C++

[Destriero]

Hi all,

My company is paying for me to learn C++ this autumn, anyone recommend some good reading material to kick me off before i begin the course?

Regards

Des

[MrSeanKon]

Welcome to Aoaforums!

A good book is C++ Bible by Clayton Walnum and Al Stevens I used much in the past.
Suitable for novices and for experts.
Look also SAMS publishing for books with titles "Teach yourself C++".

Good luck!

[Gizmo]

The definitive guide to C++ is Bjarne Stroustrup's "The C++ Programming Language". However, I would also recommend getting "The C Programming Language' by Brian Kernigan and Dennis Ritchie (also known as 'the K&R').

The K&R will take you through the basics of the C language and introduce you structures. C++ builds on the concept of structures and extends that to create classes. Until you get your head around structures and how to use and manipulate them, classes are a bear to deal with. Plus, if you don't have a good understanding of the basics of C, when you get into stuff like templating in C++, I'm afraid you might get lost, even though Bjarne does a pretty good job of explaining everything.

Those two books are considered to be the "New Testament" and the "Old Testament" of the 'C' language. No self-respecting C and C++ programmer should be without a copy of each, IMO.

[MrSeanKon]

The first book gizmo is not suitable for begginers; I think it is written for programmers.
That's why I posted my info above.
This is my opinion of course who started studying C# just for O/c Bible you know I am not a programmer!
The Kernighan - Ritchie book is more suitable and has examples etc...

[Destriero]

Cheers for the advice, much appreciated

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by MrSeanKon

The first book gizmo is not suitable for begginers; I think it is written for programmers.
.
.
.
The Kernighan - Ritchie book is more suitable and has examples etc...

Hence part of the reason I suggested starting with the K&R. I agree, Bjarne's book is pretty heavy reading.

[MrSeanKon]

gizmo some C++ programmers advice that someone should not learn C first and then C++.
What's your opinion?
I found many differences between C and C++ GKR what a waste time learning C...

[Gizmo]

Well, I am biased by the fact that <I> learned C before I learned C++ (mainly because I learned C before C++ even existed, LOL).

However, I DO think there is value in learning C before you learn C++. As C++ is a superset of C (with just a couple of minor changes, as I recall), learning C first gives you a chance to wrap your head around some of the simpler concepts and idioms of C before you get full-bore into C++.

IMO, most of the debate about whether to learn C++ or C first is based around the whole OOP paradigm, and the notion that C is not an OO language, while C++ is. That's a load of rubbish as far as I am concerned.

OOP doesn't give someone good coding style, it merely helps them program in a PARTICULAR style. I've been writing code now for about 25 years, and I can tell you from personal experience that I can write absolutely the worst code you could ever hope to see in any OOP language you care to name. I can also write very nice and easy to maintain OOP-like code in Assembly.

The tool is only as good as the user. It doesn't create, it only helps or hinders the process of creation.

[Allan]

I learned C++ before learning C, making C quite easy to adopt.

You can look into "Deitel - How to program C++", it is a fairly good book for beginners, and commonly used in universities and colleges all over.