Wanting To Learn C++

cshank4cshank4 Join Date: 2003-02-11 Member: 13425Members
<div class="IPBDescription">or any C variant</div> Yeah, so what's the easiest, what do I need and is there any site where I can find some tutorials?

(I'm trying to get into college for computers (prefferably software writing) so...yeah)

Thanks in advance




Also: Please ignore all speeling mist4kes. My damage is brained.

Comments

  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    If you have a brained damage, learning enough C to get into a computer science college from free online tutorials is going to be tough.
  • Marik_SteeleMarik_Steele To rule in hell... Join Date: 2002-11-20 Member: 9466Members
    The last great topic on this I can remember was <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21768' target='_blank'>here</a>. There may be others that have since talked about it even more in-depth, but I remember this one in particular because I posted in it back when I was still coding on a regular basis.
  • OttoDestructOttoDestruct Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7790Members
    Buy the O'Reily book Practical C++ Programming, then teach yourself. Most internet stuff blows. Thats honestly one of the best books I've read on it too, it explains it clean cut without being confusing, gives pictures, gives actual code examples, gives practice problems, vote kerry, and uh... thats all.....
  • Crono5Crono5 Join Date: 2003-07-22 Member: 18357Members
    edited October 2004
    I learned from and use <a href='http://www.cplusplus.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.cplusplus.com/</a> for reference. Go to the C++ Language link on the left side under Documentation.

    As for compilers, a decent (free) one that includes GUI is Bloodshed Dev-C++, but you'd probably do better with an introductory version of MSVC++.

    <a href='http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html' target='_blank'>http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html</a>

    If you're having trouble with pointers, what they're there for and why you should give a flying rats ****, feel free to ask - That topic stumped me for a while.
  • SoulSkorpionSoulSkorpion Join Date: 2002-04-12 Member: 423Members
    Java's probably the easiest C-syntax-like, object oriented language to learn (I dislike it, personally). Don't learn from online tutorials - get yourself a book. Try to find one that has tutorials, but also has some sort of reference section (so that it will last you longer than the three weeks or so it takes you to get through the tutorial).

    If you're going to learn C++ (which I wouldn't recommend without some sort of prior programming experience), don't believe people when they say you should learn C first, and try not to buy a "C++" book that's really only teaching C style C++. The problem with C++ is that it's got a lot of seperate features that can be used as necessary, and the C part is only one part of it. Basically, if the running tutorial is building a string class, it's trying to teach you C (C++ has a string class in the standard library).
  • QuaunautQuaunaut The longest seven days in history... Join Date: 2003-03-21 Member: 14759Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--QuoteBegin-Crono5788+Oct 8 2004, 08:13 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Crono5788 @ Oct 8 2004, 08:13 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I learned from and use <a href='http://www.cplusplus.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.cplusplus.com/</a> for reference. Go to the C++ Language link on the left side under Documentation.

    As for compilers, a decent (free) one that includes GUI is Bloodshed Dev-C++, but you'd probably do better with an introductory version of MSVC++.

    <a href='http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html' target='_blank'>http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html</a>

    If you're having trouble with pointers, what they're there for and why you should give a flying rats ****, feel free to ask - That topic stumped me for a while. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Dev C++ = win. And whats cooler: The tutorials included in that are pretty good!
  • MavericMaveric Join Date: 2002-08-07 Member: 1101Members
    Use <a href='http://www.cs.uu.nl/people/markov/gmaker/' target='_blank'>Game Maker</a>.

    It may be very basic, and useless as anything, but it DOES teach you programing techniques and skills which are used in any other major programming language.

    It's capabilities range from platform games, to Real-time strategies, to Doom-like 3D, to even MULTIPLAYER games. (Serious ppl, serious.)


    If you're a total newbie it <b>will</b> show you how variable the difficulty in programing can be. Top-down action games are the simplest; real-time strategies and 3D engines are the most difficult. So, take a look over it, glance at some of the examples, play some of the GM games made by other people to feel what it can do, then play around with what GM can do with it's "Game Maker Language" (GML)

    Once you use GM for a while, and you glance at that "How to program in C for nubbies" book, it will be less intimidating.



    Best of all it's free...
    Course some of the better things (like multiplayer) are restricted until you register the software, so it is in fact shareware. Fortunetly, only 1-5% of the code commands and such are under the "restricted/regestered version" area, so you still have lots of freedom.
  • Crono5Crono5 Join Date: 2003-07-22 Member: 18357Members
    edited October 2004
    I learned HTML and BASIC before I learned C++, which undoubtedly helped somewhat.

    I used a variant on BASIC called BarkBASIC that comes with native D3D7 support.

    It sucks, don't buy it.
  • [WHO]Them[WHO]Them You can call me Dave Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10593Members, Constellation
    <span style='font-size:30pt;line-height:100%'><b>;</b></span>
  • Crono5Crono5 Join Date: 2003-07-22 Member: 18357Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-[WHO]Them+Oct 9 2004, 01:32 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> ([WHO]Them @ Oct 9 2004, 01:32 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <span style='font-size:30pt;line-height:100%'><b>;</b></span> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    O:
  • Hand_Me_The_Gun_And_Ask_Me_AgainHand_Me_The_Gun_And_Ask_Me_Again Join Date: 2002-02-07 Member: 178Members
    Don't forget Objective-C, which is the oldest, simplest and probably easiest to learn object-oriented C there is.

    Plus, unlike C++, a single person can understand the whole of the language...
  • GeminosityGeminosity :3 Join Date: 2003-09-08 Member: 20667Members
    <a href='http://www.gametutorials.com' target='_blank'>http://www.gametutorials.com</a> is extremely good.

    Mix that site with a decent book or preferably some classes and you'll be coding in no time ^^
  • BigMadSteveBigMadSteve Join Date: 2003-02-12 Member: 13472Members
    I learned HTML, assembly and COMAL (an obscure educational language) before I moved onto C++. I found it to be a helluva lot easier than most of the people in my class. HTML is a nice easy language to start off with.
  • cshank4cshank4 Join Date: 2003-02-11 Member: 13425Members
    Well I've had some past experience programming objects for a MOO (Don't ask me what it stands for, go play a MUD). I also used to **** around in some NPC programming for a game called Graal Online (www.graalonline.com). Anyhow, I think I'm going to learn some Assembly first (a lot of people have told me to learn this first). Also, some people said I should try to pick up a cheap laptop and put a Linux distro. on it, any suggestions on where I can find a cheapish laptop and what Linux core should I get for it?
  • ToneeTonee Wub wuB UK Join Date: 2003-10-25 Member: 21926Members, Constellation
    <a href='http://travispage.0catch.com/index2.html' target='_blank'>Teach yourself in 21 days</a>

    That is what i am using... I started mreot han 21 days ago... it bores me sometimes - I would of had all that done by now but ah well ey!
  • GeminosityGeminosity :3 Join Date: 2003-09-08 Member: 20667Members
    uhhh... learning assembly to help you learn C++ later is kinda like jumping in the deep end of the pool to help you learn how to swim at the shallow end later o.O
  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    More like jumping into the middle of the ocean, in an area filled with sharks, wearing meat...


    As I have expressed in the past, I will say again:
    Don't go w/ online tutorials for coding. In general, you can't learn good programming practices from them as well as you can from a book. And don't buy "Learn ________ in 21 days", because you won't. I had a good book to recommend but its not printed anymore plus I forgot the name of it, but I highly suggest you look around for an actual printed book and learn from that.
  • [WHO]Them[WHO]Them You can call me Dave Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10593Members, Constellation
    I'm going to throw in another 2 cents...

    Step 1:
    Get a compiler. If you can get your hands on some version of microsoft visual c++, I really recommend that as its setup is as simple as it gets. And I've had some bad experiences with Dev-C++ crashing while I'm typing (which is flat-out not cool).

    Step 2:
    Compile and run an existing copy of the "Hello World" program.

    Step 3:
    Go out and <u>do</u> get one of those "In 21 Days" books.

    Step 4:
    Read the book, but do NOT stop to do the exercises if they have any. Just read the whole book and try to absorb small portions of whatever it has to teach. It's understandable that you WILL be confused most of the time. But as long as you see small parts of the big picture, you will be better off.

    Step 5:
    Pick some topics that interested you from the book, such as creating variables, or input/output. And just play around with that topic in the hello world program, using the book and it's exercises as reference material.

    Step 6:
    Goto Step 5. Repeat ad-infinitum until you know the material in the book.

    Step 7:
    Pick an effect that you've seen done in other programs. Attempt to clone that feature using google as a refernce to find miscellaneous source code online.
  • BigMadSteveBigMadSteve Join Date: 2003-02-12 Member: 13472Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Geminosity+Oct 9 2004, 05:43 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Geminosity @ Oct 9 2004, 05:43 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> uhhh... learning assembly to help you learn C++ later is kinda like jumping in the deep end of the pool to help you learn how to swim at the shallow end later o.O <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Maybe that didn't come across clearly. I didn't do all those languages in preparation to learn C++ <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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