new to C++ again

[trevs234]

im new to C++.... sorta. i tried to use it a while ago but i couldn't figure out how to do anything and so now im going to try it again. if anyone could be of assistance that would be awsome. oh yeah, and im pretty much broke so i cant pay for anything:mrgreen: .

[hollystyles]

If you have windows go here;

http://www.bloodshed.net/index.html

It's a free C and C++ IDE and compiler (it's the windows port of Linux's GCC or something like that). Install it then do this tutorial:

http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/introduction.html

get this book or similar:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0672326817/026-5503996-0395655?v=glance&n=266239

and im pretty much broke so i cant pay for anything

beg, borrow, go to the library do whatever to get a book, invest in your future or this will be a *permanent* disposition.

[trevs234]

thank you... i have found this tutorial useful and of course the free compiler helps

[Eddy Dean]

Sorry, but I wouldn't buy that book. My experience with the "in 24 hour" books is that they don't really contain information you wouldn't get if you read some tutorials.

A better idea is to invest in Microsoft Visual Studio, so you can use the software everyone uses and is familiar with. It also contains other programs, for example visual basic which is a pretty fun language.

Unfortunately Visual Studio is pretty expensive, so you could just stick with bloodshed dev-cpp or Borland (is that compiler free? I dunno).

Goodluck learning C++

Greetz, Eddy

[WaltP]

A better idea is to invest in Microsoft Visual Studio, so you can use the software everyone uses and is familiar with. It also contains other programs, for example visual basic which is a pretty fun language.

I disagree. First, everyone doesn't use it. Second, DevC at least follows the C/C++ standards. VS-C++ only somewhat follows the standards.

Unfortunately Visual Studio is pretty expensive, so you could just stick with bloodshed dev-cpp or Borland (is that compiler free? I dunno).

Yes, Borland 5.5 is also free, and my compiler of choice, FWIW...

[GloriousEremite]

It's my understanding that Dev-C++ development has been discontinued. But Dev-C++ is not a compiler. It's an IDE that includes the GCC compiler.

If you don't want to use Visual Studio, another IDE I've seen recommended is Code::Blocks; however, I've found Visual Studio 2003 to be very standards compliant (though it isn't usually free, you can get discounts if you're a student), and as far as I know, 2005 is pretty good in that respect if you ignore compiler warnings and don't use CLR. Visual C++ 2005 Express is also free for download.

[Eddy Dean]

I'd go for VS, but Borland is fine too, I guess.

Anyway, I wouldn't buy a book about C++, there are plenty of tutorials and MSDN can be really helpful if you know what you're looking for.

Goodluck,

Greetz, Eddy

[hollystyles]

Anyway, I wouldn't buy a book about C++, there are plenty of tutorials and MSDN can be really helpful if you know what you're looking for.

This is exactly why you should get a book. it is a constant reference, tutorials and developer forums are often a pile of dung full of bad programming examples and dumb posts like some in this thread. Links get broken you can't always go back to it and they are "snippets." A book will always be more comprehensive and reliable. Online documentation, developer sites are great when you have been going for a little while but not very good for absolute beginners.

Any developer out there worth his salts has plenty of books, and any who claim they did it without reading any books should be given a wide berth.

You need to know about C/C++ even if you never use it in anger. If you ignore it you will just become another "Schlemiel the painter" and if you don't know what that is you're not a programmer yet you're a dabler.

[justobioma]

My own take however is to take a look at any book titled c++.I thought the online materials I was using were adequate until I found a good text with its own ideas about using c++.So my rule of thumbs is take a look at anythinh labelled c++.