If you've begun programming using Microsoft's .NET Framework, you've discovered a lot of new and improved functionality. But, more than likely, you've also discovered a lot of missing functionality. Indeed, a third of the functions supported by the old Win32 API are not yet supported by .NET. Although you may not at first notice the loss of Win32 API functionality in .NET, the more you program, the more you'll realize how essential it is. As a programmer, you will not want to do without these solutions.

.NET Framework Solutions: In Search of the Lost Win32 API is one more thing you can't do without: a complete guide to your options for dealing with the functionality missing from .NET. As you'll learn, some functions are handily situated within Visual Basic or C#. In most cases, however, you'll need to access the old Win32 API from the .NET Framework. This is demanding work, but this book makes it easy, walking you through every step and paying special attention to the work of managing memory manually-the most error-prone part of the process.

The topics covered inside are as varied as the missing functionality: direct hardware access, low-level security control, certain aspects of OS access, support for multimedia and utilities, and DirectX. You also get hard-to-find information on COM access, plus a collection of examples-dealing with DirectX and the MMC Snap-ins-that unite COM and Win32 access in especially illuminating ways.

Over time, you can expect to see the .NET Framework expanded to include much of what it now lacks. But your programming tasks can't wait, and .NET Framework Solutions makes you productive-today.

Featured on the CD
The enclosed CD contains all the book's code, plus a handy collection of utilities. You get a fully functional copy of Philip Craig's NUnit, along with trial versions of CursorArts' Icon Forge and Alchemy Mindworks' Graphic Workshop and GIF Construction Set.

About the Author
John Mueller is a freelance author and technical editor who has produced 55 books and over 200 articles on topics ranging from networking to artificial intelligence to database management to heads-down programming. His most recent book is Visual C# .NET Developer's Handbook, also from Sybex. As a technical editor, he has helped more than two dozen authors refine their manuscripts and has provided technical editing services to both Data Based Advisor and Coast Compute magazines. He's also contributed articles to SQL Server Professional, Visual C++ Developer, and Visual Basic Developer. He's the editor of the .NET electronic newsletter for Pinnacle Publishing.