Visual C++ Help

[Tammam Alzaidi]

Hi guys
I'm new to the windows programming thing
where should I start??

I'm an expert at console apps
I have a good knowledge in c++ applications like parallel programming, Network programming, DirectX9
But nothing in terms of windows apps

What are CLT, ATL, MFC
What should I be using??
How to use COMs in Visual Studio 2012 - 2010

I've seen the MSDN series but got confused even more??

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ff381399(v=vs.85).aspx

Please HELP!!!

[ajh32]

If you are going to use Visual Studio, then I would suggest a book on learning to program Windows using Visual Studio. I find that the books by Ivor Horton to be very good.

[TDSGoldenSun]

I have found this link to be very useful when beginning to learn Windows API.

http://bobobobo.wordpress.com/2008/01/31/how-to-create-a-basic-window-in-c/

It covers the absolute most basic features of window creation.

This, too, is a nice reference as it would include most of your case statements in your WindowProc(s).

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms644927%28v=VS.85%29.aspx#system_defined

If you need more specific help regarding your programs, feel free to keep posting questions here as they'll usually get answered.

[newbieg]

Ivor Horton's book is good for beginners to C++ who want to eventually go on to Windows MFC, (his book starts with the assumption that you are a beginner in C++ programming, and takes about 800 pages of native C++ before it starts showing code in MFC.
If you want to go into windows API, then try out Petzold's book, Programming Windows fifth edition, and this tutorial is helpful ( http://www.winprog.org/tutorial/simple_window.html ).

Now, MFC is basically a series of classes that form a wrapper around Windows API. In many aspects it simplifies coding for you, and you as a coder get the benefit of not having to write as much code in order to get things working. On the other hand, you are stuck with whatever the developers of MFC felt would be needed from the API, where if you deal in API alone you may find that you have more power as a programmer (More flexibility and options). MFC can be very beneficial when you start in on OLE programming, which in straight API can be very confusing and takes a lot of coding to get to function.

(Once again MFC is a trade-off between flexibility and convenience, but I must include that MFC is by itself very flexible, and it is probably rare that you would find something that you just cannot do with it. In several books I have read it has been suggested that you first learn API before moving into MFC so that you understand what is happening when you do start programming in MFC).

[Tammam Alzaidi]

Thanks to all of you ^_^