Previously, API calls via VB were extremely painful. I usually ended up on the floor with my poor brain bleeding. But Dan Appleman not only tells you what the API calls do but he teaches you how to translate C API calls into VB API calls. I consider this the most important section in the book. He explains in detail how VB works vs. C and gives detailed explanations about each of C's declerations and the VB equivalent. This well thumbed book helped push me away from depending on other people for VB API translations and I've managed to translate a number of DLL's designed for C like languages for use in VB with great success. My only gripe is that I wished he explained the ourtrageously strange pointer to a pointer stuff that C used.

Many a time I've been tempted to tear the chapters out of this book because of it's sheer volume but this book is a must for any VB programmer, especially one with weak C programming skills such as myself. My poor book has a dirty cover and well stained pages from reading it so much. I suspect yours will look similar as well.