[C++] Tutorial 1: Discussion

rgrig

"Design patterns" is, as I said, for designing applications -- in any OO language.

For structured programming you are better of with Dijkstra's "Structured programming" book. His writing style is excelent.

Why exactly do you want to learn about MFC? It is old and a very good example of BAD library design. You would be much better off learning .NET class library or Java API.

ramollari

Well, MFC are the libraries that I have in my compiler, Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0. But I'd be willing to learn any other libraries for GUI in C++.

rgrig

Then have a look at:
http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/express/ and
http://java.sun.com/

Both come with pretty comprehensive documentation (both tutorials and reference material).

LogiX

I recommend the
Algorithms in C++ series by Robert Sedgewick
Code Complete (2nd Edition)
Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software - the book is on computer foundations and architecture, fair introduction to computer science

Ryan

rgrig

LogiX: your recommandations are better than mine!
From the same area: The Pragmatic Programmer, a book full of practical advices presented thru analogies that helps you remember.

One example: The Broken Window Theory. The advice: Never leave something broken (if you know it is broken). Story: A study of NY police with sociology&psychology researchers was intended to shed some light on when property is destroyed. They left an expensive car in an ill-famed neighborhood. A few weeks nothing happened. Then they broke a window. Within a few hours the car was completely destroyed and set on fire. Conclusion: Never leave something broken.

exequor

If you want to do GUI work outside of ms visual c++, I recommend using devcpp along with gtk and glade. Glade is just like the form builder you have in visual basic and it builds the code for you c/c++ project making use of GTK. The good thing is everything is free.

Alex

As well as cross-platform.

exequor

The only thing that is not cross-platform is devcpp, which is only for windows.

Alex

visual basic is cross platform?

exequor

I thought that cross-platform meant that something could work on multiple OSs or be compiled for multiple OSs. I didn't know that VB could do that.

LogiX

It's important to understand that Dev-C++ is not a compiler. Dev-C++ is an IDE (Intregrated Development Environment) that uses the MingW (windows port of GNU GCC) compiler.

I personally recommend using wxWidgets as a GUI API. It's build in a very OO manner which makes it easy to learn and work with. And, it is extremely portable across multiple platforms. http://www.wxwidgets.com

Visual Basic executables are not cross-platform.

Ryan

Alex

What I meant was that you can write programs for many different platforms with c++, while Visual Basic limits you to Windows.

eNathan

Just use Delphi, it gets ride of this annoying ActiveX files. If you are making a windows app, use VB, if you need speed, use Delpi or CPP, if you need platform control, use Java, c#, C++, ect...

I recomend for anyone who is new to programing to start off with Visual Basic, then move on to something else.

ramollari

Let me say that Visual Basic is not the proper language to start with. It is too visual, too buggy, too inefficient, and too difficult to understand.

Hurkyl

Not to mention that it's not free!

I thought QBASIC was a beautiful language, is VB really that bad? (Of course, I had not yet heard of Pascal or C++ at that time in my life)

ramollari

It is all commercial: the language and the development environment. That is to the advantage of Microsoft.

Also by the way VB is little related with QBASIC. When I think of VB I think of 'drag and drop', not of programming.

VB is useful for prototyping and for RAD software development. But not for beginners who want to learn programming principles. C++ would be a good one.

Davorak

I started out with VB, and I agree. After I started programing in C++ I felt like I wasted alot of time of VB. Oh well live and learn.