Finding c++ primer 5th edition kinda hard

[EwCjE3v7]

So I'm finding c++ primer 5th edition hard. Becuz the excercises are not fully based on what u read and ppl have been sayings that's its for a intermediate and not beginner so what would u suggest. And please suggest one for c++11.or should I continue?

[jwkNwA7f]

How advanced are you already or do you want a book from the beginning?

[EwCjE3v7]

I would like a book from beginning but I know
Variables,int char string etc,if statements,while loop, for statement, and that's about it.also functions

[Austin J]

Make sure you aren't taking it too fast, and if you decide to switch/ get a different book that seems easier for the time being, check with the people on here, if it's published somewhere here has most likely read it.

The first book I started out with was "Learn C++ By Making Games" as it was just a laying around book I got for free. Compared to some other books I've seen, I actually think it's not that good of a book, and would advise trying something else.

I've mostly heard only good things about the Primer Editions though. Perhaps you mean the exercises require a bit more thought than your average school assignment? That's normal in a programming book, as they want you to be able to think logically on your own and not rely on referencing everything. The exercise problems shouldn't be "fully based on what u read" as long as they don't ask for to use syntax you haven't learnt yet etc.

[EwCjE3v7]

i`m not taking it fast i read chapter one and half of 2 twice. i just donno maybe i was lazy than but now i got it. but what i hate is that once u answer a excercise than ur left ina mystery becuz it dosnt tell u the answer. thats the downside and the other is that the grammer used is hard.im a 12 year old so its kinda hard to understand some workds but not much as english is my first language. but some words u gotta search up

[3qX21hU5]

I don't own the 5th edition of C++ primer but I would think most of the questions might be the same as the fourth edition other then the ones updated for C++11. Though that is just a guess.

Anyways this could help you http://cppprimer.jesseolmer.com/index.php5?title=1.2.2
them are the answers for C++ primer 4th edition questions.

[jwkNwA7f]

A great book I have used is Michael Dawson's Beginning C++: Through Game Programming:
http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-C-Through-Game-Programming/dp/1435457420/

[EwCjE3v7]

Thanks for your replays.ill check the website and see if the answers are there.thanks

[BHX]

That has been my complaint about beginner books. They give you 'homework' to do, but have the answer nowhere so you never know if you are doing it proper or using bad practices or just overkilling the code.

Don't know about learning C++ through Beginning C++ Through Game Programming, but the examples and concepts behind them are usable in graphical games too.

[EwCjE3v7]

Yea it's stupid they should put in the answer somewhere

[3qX21hU5]

The exercises are not there to test whether you get them right or not. They are there to reinforce what you have just read about by making you use them concepts in code and thinking about them concept while you are coding the exercise. They get you coding and they get you thinking. It doesn't matter if you got them all right or got them wrong just so long as you did them.

At least that is what I think.

[BHX]

@Zereo
That is where the bad coding habits come into play though. If they give you something to code, you code it, but then have nothing to learn how to improve upon (ie find you use a method that is bad) you will never know that you need to fix it. Have to know how the answer should have looked to compare yours and see where you need improvement.

[Paoletti301]

@BHX

ya thats something i wished more programming books did, granted it creates more work for the author, but it would be nice.

i guess if you want more input thats what classes are for

[3qX21hU5]

That is where the bad coding habits come into play though. If they give you something to code, you code it, but then have nothing to learn how to improve upon (ie find you use a method that is bad) you will never know that you need to fix it. Have to know how the answer should have looked to compare yours and see where you need improvement.

Sure you do, you can always look back on the chapter you just read and figure out what you are missing or why it isn't working. Also if the author didn't show bad habit I doubt they would seep into your own code (Though I guess it does happen).

And does getting answers really give you a extra reason to improve upon what you already coded or does it just give you the answer and you can move on? I think making the reader actually come up with the solution their self and figure out ways to improve that solution is a much better learning experience instead of jumping to the answer page when something isn't going right.

Also there isn't really one way to solve a problem usually when you are programming. Just because they author solved it one way doesn't mean that it is the only way and you need to strive to solve it that way also.

Basically it all comes down to problem solving. If the author doesn't give you the answers and makes you figure out if you did the program correctly or not or whether it needs to be improved upon (Whether it be by rereading some of the chapter or browsing the internet or whatever) you are learning to solve your own problems and not look to others for what the correct answer is.

Programming is all about problem solving, and once they start developing their own programs there isn't going to be a answer sheet somewhere that they can look up to see if they did their program correctly or how they can improve upon it :).

So to kind of sum it up yes they might have bad habits when they first start out but them can be unlearned when you start to gain more knowledge in programming I believe. What is more important in my opinion is learning to problem solve, even if you are coming up with solutions that use bad habits.

[N36fSL3A]

That's exactly why I don't like programming books. They aren't as useful as a good professor.

Just follow video tutorials.

-gets a good buisness idea-

[Paoletti301]

@zereo

i understand where you're coming from there, it would still be nice though. ya some people would just check the answer supplied, but thats their loss.

there has just been many times where i finished the practice problems and wished i could compare my algorithm with theirs and see how we may have done it differently or the same.

it would be nice for that information to be supplied, even it was just posted online on the books website.

@lumpkin

honestly video tutorials are like programming books if you removed half of the content in the books, unless its something like coursera, you are not really getting feedback on your work.

[BHX]

Lumpkin wrote:

That's exactly why I don't like programming books. They aren't as useful as a good professor.

Just follow video tutorials.

The only thing we are saying is bad is the end of chapter exercises. Also, most of us have done college for programming classes, we know that even professors don't usually bother correcting your code or saying where it needs fixed for style. If you want a list in order where to get information from it would most likely be:
*Books - Best source of information
*Professor/College - Usually are just teaching the books and only help if you have questions
*Experience Programmer - Next best thing to professors
*Tutorial - Explains concepts easily but not as detailed or technical as books
*Tool/Language/Library Manuals - All the tech specs you could want for your needs
*Video Tutorials - More are made by beginners or under qualified people who drop huge portions of information to make it "noob friendly". Most should be avoided like the plague.

[naraku9333]

Some books have supplemental material available online, maybe even solutions to exercises.

[Austin J]

Let's not forget something. If you really are worried you're going on the wrong path, then just come here.

*Video Tutorials - More are made by beginners or under qualified people who drop huge portions of information to make it "noob friendly". Most should be avoided like the plague.

Really can't stress this enough.

I.e thenewboston's tutorials...

In Bucky's tutorial about passing by value and passing by reference, he teaches you that passing in a pointer is passing by reference.

Passing a pointer by value != passing by reference

[Zhuge]

Passing a pointer by value != passing by reference

It actually may be a correct (though ambiguous) statement so long as you define the terms properly. Certainly, C++ has references and to pass a pointer to a variable by value and a reference to a variable are different.

However, using the technical and language-agnostic term pass-by-reference or call-by-reference means that passing a pointer is actually emulating the feature of passing-by-reference because it allows you to explicitly (vs. implicitly as with a C++ reference) modify the 'original' variable whose address you have.