Which book(s) to get on the fast track to CSLA?

Starbuck posted on Wednesday, November 05, 2008

After I started writing this I found this page, but I figured I'd double check anyway.

I really need to move quickly to get up to speed on CSLA. I think it was the DNRTV programs that really sold me.  I plan to use a code generator with it (of course?).  So far CodeBreeze is at the top of my list because it has current CSLA templates.  I don't understand why but CodeSmith and others seem to be behind in this area.

So I plan to get at least one of Rocky's books but I'm a bit confused about their positioning. It seems they build upon one another: First there's the Business Objects 2005 book to set the case for the various patterns, then the v2.1 book to introduce CSLA basics, then the v3.0 book to bring the reader up to date.  But now there's the Business Objects 2008 book coming out.  I don't think I can wait for that - so is the recommendation to just get the other three and then add the 2008 book to the pile?

Rocky, I do tech editing for major publishers, mostly C# books for SAMS, Manning, and most recently a LINQ book for McGraw-Hill. Please let me know if you'd like another set of eyes on the Apress book. I'd be honored to learn from your wisdom while I'm providing a service toward improving the material.

TIA

ajj3085 replied on Thursday, November 06, 2008

If you need to start reading right now, than the Expert C#/VB.Net 2005 Business Objects, which describes Csla 2.0 , and the two eBooks will get you mostly up to date, covering 2.1 and 3.0. 

The eBooks describe major framework changes, the "intro to the basics" will be in the 2005 BO book; the eBooks assume you already know the basics. 

The latest version 3.5+ will be discussed in the 2008 book coming soon.  I believe though that Windows Forms will not be discussed in that book... so you'll likely need the older book and eBooks if you're targeting Windows forms.

If you're targeting .Net 2/3, than you should be looking at Csla 3.0.4 I believe.  If you're targeting .Net 3.5, than you should look at 3.6.  And finally, if you're targeting .net 1, than use Csla 1.53.