15 replies to this topic

[EddieV223]

I'm looking for a replacement to VS2012 for a cross platform project. I need the best syntax highlighting cause VS2012 has spoiled me rotten and I'm used to it. I will use GNU compilers such as mingGW on windows.

[Haps]

I used to use DevC++. No idea if it's current usability stacks up to what you're used to though.

Edited by Haps, 06 October 2012 - 10:18 PM.

[kunos]

I think your best bet for cross platform development is QTCreator.

[jbadams]

I used to use DevC++.

No one should ever be using the original Bloodshed Dev-C++ anymore. See "why you shouldn't use Dev-C++". It's positively ancient as far as software goes, it's not maintained, it's not supported, and it's absolutely riddled with bugs that will never be fixed.
If you really like Dev-C++ there are two updated versions however: Orwell Dev-C++ and wxDev-C++. See "should you use an updated version of Dev-C++".

I still wouldn't choose it personally, but objectively examining them there aren't any real problems with Orwell or wxDev-C++ except that it can be harder to find support.



I haven't used it extensively, but QT Creator looks quite good and is very popular and would probably be worth a look.

[BeerNutts]

Check out Code::Blocks

It's fully featured, mature, and works great for me. BTW, i second not using Dev-C++. I used it in the past, and it's a Pain In The ARSE

[D4RknEZz]

Well, I use Code::Blocks.

[samoth]

Code::Blocks is great if you want something that is lean and fast, and that just works without trouble and without too many bells and whistles. However, if syntax highlighting and code completion is the primary thing you need, then Code::Blocks may not be your first choice.

Other IDEs such as Eclipse or KDevelop beat the crap out of Code::Blocks and wipe the floor with it when it comes to code completion, helpful popups (showing comments on API functions etc.) and highlighting.

The syntax highlighting built into Code::Blocks is the one built into the Scintilla editor component, which is a very simple string-matching algorithm that is totally agnostic of syntax. Which means for example that begin and end, which are C++ standard library names will be highlighted as such, even if they are members of a custom class of your own.

This may be "OK" for you, or not... you decide.

[Servant of the Lord]

I second QtCreator - I couldn't tell you if it has the "best" syntax highlighting, but it has at least good syntax highlighting and good auto-completion.

[Bregma]

Other IDEs such as Eclipse or KDevelop beat the crap out of Code::Blocks and wipe the floor with it...

Thank you for that imagery, although why you think wiping the floor with crap is a good idea may need further clarification.

[Dinsdale]

I vote for Qt Creator. It's open source and cross platform (win, linux, mac).

The syntax highlighting is very decent. For example highlighting of a symbol under cursor highlights it correctly inside its scope, not just the same word in the whole editor. Code completion just works (unlike Visual Studio's Intellisense).

I like also small refactoring features, like changing declaration of a method in a header file will automatically sync the change to the implementation in the .cpp file. The code editor has also features like follow symbol (Ctrl+click), find usages, switch between definition and declaration, etc. These things in Qt Creator just work, while in other IDEs I've tried, only work sometimes.

Although the IDE is not as customizable as Visual Studio or Eclipse (forget dockable panels), it's organized quite ergonomically and it's very fast (unlike eg. Eclipse).

You can download the SDK installer here: http://qt-project.org/downloads

It's worth to mention, that the Qt Creator IDE was designed to work with the Qt libraries, which itself is a great cross platform application toolkit for writing any kind of app imaginable. It literally runs everywhere, eg. besides desktop platforms also ARM and embedded platforms, Android, soon iOS. You can of course use Qt Creator and not use the Qt libraries if you don't need them. However if you are into C++ and cross-platform development, I strongly recommend looking into Qt itself.

[Acharis]

I have been using VC for many years (very nice, the only real drawback is non cross platform), then I tried DevC++ (I DO NOT recommend it, as many people above mentioned it already). Then went for Code::Blocks, which is quite OK, except for code completion (I don't know if I set it up the wrong way or something, but it is soo bad I think I will just disable it soon).

As long time VC++ user I say the switch to Code::Blocks is not agonizing at all. Yes, it feels (and is) inferior, but... not really that much (depends on your habits and what you need, I have heard debugger is much poorer, althrough I don't use it so I dunno). Anyway, it was much nicer than Eclipse (which I abandoned quickly, was not to my taste and too slow).

Still, I would also try Qt-something, it might be worth checking first.

[DARSC0D3]

Most IDE's now days have good syntax highlighting. Also it is hard to say what u mean by "best".
Do you mean allot of colors or most pretty color scheme which is configurable with most IDE's as well.
If you where looking for a list of cross platform IDE's a search true this forum would have given all your answers.

Edited by DARSC0D3, 10 October 2012 - 02:10 PM.

[Bacterius]

Code::Block's code completion has gotten in my way far too often, most of the time it either doesn't come up when I need it, or it pops up when I'm just renaming something and have to hit escape. Syntax highlighting is nice though, if you use the userfile hack to get more than two keyword sets.

[Lightness1024]

there are no perfect IDE in this world. QtCreator, Eclipse and VS are good ones though. But they are all bad text editors. The best editors by far are vi and emacs. and they are so far away in front of the others that nobody actually understand how ´far´ that is until they´ve learned one or the other for at least one year with the help of somebody.
The only issue is that vi or emacs are barely IDEs, you can integrate build and debugging into emacs buffers, even visualize step by step and breakpoints, and local variables like VS, but it is difficult to setup and gdb is not as flexible as MS debugger.

As for highligting and completion, vi has nice plugins that are fast and works ok. emacs no, emacs is purely syntaxic, plugins to add semantic are horribles I hear.
and yet, emacs is still much better at auto indenting than VS is. But definitely not as good as Eclipse.
The best I have seen so far is Eclipse with java. With C++ it is very good as well, but less, because C++ is un-parsable.
the next best thing : VS with VisualAssistX.
I hear QtCreator is at least as good as well.

[littletray26]

I don't like Visual Studio 2012 at all.

Personally I use Visual Studio 2010 with the Visual Assist addon. This let's you configure the syntax highlighting and also improves the intellisense a great deal

[littletray26]

I'm looking for a replacement to VS2012 for a cross platform project.

Sorry. I missed this part.