C/C++ Visual C++ vs C++: Understanding the Difference

Click For Summary
Visual C++ is a Microsoft-specific Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that utilizes the same C++ syntax as other IDEs, but it is heavily tied to the Windows API, making it less suitable for multi-platform development. Users transitioning from standard C++ to Visual C++ may find significant differences, particularly when implementing graphical user interfaces (GUIs), which can complicate the programming process. While Visual C++ offers tools for GUI development, it requires additional learning and familiarity with the Win32 API. Alternative GUI development toolkits like GTK and Qt are available for those seeking more flexibility. For console applications, developers can use both Visual C++ and GCC, employing conditional macros for compatibility. Some users recommend opting for a simpler text editor over Visual C++ to avoid unnecessary complexity in development. For rapid application development (RAD), Delphi is suggested as a viable alternative unless specific low-level programming capabilities are needed.
ermines
Messages
45
Reaction score
0
Umm guys, is visual c++ a very different programming language than c++. I mean, I installed a copy of visual c++ and looked at the pre-made template of hello world but saw that it is very different from the normal source code for c++.

I have this code made from devcpp, the calculator if you remember, and I want to implement some GUI and buttons but it seems that I need to do additional studying of visual c++ just to do this..is this right?
 
Technology news on Phys.org
Visual C++ is a term coined by Microsoft. Why you say you're using Visual C++ you're implying your using Win32 API. There are many other GUI development toolkits. GTk and QT are other options.

Unless you're confortable with command-line programming I don't suggest doing GUI programming. It gets complicated pretty quickly.
 
dduardo said:
Visual C++ is a term coined by Microsoft. Why you say you're using Visual C++ you're implying your using Win32 API.

I use Visual C++ and gcc to write console non-Win32-API C++ code. I use conditional macros to allow me to compile with either compiler.
 
robphy said:
I use Visual C++ and gcc to write console non-Win32-API C++ code. I use conditional macros to allow me to compile with either compiler.

do yourself a favor and get a programmer's text editor rather than adding all the cruft the VC++ adds to development.
 
C++ is a multi-platform languge. Visual C++ is microsoft's version of C++, and most of its libaries depend upon Windows API calls. Hence, it is no longer multi-platform.

In any event, Visual C++ is a IDE developed by Microsoft, but it indeed, has the same syntax as any other type of C++ IDE (such as Borland's). :-p

Take my advice and use Delphi for your RAD needs, unless you need extream flexibity or you need to get low level (and even delphi has an inline assembler)
 
I tried a web search "the loss of programming ", and found an article saying that all aspects of writing, developing, and testing software programs will one day all be handled through artificial intelligence. One must wonder then, who is responsible. WHO is responsible for any problems, bugs, deficiencies, or whatever malfunctions which the programs make their users endure? Things may work wrong however the "wrong" happens. AI needs to fix the problems for the users. Any way to...

Similar threads

Replies
3
Views
1K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
86
Views
2K
  • · Replies 40 ·
2
Replies
40
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
6K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 64 ·
3
Replies
64
Views
7K
  • · Replies 29 ·
Replies
29
Views
3K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
5K