Book feedback for Ext.NET Web Application Development

[Daniil]

Hi @jchau,

Does this book cover Ext.NET 1.x or Ext.NET 2.x?

Ext.NET v2

Is it mostly about the server side aspect of Ext.NET or does it go into clientside with ExtJS?

Generally, it touches the both sides, Ext.NET and ExtJS, server and client. The last things (client/server) are something about 50/50.

More details are here:

Ext.NET blog
http://www.ext.net/2012/12/04/new-bo...n-development/

The book's author blog (I see it is in the initial post. Just to refresh.)
http://www.onenaught.com/posts/451/b...on-development

[Daniil]

I have just received the print book and very pleased with this circumstance!:)

The book looks solid.

[anup]

Generally, it touches the both sides, Ext.NET and ExtJS, server and client. The last things (client/server) are something about 50/50.

Thanks for replying Daniil; sorry for my own delayed response. The only other thing I'd perhaps add is that I do not go into how to use Ext JS itself - the publisher has a number of books for that, some of which are larger than the Ext.NET book itself :)

I don't know whether the client/server aspect is 50/50 or not; I presumed it was more server side, but there is certainly a reasonable amount of Ext.NET related JavaScript where appropriate (the AJAX chapter comes to mind, for example), and I do try to link to Sencha's Ext JS documentation for further details in various places.

Lastly, I also encourage people to try and learn Ext JS even though Ext.NET is great enough that you might be able to get away without doing so. However, the more you know, the more your possiblities... :)

Hope that helps.

[Elman]

we have the book now. but its not satisfactory. Not covering all the matters an intermediate EXT.NET user is in need. Its good for start. it was better to have other volumes of this book covering all.

[anup]

we have the book now. but its not satisfactory. Not covering all the matters an intermediate EXT.NET user is in need. Its good for start. it was better to have other volumes of this book covering all.

Elman, I am sorry the book wasn't up to standard for you.

We were extremely restricted on the total page count for the book so there was a lot of material that we could not include, or we had to simplify. Where possible, I therefore tried to link to various online resources.

Do you have some examples of things that you wished were covered?

[jlosi]

I just purchased a v2.x license and received the eBook. I've also just finished reading the first 5 chapters and part of the 6th chapter in the eBook.

Let me start off with the fact that the eBook was not a primary acquisition in my purchase. I mainly wanted source and support and the eBook was a bonus. As with any technology, you can have a pretty good feel for things and still not know everything about the technology. So to say that I didn't pick up anything new or have any "aha" moments would be dishonest.

That being said, I did have some high hopes that the focus would be on MVC and Razor and not so much WebForms considering the way MVC allows you to decouple the UI and how nice Extjs/net works with this pattern. I was disappointed that the focus was very heavy into webforms. I was truly looking to gather more details on how best to organize an Ext.NET + MVC4 + new ExtJS MVC organization application.

Aside from that, if I were look upon the book as a primer for starters in Ext.NET + ASP.NET, then this would do quite well with the caveat being that MVC information is light.

Anup, If you do a follow up, I would focus 100% on Ext.NET + MVC; Webforms is "D E A D".

Pros: Packed with great information and a really good high level approach to using Ext.NET with ASP.NET
Cons: Webforms focused, light on MVC.

I would definitely recommend this for beginners as you cover a majority of details for frequently asked items on the forum.

[geoffrey.mcgill]

A primary focus on ASP.NET MVC was not appropriate for the first book on Ext.NET. A lot of effort went into creating a good balance between the frameworks, knowing that a book focusing 100% on Ext.NET + ASP.NET MVC app development should eventually be written.

Anup, If you do a follow up, I would focus 100% on Ext.NET + MVC;

If another book is written, it will absolutely focused on Ext.NET + ASP.NET MVC.

Webforms is "D E A D".

I'll have to disagree with you on this one. If anything is happening it's that MVC and WebForms are merging. WebForms is a great option.

As far as Ext.NET is concerned, there is really no difference. Both frameworks (MVC or WebForms) are supported 100%, and all Ext.NET functionality is supported in both frameworks; less any platform specific functionality such as For* Model Helpers in Razor.

I would definitely recommend this for beginners as you cover a majority of details for frequently asked items on the forum.

The books primary audience was not intended to be advanced Ext.NET developers, although there's valuable information in the book for all levels. I flip through the book quite regularly as a refresher. Anup invested an enormous amount of effort into this book and certainly taught me many things I did not know (or had forgotten) about Ext.NET.

We appreciate your feedback. Thanks.

[jlosi]

A primary focus on ASP.NET MVC was not appropriate for the first book on Ext.NET. A lot of effort went into creating a good balance between the frameworks, knowing that a book focusing 100% on Ext.NET + ASP.NET MVC app development should eventually be written.

I can see that a lot of effort went into it and it was well done. I want to reiterate that I found it useful.

If another book is written, it will absolutely focused on Ext.NET + ASP.NET MVC.

That's great to hear.

I'll have to disagree with you on this one. If anything is happening it's that MVC and WebForms are merging. WebForms is a great option.

Fair enough. I will rephrase and say that WebForms as a concept in developing robust and properly decoupled applications is dead. The page life-cycle is still useful.

As far as Ext.NET is concerned, there is really no difference. Both frameworks (MVC or WebForms) are supported 100%, and all Ext.NET functionality is supported in both frameworks; less any platform specific functionality such as For* Model Helpers in Razor.

...and this is NOT a bad thing. I find that if I want to do a quick and dirty POC, I don't create an MVC app

The books primary audience was not intended to be advanced Ext.NET developers, although there's valuable information in the book for all levels. I flip through the book quite regularly as a refresher. Anup invested an enormous amount of effort into this book and certainly taught me many things I did not know (or had forgotten) about Ext.NET.

Understood and agreed. I did have several moment where the light-bulb went on :)

We appreciate your feedback. Thanks.

You're welcome and I want you to know that I wasn't trying to be negative about the book. I went into it knowing it was for beginners to ExtJS/NET. I just hoped for a little more MVC love :) If someone were to ask me for a primer on Ext.NET, I would drop this book on their desk immediately + the pure ExtJS companion book.

[Elman]

Hi @Jlosi

To some extent I'm the same with you. But in my humble opinion web forms are not dead and lots of developers are using it out. Although its dead for me and I've started MVC for more than a year.

The most remarkable matter for the big UI libraries such as EXT.NET is that they are mostly used in big projects and MVC is an architecture to develop big projects. With this in mind it was better EXT.NET developer team would have focused more on MVC not on web forms.

[Elman]

Elman, I am sorry the book wasn't up to standard for you.

We were extremely restricted on the total page count for the book so there was a lot of material that we could not include, or we had to simplify. Where possible, I therefore tried to link to various online resources.

Its true, covering all matters needed a really very big book. But book + mentioned resources are not covering all too. For Example one of the important matters that I was struggling was Key Maps. Finally I had to find the solution with test and error.
http://forums.ext.net/showthread.php...469#post110469

Do you have some examples of things that you wished were covered?

If its not a deadline I'm making a list of the sections you want. I will sent them to you, as soon as possible.