less is more

You can download the sample code for the activities covered in my book here.

Once I get back from vacation, I’ll also create an errata page for the book on this site.

Essential Windows Workflow Foundation is finally available!

I got my copy yesterday. Both Amazon and Barnes and Noble claim that they are shipping it within 24 hours.

Writing this book was truly a labor of love for us. Hope you will like it.

Chapter 3, “Activity Execution”, is now available for download.

Also, I have created a separate page for all things related to Essential WF.

Earlier this year, during the book writing process (inspired from an all time favorite of mine), I collected code snippets with a view to use them as quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Each snippet represented a time in the WF project history or a specific design discussion or a bug.

Eventually, during the final editing of the book we decided to take them out. But here they are:

1)
class Program {
  static void Main() {
    Document doc = new Document(@”c:\winoe programming model.doc”);
   
    send(”cookie”, doc);
    Document feedback = receive(”cookie”);
    …
  }
}
  –Anonymous, July 28 2003, Redmond, WA

2)
public sealed class Runaway: Activity {
  protected override ActivityExecutionStatus
    Execute(ActivityExecutionContext aec) {  
     return ActivityExecutionStatus.Executing;
  }
}
  –Anonymous, March 15, 2004 Redmond, WA 

3)
public sealed class Stuck: Activity {
  protected override ActivityExecutionStatus
        Execute(ActivityExecutionContext context) {
      throw new InvalidOperationException();
  }
  protected override ActivityExecutionStatus HandleFault(
        ActivityExecutionContext context, Exception exception) {
     
      Console.WriteLine(exception.InnerException.Message);
      return ActivityExecutionStatus.Closed;
  }
}
  –Anonymous, August 15 2005, Bellevue, WA 

4)
public sealed class WorkflowRuntime :
       ServiceContainer {…}

  –Anonymous, December 1 2004, Redmond, WA

5)
namespace EssentialWF.ProgramStatements {
    [Serializable]
    public class CallCC: CompoundProgramStatement {…}
}
  –Anonymous, May 31 2006, Sammamish, WA

6)
 [DesignerSerializer(typeof(CLANGSilenceSerializer),
      typeof(CLANGSerializer))]
 public class Silence: Activity {}
  –Anonymous, November 21 2003, Redmond, WA 

7)
    [Check(EnforcementTarget.Children,
         @”activity.Parent.EnabledActivities.IndexOf(activity) > 1 &&  
            (activity.Parent.EnabledActivities
             [activity.Parent.EnabledActivities.IndexOf(activity) - 1].

             ExecutionStatus == ActivityExecutionStatus.Closed)”)]
    protected override ActivityExecutionStatus
       Execute(ActivityExecutionContext executionContext) {
            …
    }
    …
  –Anonymous, December 2005, Redmond, WA 

8)
public sealed class MythicalRuntime : ServiceContainer {
    …
  public ProgramHandle ActivateInstance(Uri blueprint){…}
  public ProgramHandle RestoreInstance(Guid durableHandle){…}
}
  –Anonymous, February 2004, Sammamish, WA 

We met the deadline right on time and submitted the final manuscript to the publisher on June 15nth.

The last month was grueling. We reorganized the entire content based on an updated TOC.

I’m very pleased with the results.

We still have two appendices to submit by June 20th.

Getting closer…

Here’s a preview of the front cover.

We just sent the final two chapters (8 and 1) to the reviewers.

It feels great!

The first draft of the book’s preface is also in place. This weekend and the next week will be devoted to the two appendices.

Also, based on an earlier feedback from the reviewers, one of the chapters of the book will be undergoing a major editing surgery next week.

June 15 is the absolute drop dead date for submitting the manuscript (with tech edits) to the publisher.

The book has 8 chapters and is around 400 pages. Of the 8 chapters, we’ve already submitted chapters 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 to the publishers for review. Chapter 4 is on the Activity Component Model and is in its final round of editing before we send it to the publisher this weekend. The goal is to finish chapter 8 by the end of April and spend the month of May on chapter 1. After that, work on the comments/feedback from the reviewers and ship!

Bob Schmidt and I have also started working on the WF book. The working title is “Essential Windows Workflow Foundation”. The book is in the “Essential” series of books, which I greatly admire.

Will keep everyone posted on the book progress…