing for the student to hear the wrong thing first. He should have spoken from a script and edited out mistakes.

Because he is not using a script (atleast if he is speaking from script it certainly doesn't sound that way) he is sometimes searching for words. His sentences were so confusing at times I was amazed that this video ever made it out the door.

He is boring!!!

His advice is quirky and unnecessary.

Overall the video seemed confusing and unprofessional.

If you are only buying this book because of the video, DON'T. There is a good tutorial on the web. Search on "Dave's HTML Tutorial" and you'll find it.

Plenty of good books have been written to help people "code their own" HTML (HyperText Markup Language) Web pages. HTML Virtual Classroom by Robert Fuller impresses me as being one of the easiest HTML books to learn from, that I've seen, in a long time.

The author surveys the functionality and use of the more common HTML tags - including line and paragraph breaks, text attributes, image attributes, text and image alignments, background coloring, fonts, forms, frames, tables, layers, cascading style sheets, and hyperlinking. He also devotes quality time to help his readers fully develop their Websites - not just teaching them "the coding" part. He provides detailed instruction for smartly working with text, images, colors, Web browsers, story boarding, testing, and uploading created Web pages. For instance, readers are encouraged to sketch out their Website design ideas - on computers, graph paper, index cards, or napkins. Cute, clever, and outstanding advice!

The book is accompanied by a multimedia CD containing a number of video lessons in both the Windows and QuickTime file formats. They are definitely designed for enhancing the learning process. Lesson content is delivered at a comfortable pace and is clearly presented. As author Robert Fuller can be seen speaking to his students the instructional content of his book comes to life on the screen. Readers can freely move back and forth between the book and the video presentations to learn at their individual paces. Furthermore, the video lessons can be played back and backed up as often as necessary to drive the instruction content home. Depending upon individual computer system specifications, some readers may prefer to copy the lesson files to their computer hard drives for smoother and more convenient viewing!

HTML still continues to serve as the foundation of Website design. Although other markup languages have arrived on the scene that offer their own advantages, there is still great demand for HTML programming skills for creating business Websites. Robert Fuller delivers superb instruction. This book is highly recommended for classroom, workshop, small business, and organizational use. I can't wait to get my hands on his Dreamweaver book!

I'm an anti-coder myself, but you can only go so far with Dreamweaver etc before you need a more systematic understanding of the generated tags and how they work. Besides, understanding the underlying HTML provides insight into those frustrating events when the page you design with your WYSIWYG design tool doesn't look right in a Browser.

I keep the Peachpit HTML book on my shelf as a reference, but for a step-by-step presentation of HTML, this is the best book I've seen. The videos are especially creative - Robert Fuller's videos have a refreshing, inconoclastic tone and approach that keeps you entertained as you digest HTML syntax.

I've used videos from the book's CD in my live Web design class, and found them a great way to supplement classroom content.

Don't want to learn HTML from a book? Then this is your "book" + CD/video.

This book was rather hard to understand. In order to use it, it assumed you knew all VBscript, alot of CSS, and some JavaScript. The web address's for downloading the source code are obsolete, and it's just plain hard to understand. Not that I have anything against DHTML, except the person who wrote assumes you are a seasoned programmer who knows how and why you pre-declare variables, fetch properties and methods, have CSS down pat, ad infitum. Sic. By the way, I am really 13.

I've been creating web pages for about a year and a half. I heard about DHTML, and I wanted to learn it.
Suffice it to say that my second Wrox book was almost as good as the flawless first. I reccomend it for any webmaster with a solid grasp of HTML and a basic knowledge of either JavaScript to VBScript. The clear, concise explanations assume you have no real expereince with DHTML (such as in my case), so it's explained quite well.

BUY IT!

This is a great book. The samples are clear, easy to follow and give you something that you can use in your web development. The last half of the book is a great reference section that I use a lot. It covered the subject very well at the beginner and intermediate level. But, it left me looking for more as I discovered just how powerful DHTML really is.

This book is certainly well done, especially for it's smaller format. A few things should be noted, the most important of which is that you should have prior knowledge of both HTML 3.x and some knowledge of scripting. With out these mental tools, I could easily see how someone could get confused by this book. For anyone intermediate or above though, this book will quickly get you up to speed on IE4 DHTML with clear lessons on the basics, and a fantastic reference. My only complaints really is that the scripting was done in VBScript, not JavaScript.