Moving from C# to C++
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I have found that companies doing 3D modeling, like CAD, use C++. But, beware of pointers. They can bite you badly. Under C#, they are managed for you. Under C++, you need to manage them. Learn about smart pointers. The BOOST C++ Libraries have really good smart pointers and make using pointers much like using C# references. (Go to: www.boost.org for more information.)
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Hi, man! I wish to recommend You the Bruce Eckel's C++ books; you can download them free, and as I know, there was the whole standard C++ language described. The right studio supporting it is VS2005 or 2008; in Visual Studio 6, there is no full support for C++ language, for example, You can't use multiple templates as parameters in templates. So, try with Bruce Eckel's C++. You can find Eckel's site using google or like. Btw, I'm somehow impressed with Your expression that it seems C++ is more wanted by employeers than C#. Although personally I preffer C++ programming, I thought that C# was most wanted. OK, this is a nice news for me! Best regards!
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In addition to others mentioned I also found the Wrox book Professional C++ and C++ Coding Standards by Herb Stutter and Andrei Alexandrescu helpful. If you want to apply to Windows, you can't go past Jeff Richter's Programming Windows via C/C++.
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I'd strongly recommend the Learn C++[^] site, it does cover the basics but you can skip ahead to more interesting stuff. I found myself in the same position as you a few months back and this is how I got going. I'd also recommend at least skimming over the basics again as your likely to pick up subtle differences between the two languages and possibly remind yourself of things you may have forgotten. Book wise, I've got a copy of the C++ Pocket Reference Guide by O'Reilly (ISBN: 978-0-596-00496-5) which is great as a quick reference, I also picked up a second hand copy of Stroustrup's "The C++ Programming Language" which I don't use as much but is useful if your not sure why something is happening in a particular way. Once you get into it it's fairly good fun, some things will annoy you and you'll be longing for a C# project but then some things are actually easier in C++ (such as manipulating byte arrays).
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I like "Thinking in C++" by Bruce Eckel. He assumess a reader working from C to C++, so it might be pedantic on OO concepts, but at least it won't spend much time on fundamental C syntax.
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you could try : www.freecomputerbooks.com/langCppBooks.html
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If you want something more advanced, an option are Herb Sutters books. A lot of the material from those books comes from http://www.gotw.ca/gotw/[^] Also if you want to read more than you ever cared about templates, C++ Templates The Complete Guide by Vandevoorde and Josuttis. To see how far templates can be taken, read Modern C++ Design, by Andrei Alexandrescu.
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Hi Chris - Those are some good responses you received. Effective C++ by Meyers is indeed excellent! Also an excellent book along those same lines is the "C++ Coding Standards" by Andrei Alexandrecu and Herb Sutter. The critical component is understanding the object model differences. C++ is based on deep copy (value model) semantics. Implies user defined object conbstruction, copy and assignment semantics (implies object identity preservation). C#/java is based on shallow reference semantics (everything is a reference to an object on the managed heap -- object identity is lost). C++ carries its servers type information "#includes" for compilation which affects how you structure code using well known OOD principles (Interface Segregation), (Dependency Inversion) so on an do forth which make use of object factories or whatever. c# uses metadata for compilation which is great. c++ uses rich memory model, static, stack, heap etc. i.e you determine object lifetime C# uses a more spartan model... all objects reside on managed heap... lifetime is non-deterministic. There's more of course... but in short, don't try to write C++ the C#/Java way because you'll get frustrated. Check out the following link for good content and book information: http://www.ecs.syr.edu/faculty/fawcett/handouts/webpages/CSE687.htm good luck, Mike
Hi Mike,
Mike Corley wrote:
Those are some good responses you received
Yeah - with the number of things I will need to look at before deciding which ones to read first, I'm not sure I saved any time at all getting suggestions... I hadn't realised yet that C++ uses deep copy semantics - I think knowing this now will save me quite a bit of frustration! Thanks for taking the time to write such a complete answer. Thanks, Chris
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It's easy - real languages are based on the endless struggle between flexibility and efficiency. In this case C, C++ is real languages. As long as Perl, PHP, Basic, Pascal, etc... All these languages were developed by developers for developers of students who are willing to be developers. In most cases these languages are developed by one, two or three bearded guys in old shabby jeans like Stroustrop, Richie or Wirth. They were (and are) scientists acted for good and with all good in their minds. In other hand we have not real languages - build by marketing departments with all these wise guys with one thing in their mind - "Attract as much developers as possible". This languages are designed by companies and their software frameworks. There's no soul in these languages as they weren't built by one, two or three bearded scientists. And in this list we have Java and C#. Javascrip, Actionscript could also be listed here as they are only some kind of derivatives designed for specific purpose. So final idea is - if something is designed by one bearded scientist - it will live much longer than shaved greedy hired servant. You can treat it in any way you want - it is joke and truth same time. Now you've got definition!
------------------------------------------------------------ Want to be happy - do what you like!
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I'll third the Meyers book(s). They are on the shelves of every good C++ programmer I know. If you already know C# well I would go ahead and get the Meyers books whether you think you are ready or not. Then as you read them and if he talks about a topic you don't understand in C++, go back to a C++ reference to understand it. By the time you are done you will have a much deeper understanding of how to use the language than if you just read a primer etc. For a comprehensive reference I like the C++ In a Nutshell O'Reilly book by Ray Lischner.
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c2423 wrote:
This is the second reccomendation for Stroustrup
It's a book you should have at some point, but I'm not sure it's an appropriate first C++ book. I wouldn't know what a good starting-point is these days though.
Kevin
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The problem these days, especially in the Microsoft world is that you'll struggle to find pure C++ roles. It will be C++ and some .NET-based technology. Don't know what it's like in the *nix world though. Maybe C++ + Java + some scripting language?
Kevin
Yeah you can kind of see why though, there are very few projects that benefit from the speed or control over the system to warrant C/C++ - most software is just boring data entry stuff and it makes sense to use something like C# for maintainability and less chance of bugs caused by typos.
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I think these guys reckon his C++ practice is poor. Have a look at the reviews on the Association of C and C++ Users (ACCU) web site.
Kevin
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Hi, man! I wish to recommend You the Bruce Eckel's C++ books; you can download them free, and as I know, there was the whole standard C++ language described. The right studio supporting it is VS2005 or 2008; in Visual Studio 6, there is no full support for C++ language, for example, You can't use multiple templates as parameters in templates. So, try with Bruce Eckel's C++. You can find Eckel's site using google or like. Btw, I'm somehow impressed with Your expression that it seems C++ is more wanted by employeers than C#. Although personally I preffer C++ programming, I thought that C# was most wanted. OK, this is a nice news for me! Best regards!
That's true, Eckel' books are also very good. He did a two day seminar and I finally got C++ from C (back in 1993) so I can highly recomend him as someone who explains things well. He does a lot of teaching by example. His second edition of "Thinking in C++" includes a lot of STL which is very important.
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Yeah, I'm trying to get into an industry that is slightly behind (think lots of C++ legacy projects ready to move to C#) and they all want C++ and *cough*Java. This is the second reccomendation for Stroustrup, so looks like I will have to take the plunge... Thanks, Chris
While other's most likely mean Stroustrup by this book http://www.amazon.com/C-Programming-Language-Special-3rd/dp/0201700735/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247715368&sr=8-3[^] His new book http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Principles-Practice-Using-C/dp/0321543726/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247715368&sr=8-1[^] is very well written and much less academical.
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I think these guys reckon his C++ practice is poor. Have a look at the reviews on the Association of C and C++ Users (ACCU) web site.
Kevin
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Well... it's not a "bearded-not bearded" thing actually. Main idea is in the way of how language has been developed. These days when all mature languages were created - computer science was Science and not just commercial thing. 80-th changed the way of how PC looks like, 90-th changed the way how applications are developed. This century's decade could change application development model. As I can see each decade bring us one depression and one technological leap! Let's see what this decade will bring us. May be Microsoft will finally get real competitor on OS scene?
------------------------------------------------------------ Want to be happy - do what you like!
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While other's most likely mean Stroustrup by this book http://www.amazon.com/C-Programming-Language-Special-3rd/dp/0201700735/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247715368&sr=8-3[^] His new book http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Principles-Practice-Using-C/dp/0321543726/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247715368&sr=8-1[^] is very well written and much less academical.
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Well... it's not a "bearded-not bearded" thing actually. Main idea is in the way of how language has been developed. These days when all mature languages were created - computer science was Science and not just commercial thing. 80-th changed the way of how PC looks like, 90-th changed the way how applications are developed. This century's decade could change application development model. As I can see each decade bring us one depression and one technological leap! Let's see what this decade will bring us. May be Microsoft will finally get real competitor on OS scene?
------------------------------------------------------------ Want to be happy - do what you like!
A hoy! I'm originally from Ukraine, chernivtsy :-) I am not sure I am smart enough to tell a distinction between a good or "real" programming language and a bad or a "fake" one. Maybe you have the experience with a few of them? Which ones did you personally use? I think it is not so much a language as the programmer. If you pick up a book like "Code Complete", you'll see that there is a different between programming "in" a language (using only the features that the language has) and programming "into" a language (making up for the "missing" features using good practices). Now, I think today, almost all of the so called "bad/fake" languages you refer to, are grown-up over the years and matured enough to actually support good programming practices.