Why is MFC so popular?

[abdul]

Whenever I go to some C++ windows programming web sites like:

www.codeguru.com
www.planetsourcecode.com
www.codeproject.com

They have almost all the source code for windows programming in MFC. I cannot find any web site that uses pure API calls to do the stuff.
Do you know any better web site that just use pure API calls?

[ChimpFace9000]

MFC is popular because people are lazy.

[Vlatko]

MFC is so popular because (yes people are lazy) and because it is easier than raw API. It is far more easier to make a MDI app using MFC that with raw API. Complex apps are easir to make using MFC, but raw API is still the best choise.

[parksie]

MFC is okay if you like the document/view model and don't mind a huge pile of crap being parcelled up with your program :)

[abdul]

So, do I need to learn MFC?

[parksie]

No. Don't. If you want to learn a class library, then WTL is okay - it comes with the Platform SDK and actually looks quite clean (as in DLL-free, doesn't take loads of space).

[Megatron]

I am not too fond of MFC. But, still, I think the best time to "learn" it is when you pretty much understand API in and out, and simply don't feel like doing dirty work.

[abdul]

So, is it an additional knowledge? Do you know any any web site like vbworld that has lots of tutorials, source code that uses and teaches pure API? I have seen lots of web sites like vbworld but those are all about vb not C++.

[Technocrat]

I would not just push MFC to the side. Sure I would learn API and all the other "basic" C/C++ stuff first. But lets not forget where MFC came from, Mircosoft. I am sure that if good old MS has its way MFC will slowly become the new "standard". Since I have not playied with it myself I am a little unsure, but I have read that there is a lot of new MFC modules in .NET. I doubt that MFC is going to go off and die somewhere, when you got those monsters at MS pushing it.

Plus lots of professional program are made in MFC. Napster, Bullet Proof FTP, and more that I can't think of at this moment becuase I just got to work and its monday :(

[Zaei]

How can you call Napster "professional"? Besides, the actual Napster application looked like crap.

If you really don't want to do the dirty work with API, write your own library of classes (Window class, TextBox Class, etcetera). Then YOU get to decide what is important, and cut the rest out, instead of MS deciding for you.

And, for overkill, you could write a Resouce Dialog Editor parser dealie, so you could use that with your own classes.

Z.

[abdul]

is COM easier than making dll's (and are classes dlls). I have asked the question before of making my own editbox control to use it my own apps but I need to know ATP for that. So can I just write some function for edit box in a dll and use it in my app?