Looking to get back into C++ programming.

[David]

Depends. For engine programming, for performance reasons, its best that you manage your memory. For tool and application programming, its best to use garbage collection so that you have this damn tool finished sooner .

Yep, thats right. But I remember some looong debugsessions, because some customers had weird performance problems. After all, we found the problem in not "on time" released resources. Well, after fixing the problems it was the time to get some detailed knowledge about the used garbage collection algorithms.
My point is: garbage collection can be really useful to get rid of the whole "memory leak problems". But if using gc you should bear in mind that garbage collection doesn't fix every memory related problem!

[Rizimar]

In the new C++ Standard, which will be assumedly introduced around 2009, garbage collection is included.

Huh. I didn't know that!

[Bad Sector]

@David:
That's right. Some people naively think that GC solves all memory problems. Actually it just makes one problem, memory leaks, *easier*. It doesn't even solve it, because you can always have too much objects allocated or -depending on the gc algorithm- cross referenced.

[Unconscious]

But that paragraph is hard. ='[ Nothing makes Runescape a fun game to play. O_o


Okay, I might give C a shot first, then... Anyone know of any compilers? I currently use Dev CPP.

[Bad Sector]

Dev-C++ is an *IDE* not a compiler. The IDE (Integrated Development Environment, or something like that) is the part where you write (and usually, debug) your code. IDEs usually manage your project's source code files and compilation options, which libraries it use, etc. Some of them can also manage data files, provide source control functionality, etc.

A compiler is the tool that compiles your source code to executable files (or more precisely, to object files - to produce an executable you need a linker, but your IDE and most compiler front-ends call the linker automatically). Dev-C++ uses the MinGW version of the GCC C++ compiler. GCC means GNU Compiler Collection (used to mean GNU C Compiler) and includes compilers for C, C++, Fortran, Java, Pascal and others. Dev-C++ only includes the C and C++ compilers though.

Note that you don't have to use Dev-C++ in order to use MinGW. In fact the version of MinGW that is installed with Dev-C++ is very old (although for learning the language is ok). You can download the latest version from http://www.mingw.org/. For an IDE i would recommend Eclipse - http://www.eclipse.org/. Its far more user friendly than Dev-C++. Code::Blocks is also a nice IDE that seems to gain popularity. You may want to try that if Eclipse is too heavy for your system (basically, in order to work with Eclipse without being blocked by your memory you need at least 1GB - it can work with 512 and even 256mb of RAM but it won't be the same).

Btw, Dev-C++'s help includes a C tutorial.

[Unconscious]

Dev-C++ is an *IDE* not a compiler. The IDE (Integrated Development Environment, or something like that) is the part where you write (and usually, debug) your code. IDEs usually manage your project's source code files and compilation options, which libraries it use, etc. Some of them can also manage data files, provide source control functionality, etc.

A compiler is the tool that compiles your source code to executable files (or more precisely, to object files - to produce an executable you need a linker, but your IDE and most compiler front-ends call the linker automatically). Dev-C++ uses the MinGW version of the GCC C++ compiler. GCC means GNU Compiler Collection (used to mean GNU C Compiler) and includes compilers for C, C++, Fortran, Java, Pascal and others. Dev-C++ only includes the C and C++ compilers though.

Note that you don't have to use Dev-C++ in order to use MinGW. In fact the version of MinGW that is installed with Dev-C++ is very old (although for learning the language is ok). You can download the latest version from http://www.mingw.org/. For an IDE i would recommend Eclipse - http://www.eclipse.org/. Its far more user friendly than Dev-C++. Code::Blocks is also a nice IDE that seems to gain popularity. You may want to try that if Eclipse is too heavy for your system (basically, in order to work with Eclipse without being blocked by your memory you need at least 1GB - it can work with 512 and even 256mb of RAM but it won't be the same).

Btw, Dev-C++'s help includes a C tutorial.

I'll have a look at Eclipse - I have 2 GB of RAM, so it should be okay.

What programming languages does it work with? I'm aware Dev CPP works with both C, and C++... Does Eclipse support just those two, or more?


I'll read through Dev's C tutorials, and use Eclipse to write them in - that should turn out pretty well. I seem to recall learning up to the if function, in C++, with Dev's tutorials.

Thanks for all the help, guys, you're making this much easier.

[David]

Eclipse supports a lot of programming languages, e.g. C, C++, Java, ... But, I can recommend you, if you'r working with windows, Visual Studio. It's free in
the Express Version and is (in my opinion) the best IDE for Windows (and the C++ Compiler is fairly standardcompatible in the meantime ).

[Bad Sector]

Yeah, there is even a haXe plugin for Eclipse that you can use to make Flash games .

@David:
Not to go offtopic, but although the latest version of MSDEV is much better than the previous versions, i wouldn't say its the best IDE. When it comes to features Eclipse is much better. However as i said, Eclipse is very resource intensive. Personally i use MSDEV in Windows only because it is more responsive, but i miss a few things (like Control+Click on an identifier to go to its declaration and integrated Subversion and Trac support).

[David]

@David:
Not to go offtopic, but although the latest version of MSDEV is much better than the previous versions, i wouldn't say its the best IDE. When it comes to features Eclipse is much better. However as i said, Eclipse is very resource intensive. Personally i use MSDEV in Windows only because it is more responsive, but i miss a few things (like Control+Click on an identifier to go to its declaration and integrated Subversion and Trac support).

Ya, okay. Right! I'd used eclipse several years ago, so I don't know the actual state. But I really love (e.g.) the debugging features of Visual Studio. As I remember, eclipse hadn't the comfort of Vs in this case. But maybe this has changed over the years.

Okay, lets go back to topic! )

[Unconscious]

Hm, it seems most of my time has been trying to learn how to use EClipse - it's a much messier program than DevCPP.

I think I might stick with that, until I need some of the features that Eclipse offers.

[Rizimar]

Hm, it seems most of my time has been trying to learn how to use EClipse - it's a much messier program than DevCPP.

I think I might stick with that, until I need some of the features that Eclipse offers.

Don't worry about tools and the like until you start really getting into the language

[Boone]

About a year or two back I did this absolutely stunning C++ course with the Open University here in England.  It was just right: Accessable to the beginner and satisfying to the vetern programmer.  Even though it used Borland Builder, it was still worth it.  Over nine months we did a bit of everything: Data-entry programs to graphics tricks and even a simple game.

Now that its been hailed(by practically all the students who enrolled) as the best programming course the OU has to offer - they've replaced it with a Visual Basic course.  Idiots. 

However, if they do bring it back in the next year or so then its definitely the best way to get stuck into C++.