I'm struggling....

Learning all of the language concepts of C++; basically, I was brought up on QBasic and GW-Basic and thus don't have a clue what is going on in the world of C++. I'd like to learn though.

Anybody recommend a book, for a basic programmer to learn C++ from the ground up? I'd also like for it to cover Windows-specific programming (ex. MFC/alternatives, Win32 callbacks), and Linux-specific programming. I suppose this may span 3 or 4 books, but if you know of them, name'em!

If they could be picked up at Chapters.ca it would be a plus.

Learn the language first, rather than even *thinking* of any OS-specific code.

It should compile on any system, until such point as you decide to use OS-specific APIs or suchlike.

Thinking in C++ is pretty good (www.bruceeckel.com). After that, probably Petzold for Windows. I do have a book on GNU/Linux programming, but not really read it much yet. Any GOOD Unix book should cover the material, though, unless you want to know kernel-related stuff (which is most definitely C, not C++).

I mentioned it because I have money NOW (not necessarily later), and need to know what books I can buy that'll cover the topic well.

How'd you learn, Mike?

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Originally posted by Sastraxi
I mentioned it because I have money NOW (not necessarily later), and need to know what books I can buy that'll cover the topic well.

How'd you learn, Mike?

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The hard way =).

I still dont own a specifically C++ book, so I cant really recommend one. Sorry.

Z.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Sastraxi
I mentioned it because I have money NOW (not necessarily later), and need to know what books I can buy that'll cover the topic well.

How'd you learn, Mike?

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TIC++ is free, and is all you should realistically need other than the Standard Library documentation for at least the first 6 months or so.

I learnt the hard way. BBC BASIC, then C (still on a BBC, wooooo!), then migrated to a bit of C on RISC OS. Tried to do C++ with MFC on the PC after a year or so with nothing, had great difficulty and tried VB instead. Got quite good, spent a couple of years there.

Then picked C back up again, and subsequently C++.

At which point I learnt about iterators and started getting good with templates. That took me the next two years or so.

Basically, I had a nasty journey to where I am, which is why I say learn good C++ *now* rather than later, when you've been ruined by another language.

I'm reading the electronic version of the book that Parksie recommended, and I think it's really cool. I've just read the part about abstraction and I think it's a neat concept. I especially like the idea of calling one thing, and the object decides what to do with it, either inheriting its parent's method or using its own. Very cool stuff.

Wait until you get onto generic algorithms using containers, they're fantastic (and exceptionally efficient, because they're mostly evaluated at compile-time).

Welcome to the world of cool stuff =).

Z.

Hehe ;)
I had to take a break for a nap, but now I'm back and reading more C++! :)

C++ lets you do the coolest things. Mostly thanks to templates, polymorphism and operator overloading (two of those concepts are missing in Java).

Is your avatar Morla, Sas?

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Originally posted by CornedBee
C++ lets you do the coolest things. Mostly thanks to templates, polymorphism and operator overloading (two of those concepts are missing in Java).

Is your avatar Morla, Sas?

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Templates are the most beautiful things in the world =).

Z.