Win32 / MFC / Widgets Differences
Author
Hi
I am trying to understand the differences between Win32, MFC & widgets. I thought that win32 is like C & MFC is like C++ where MFC is just win32 but with classes?
Am I right in saying that win32 is the lower level windows API 'communicator' & MFC is higher level windows commands & that MFC functions are really a group win32 functions. For example, the function(made up) Dialog.CreateDialog() in MFC performs the code of win32 of registering a class, creating a message loop, creating a WNDPROC, showing the window all in one function.
Can you clear up the differences between the 3...languages?...API?. Am I right in when I say Win32 is the lowest level communication with the OS & MFC is the highest level?
Yeah sounds like you got it.
Basically MFC lets you do more with less lines of code.At least that's the idea. With Win32 you have to setup everything in your code by hand like you said. On the other hand with MFC uses C++, which most consider more compilcated than C, and it forces you to use the MVC pattern which also adds complexity. So MFC is not just win32 with classes because of that.
You might be interested in this video that covers latest additions to MFC:
"MFC wraps native Windows APIs in convenient C++ wrapper classes that are defined for many Windows objects and common window controls. Not surprisingly, MFC wraps some of the new capabilities in Windows 7 (and will continue to do so in the future)."
[Edited by - daviangel on May 3, 2010 7:55:23 AM]
Basically MFC lets you do more with less lines of code.At least that's the idea. With Win32 you have to setup everything in your code by hand like you said. On the other hand with MFC uses C++, which most consider more compilcated than C, and it forces you to use the MVC pattern which also adds complexity. So MFC is not just win32 with classes because of that.
You might be interested in this video that covers latest additions to MFC:
"MFC wraps native Windows APIs in convenient C++ wrapper classes that are defined for many Windows objects and common window controls. Not surprisingly, MFC wraps some of the new capabilities in Windows 7 (and will continue to do so in the future)."
[Edited by - daviangel on May 3, 2010 7:55:23 AM]
WxWidgets is a refinement of MFC. It's better. But you are doing well in looking into MFC source code. That will teach you a few win32 Tricks and also how to design your own win32 Framework.
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