I am working my way thorugh this awesome book but have some issues with the code as presented in the book. I specifically do NOT want to download the examples because that makes reading the book entirely pointless. I am typing each example out by hand and compiling them. Only in this way will the examples have any meaning for me. Downloading and compiling them will mean I learn nothing (like cheating on a game does not mean you won it!!!).

Problem is, the code in the book is incomplete or missing vital information that is needed to make it work.

1: the ToDoList example did not state that the android.widget.ArrayAdapter class needed to be imported. It took me TWO HOURS of searching and trying different things to discover this minor detail. While yes, I did learn something it took me two hours to learn it instead of the 2 seconds it should have taken me to learn it by reading complete example code.

Yes, if I used eclipse the IDE would have told me I needed that import but I do NOT use eclipse and wouldnt use eclipse even if both bill gates and george soros offered me their entire personal fortunes to do so. </hate>

I am doing all my android development from a Linux command line. Again, this is so I actually learn how to develop for Android without mommy holding my hand on every move I make. While I accept that this will make things a little more difficult I still think a book with as high a standard of quality as this one should not miss vital information in its example code.

2: Chapter 4, Using Fragments in your To Do List expands on the above example code by adding fragments. It adds these fragments by presenting the reader with fragments (pun intended) of code with NO CONTEXT telling them where that coe should be inserted or added into the source files.

It gives me a new xml file to create, a new class to create, an interface, a variable and a listener. NO information about where to put the variable, where to put the listener. where to put the interface. Are these external to the class or intended to be contained within the class?

Im going to guess that the variable at least belongs inside the class but maybe its supposed to be inside the interface? No way of knowing!

This is as far as I have got in the book and im left with no choice but to download the completed example code from the FTP site but this may still not help me. The book is presented in such a way as to have each example expand on the previous one. If I download the sources from the FTP site I will not get this progression of information, ill get a "bam, heres the finished product" example that is of limited educational value.


EDIT -->

These code examples
......are so scatter brained
..and disjointed
...................in this book that
.......it is IMPOSSILBE to construct
working code from
.....................................them.

This has to be the single worst programming book I have ever purchased and im only up to chapter FOUR!!!! The example code as published within this book is presented like the above disjointed sentence only each piece is presented out of order with pieces missing or left to the immagination of the reader. I expected a much higher standard of publication from this company :/

I should be able to construct ***COMPLETE AND WORKING*** applications from the examples published in the book AS IS. I should not need to log into your web site to download the examples, if thats the only way to get working code (and it IS the only way) then it was POINTLESS for you to even put any of it within the pages of this book. Pointless and missleading.

There are also FAR too many errors that you fess up to in this book, one or two be acceptable. THIRTY errata items is totally unacceptable and shows a complete and utter lack of care on your part.