ID:184499
 
Where can I find the latest,latest,and cheapest C++ compiler?

[Edit]
Shlaklava wrote:
Where can I find the latest,latest,and cheapest C++ compiler?

You mean IDE, right? Dev C++ is a great IDE which uses GCC as it's compiler.
In response to Talion Knight
Ummm...I'm pretty sure you can get a compiler without an IDE...but yeah...I'll get that again...
In response to Shlaklava
Dev is quite hard to get working with some things. You can get Visual C++ from Microsoft's site for free now. I'd recommend that, if you're going to get an IDE.
In response to Hobbesx
2 Questions

Would Visual C++ allow me to create non-console applications?

Where could I find a tutorial on how to create non-console applications (preferably a book...)?
In response to Shlaklava
Any C++ compiler will allow you to create GUIs. All you need is a GUI Toolkit.

My favorite is Qt. It's multiplatform, and free! There is also GTK, and some others.

Keep in mind, that you should get the hang of C++ working with the command line, or else you'll have a hard time getting anywhere.
In response to Smoko
Smoko wrote:
My favorite is Qt. It's multiplatform, and free! There is also GTK, and some others.

I prefer wxWidgets (http://www.wxwidgets.org). It's nice and clean and easy to work with. =)
In response to Crispy
wxWidgets reminds me too much of the Windows API. Although, if he wants to use it I recommend this this build of Dev C++
In response to Smoko
Smoko wrote:
wxWidgets reminds me too much of the Windows API.

You shot who in the what now?

wxWidgets is nothing like the Windows API. I've used both, and the Windows API is much much uglier.
In response to Smoko
Smoko wrote:
Any C++ compiler will allow you to create GUIs. All you need is a GUI Toolkit.

My favorite is Qt. It's multiplatform, and free! There is also GTK, and some others.

Keep in mind, that you should get the hang of C++ working with the command line, or else you'll have a hard time getting anywhere.

I have been prcticing for about 6 months now...I learned quite a bit, pointers, references, inheritance, functions and prototypes along with other stuff (though am not the best in all that I can) and have been trying to find this old disk (as in yr 2000 old) that had a toolkit (or something like that). When I have the chance I will explore the link you gave me as it will help me in my "Quest for Ubernesscicitification"
In response to Crispy
The windows API is uglier, but I'm still reminded of it from wxWidgets.

It's like a preview of a horror movie. Just enticing you in, with out ruining the surprise.
In response to Smoko
I haven't used WXwidgets exactly, but I have used WXpython, which is just the WXwidgets for python. I have never messed with the windows API stuff much, but Wx is really simple. It is also cross platform and looks native on all OSs I have tried. I imagine the only problem would be with mac's unique file menu system(what with it being static to top). It definitely gets my vote.
In response to Danial.Beta
Danial.Beta wrote:
I imagine the only problem would be with mac's unique file menu system(what with it being static to top).

I don't have a Mac (sadly) so I don't know for sure, but I believe it works fine. The menu is handled as a special case anyway, so there's not much different for wxWidgets to do; the menu bar just gets rendered in a different place, that's all.

I've only used wxPython as well, but it's almost exactly the same. =)
In response to Crispy
Instead of creating a new thread I decided to use this one...


I have been looking for a good tutorial on GUI programming in C++...where can I find a free one online or a book (just tell me the name of it...)
In response to Shlaklava
In response to Shlaklava
Shlaklava wrote:
Instead of creating a new thread I decided to use this one...


I have been looking for a good tutorial on GUI programming in C++...where can I find a free one online or a book (just tell me the name of it...)

Here are two books I bought because I wanted to learn the Win32 API. The first book is a good introductory for those new to the Win32 API but all the source code is done in C and he only talked about C in the book. So you might not want it since it is only in C and not C++.

Programming Windows
http://www.amazon.com/ Programming-Windows-Fifth-Charles-Petzold/dp/157231995X/ sr=1-1/qid=1159184648/ref=pd_bbs_1/ 104-1924242-7703909?ie=UTF8&s=books

As for this book it's pretty much a reference manual. It has little introductions on the subject at the start of each chapter but then just goes on to list a lot of functions for the end of that chapter which pertain to that subject. If I were you I would only get this book if you are skilled in the arts of Win32 API and only need a reference manual.

Windows 2000 API SuperBible
http://www.amazon.com/Windows-2000-SuperBible-Richard-Simon/ dp/0672319330/sr=1-1/qid=1159185168/ref=sr_1_1/ 104-1924242-7703909?ie=UTF8&s=books

[edit] Speaking of which how many people on byond have bought or read books on the Win32 API or other subjects dealing with programming? If so could you talk about them.
In response to Green Lime
Green Lime wrote:
The first book is a good introductory for those new to the Win32 API but all the source code is done in C and he only talked about C in the book. So you might not want it since it is only in C and not C++.

The extra features of C++ are pretty much useless when interfacing directly with the Windows API anyway, so the fact that it "only" covers C isn't a disadvantage at all.

Personally, I learned all of my Windows API skills from this tutorial, and using http://msdn.microsoft.com as a reference for all the bits the tutorial doesn't cover. (Like hooks. Wacky fun!)

But MSDN isn't really a good place to learn things when you're starting out (unless you're an uber l33t m4nu4l-d3v0ur1ng c0d3r like myself ;-) ). Nor is it for the faint of heart, or those with weak search-fu; Microsoft likes to randomly permute MSDN a lot, but actually giving it any semblance of order is apparently out of the question.