Good Windows Compiler

[jwkNwA7f]

I am looking for a good C++ compiler. I am willing to pay up to $300-500. I really like VS2012 Professional, but I don't want to pay $1200 for it.

These are the features I would like it to have:
Cursor creator
.ico creator
3D Scene creator (optional)

Thank you!

Edit: Just found at that it is actually $500, but are there others cheaper?

[htirwin]

I think you're confusing compiler and IDE.

I actually can't think of very many IDE's that are not free except Visual Studio Professional, intel makes various tool packages with can get expensive. There are lots of free IDE's and stand alone tools though. I would suggest to not waste your money at this point in time.

As far as compilers go, you have options. GCC and clang are both free. I believe Microsoft's compiler is also free. Intel makes a nice expensive compiler.

[jwkNwA7f]

@htirwin Visual Studio Professional isn't free. It is $500. I have considered Intel's although I think it is $1000+.

EDIT: I am not looking for a free compiler

[htirwin]

Again, you're confusing IDE with compiler. Visual Studio is not a compiler.

[jwkNwA7f]

@htirwin I have always had trouble understanding the difference. Then, what is a good ide?

[htirwin]

An IDE is an integrated development environment. It brings together many tools , like compiler, linker, debugger, text editor, etc, to be controlled by one graphical user interface. The compiler is just one of the part that turns your source code into a runnable program. Most IDE's will let you use the compiler of your choice. I think Visual Studio doesn't let you choose, but I could be wrong. Visual Studio, as far as I know is popular for it's debugger. I'm not sure what else it has (significantly) on other IDE's ( edit maybe profilers, integration with certain things like CUDA's nsight development package, ...).

I haven't used any non-free IDE's except Visual Studio Professional, but it was a free student version (you're not supposed to use it for commercial use).

Now days, I just use code::blocks with MinGW gcc on Windows. I might start using Visual Studio again when 2013 comes out. I doubt I'll be buying the pro version any time soon. Maybe when I graduate from College I will?

[jwkNwA7f]

Okay, now I understand. Thanks for helping me out for that!

[Superdude]

btw, VS 2012 Express is free. I don't know why you would need much else besides that. Code::Blocks is free and feature full.

[kbw]

I don't think VS Express has a resource editor, but I could be wrong, I've only used it briefly.

[andywestken]

I don't think VS Express has a resource editor, ...

It doesn't.

But you can use resedit.exe in tandem with Visual Studio Exress.
http://www.resedit.net/

Visual Studio Espress is also missing MFC support, which means no MFC wizards/etc as well as no header or libs.

Andy

[Dy7SLyTq]

Cursor creator
.ico creator
3D Scene creator (optional)

do ides do that? i would think that you would use paint or some more advanced tool

[andywestken]

The Visual Studio Resource Editor provides a reasonable level of support for editing of small bitmaps and resources which use them, i.e. icons, cursors, and toolbars.

But not 3D scene creation.

Edit Until Visual Studio 2012

If you're trying to something slick then I guess you would use a more advanced tool. But the Visual Studio resource editor is better than Paint for icons, cursors, toolbars, and small bitmaps as it's better geared up for small images.

Andy

Developing an app with the Visual Studio 3D Starter Kit, part 1 of 3
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/vcblog/archive/2013/03/26/developing-an-app-with-the-visual-studio-3d-starter-kit-part-1-of-3.aspx

[jwkNwA7f]

@DTSCode It is just more convenient to have it that way.

Visual Studio Professional does have all of these, but I didn't want to pay the price.

EDIT:

But not 3D scene creation.

You can add a 3D scene to the project.

[andywestken]

But not 3D scene creation.

You can add a 3D scene to the project.

Sorry! I was out of date.

There is now (since 2012 ?) the Visual Studio Mesh Editor.

Andy

Developing an app with the Visual Studio 3D Starter Kit, part 1 of 3
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/vcblog/archive/2013/03/26/developing-an-app-with-the-visual-studio-3d-starter-kit-part-1-of-3.aspx

[jwkNwA7f]

@Andy I am using VS2012 Professional. It is at Project->Add New Item->Graphics->3D Scene.

I had not heard of the 3D Starter kit.