Beginning C++ for real
Hey all,
I have always hated programming. But lately, I have started to see a real art in code, and have decided to learn c++ on my own. I took a C++ class in college about 4 years ago, and took a couple of Java classes a year or two ago. However, since graduation, I havent touched the stuff.
Anyhow, to the question. I was thinking of downloading visual studio from dreamspark and using it, however, I have read that eclipse and netbeans can be some good open source alternatives. I used eclipse a lot for Java, and I'm just wondering if I could get some opinions on what IDE C++ engineers prefer. I know that all IDE's will have their caveats, but I'm trying to get a feel for which IDE might be best for me.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I have always hated programming. But lately, I have started to see a real art in code, and have decided to learn c++ on my own. I took a C++ class in college about 4 years ago, and took a couple of Java classes a year or two ago. However, since graduation, I havent touched the stuff.
Anyhow, to the question. I was thinking of downloading visual studio from dreamspark and using it, however, I have read that eclipse and netbeans can be some good open source alternatives. I used eclipse a lot for Java, and I'm just wondering if I could get some opinions on what IDE C++ engineers prefer. I know that all IDE's will have their caveats, but I'm trying to get a feel for which IDE might be best for me.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I use VC++ (Visual Studio) since it's free. If you already have eclipse, however, I don't really see any reason why you can't use it. I love VC++'s debugger though.
Ditto on VC's debugger. VS2010 has a really, really nice code editor as well.
If you're going to create GUIs using the Win32 API, VS has a great dialog editor and other resource editor tools built-in. With NetBeans, Eclipse, Code::Blocks, etc., that stuff is going to be a plugin, which may or may not exist or be very good. I know the Qt IDE has its a fully-integrated suite of GUI tools, but Qt is also a completely different API from the native Win32 and MFC stuff.
Whatever you do, avoid Dev-C++. It needs to die and go away, but people are still recommending it to beginners for some God-awful reason.
If you're going to create GUIs using the Win32 API, VS has a great dialog editor and other resource editor tools built-in. With NetBeans, Eclipse, Code::Blocks, etc., that stuff is going to be a plugin, which may or may not exist or be very good. I know the Qt IDE has its a fully-integrated suite of GUI tools, but Qt is also a completely different API from the native Win32 and MFC stuff.
Whatever you do, avoid Dev-C++. It needs to die and go away, but people are still recommending it to beginners for some God-awful reason.
VS 2010 is a gorgeous program. I honestly enjoy the extensibility and options in Jedit, but without the ability to compile / debug built in, it's just a poor choice for non-net languages.
closed account (S6k9GNh0)
I like its gorgeous proprietary and commercialized license as well. I also like how you guys give the worst reasons to use VS. It is preference however and I would enjoy if you would get your facts straight with things like what a native API is and what library uses what. It just so happens that most libraries, such as wxWidgets, Qt, and GTK+, all take advantage of native tools from WinAPI and give the flexibility and universal ability to move to another operating system or windowing system such as Xorg or whatever Mac uses.
I highly recommend NetBeans out of free IDEs. Very highly, actually. gdb is quite poor indeed, but...
Mac OS X's window system is called Quartz Compositor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartz_Compositor
-Albatross
Mac OS X's window system is called Quartz Compositor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartz_Compositor
-Albatross
Ew, Netbeans. I recommend Code::Blocks. The new release is excellent.
@computerquip,
Not all of those reasons are bad. That it has a good debugger and a good code editor are valid reasons.
@computerquip,
Not all of those reasons are bad. That it has a good debugger and a good code editor are valid reasons.
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Instead of just saying "Ew, Netbeans", why don't you say WHY you don't like it?
-Albatross
-Albatross
NetBeans is an excellent IDE, although I've only used it for Java. I would like to know what specifically makes one prefer X IDE over Y IDE... In the end, I'd bet they all do the trick. I use a text editor (vi); it's just what I'm used to.
For example: "Ew MSVC Express, being one of the hand full of people who have not only actually read but intend to adhear to the EULA for that IDE I hate not being able to publish MY CODE without upgrading to a developer level package."
EDIT: Spelling and if the EULA has changed in the past 5yrs I am unaware of it.
I'm with computerquip in that I use wxDev-C++ and I have very few issues with it. It only took a week for me to get used to it.
EDIT: Spelling and if the EULA has changed in the past 5yrs I am unaware of it.
I'm with computerquip in that I use wxDev-C++ and I have very few issues with it. It only took a week for me to get used to it.
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I LOVE Code::Blocks. The interface fits me better then Netbeans. But that's a personal opinion.
I think Netbeans has more features though.
I think Netbeans has more features though.
closed account (S6k9GNh0)
Code::Blocks, as I've talked about in another post lately, is not GNU specific. It's compatible with Microsoft's debugger if you really want to use it and is compatible with its compiler as well. Many others can be configured the same way as well. Just not as conveniently as C::B probably.
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