I''m a real begginer and I decided to take upon the C++ language. I was wondering what I''ll be needing to learn C++? Which compiler do you guys recomand? Which book to read? And which community to join? And anything else I might need. For someone experienced in programming as a general but with no idea of C++ how long can you assume it will take me to learn C++? Do I need to learn C syntax before I move into C++ OOP? Any comments, flames, and suggestions are welcome. PS: I''d also like to find someone who''s somewhat experienced in C++ and doesn''t mind being a sort of an online buddy while both of us learn C++. I found this to be the best way to go. Anyway feel free to e-mail me.

If you want a free IDE (including a compiler), I can recommend Dev-C++ (www.bloodshed.net). I myself prefer Microsoft Visual C++ for most purposes, but Dev-C++ is, as I said, free, and VC++ is not.

I don''t know what books to recommend, but the Net abounds with tutorials (http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/ looks good to me); if you are, as you say, an experienced programmer, you should be able to pick it up from these (though books are always preferable, if you have the budget).

As for C: You will not need to learn the C syntax as such, but C++ is almost a superset of C, and so much of the syntax is identical, or nearly so. However, there is no reason to learn C (buying pure C books and so forth) to learn C++; any beginner''s C++ book will teach you the common parts with the rest. (If, by the way, you know Java, you already have a good start on the C++ syntax. It''s definitely not the same, but there are many similarities.)

If you have any questions that you don''t wish to field here, I usually offer newbies to contact me through IM''s or email; I like to help out as my schedule permits.

Alright I''m preset with VC++ 6.0 Stansard Edition. Generally I''ve found a decent amount of tutorials online. But I keep getting eye strains after looking and reading at them for so long. Thus I very much prefer books. I do have a somewhat flexible budget and I can afford about two book for $120. Which books do you recomand I should start with and then follow up upon.

I''m experienced with Perl, and &#106avascript for the most part. This is my first time trying to grasp a language that deals with software design. I have also studied QB sometime back, but what I really want to know is how to compiling works, why the need to compile, is modular programming the same as classes. Really general explinations like that.

My post decended down the line and I still haven''t gotten an answer on what text. Please help out. New generation right?

As for books, I''d recommend The C++ Primer by Stanley Lippman and someone else and maybe the C++ Programming Language by my man Bjarne Stroustoup himself (he wrote C++ so he should know what he''s talking about)

Can I also make a suggestion? Get some books on object-oriented programming. You''d be amazed at how many people (some of whom are on this forum) know C++ from assembly up, but haven''t got much of a clue when it comes to good OO. It''ll take time, but it''s worth it.

"That''s not a bug, it''s a feature!"
--me

quote:Original post by Kofman2155
PS: I'd also like to find someone who's somewhat experienced in C++ and doesn't mind being a sort of an online buddy while both of us learn C++.

Google, will be your best friend on this.

This will help to begin:
www.cplusplus.com
c++ faq lite
WINAPI Reference

An old book, maybe usefull if you are impatient:
Teach Yourself Visual C++® 5 in 24 Hours

[edited by - xaxa on November 4, 2002 10:50:12 PM]

thanks I''ll look into it. So "The C++ Primer", followed by "C++ Programming Language" by the guy who wrote C++, and than a book on OOP. Thanks If anyone else has any suggestions please post them in, I''ll be making my purchase Dec.