Programming Windows

[nikhil]

I'm about to start Windows programming, so before doing that I just
wanted to know is this good place to ask questions about programming
windows.
if yes then what do I need apart from courage . is Microsoft Visual C
++ express edition enough or do I need something else.

 

[Fernando Gómez]

I'm about to start Windows programming, so before doing that I just
wanted to know is this good place to ask questions about programming
windows.

Nope. Try microsoft.public.vc.mfc or comp.os.ms-
windows.programmer.win32 groups.

if yes then what do I need apart from courage . is Microsoft Visual C
++ express edition enough or do I need something else.

VC++ XE is good as long as you download the Windows SDK from MSDN. You
won't be able to use some VC++ libraries like MFC or ATL though.

Regards,
FG.

 

[Aggro]

I'm about to start Windows programming, so before doing that I just
wanted to know is this good place to ask questions about programming
windows.
if yes then what do I need apart from courage . is Microsoft Visual C
++ express edition enough or do I need something else.

From here you get suggestion using standard C++, which will work on
many platforms, instead of just Windows. If you want to write programs
that work only on Windows, you need to ask on Windows specific groups.

 

[Juha Nieminen]

VC++ XE is good as long as you download the Windows SDK from MSDN.

You'll have to also download the DirectX SDK if you want to do
anything related to DirectX.

Note that making MSVC++ to actually use those SDKs is not trivial (or
at least wasn't the last time I had to install them; for whatever
strange reason MS doesn't provide an installer which will automatically
configure MSVC++ to use those SDKs properly).

 

[Fernando Gómez]

You'll have to also download the DirectX SDK if you want to do
anything related to DirectX.

Note that making MSVC++ to actually use those SDKs is not trivial (or
at least wasn't the last time I had to install them; for whatever
strange reason MS doesn't provide an installer which will automatically
configure MSVC++ to use those SDKs properly).

Hehe, that 'whatever strange reason' is to make your life harder so
that you buy their professional version...

 

[Erik Wikström]

You'll have to also download the DirectX SDK if you want to do
anything related to DirectX.

Note that making MSVC++ to actually use those SDKs is not trivial (or
at least wasn't the last time I had to install them; for whatever
strange reason MS doesn't provide an installer which will automatically
configure MSVC++ to use those SDKs properly).

The saying that you can't teach old dogs to sit certainly seems to be
true...

Visual C++ 2008 Express comes with the Windows Platform SDK so you do
not have to do anything to make MSVC++ use it. The DirectX SKD on the
other hand you will have to install manually (a quick search on the MSDN
forums will tell you how).

 

[nikhil]

Alright I down loaded Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition from my
MSDN account. anything else that I need.

Any suggestions for Books or any links that I can use to start with.
Last time I tried starting with Programming Windows, Fifth Edition by
Charles Petzold but was not able to continue long (Just 2 days ).

I know I should ask these questions in different group bus as I've
started thread here and also I'm getting answers so no point making a
new post in new group .

thanks for the help

 

[nikhil]

Ask in the right newsgroup.


Links, definitely: (if you're into that toolkit).

Books, I am not sure nowadays, there are so many and then there are
numerous interesting technologies... You would have to ask specialists
in the specialized newsgroup.


Nobody can't do nothing about that. Petzold has written several books
on Windows programming and all of them are gems, AFAIC.


No, you just put the follow-up to the proper newsgroup, that's all. Who
besides you is interested in this? And if somebody else is, where are
they going to be looking for answers, here or in a Visual C++ forum?
And where is the main knowledge? What if the answers are not correct,
there is no chance for an expert to correct them. Post to the right
newsgroup for best results.

V

If you don’t know then better don’t reply. I knew that this is not the
"PERFECT" place for Windows Programming questions, but I also knew
that people here are not dumb. This is related to C++ I'm not
talking .NET. Thanks to others who tried to help me.

 

[kwikius]

Alright I down loaded Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition from my
MSDN account. anything else that I need.

Any suggestions for Books or any links that I can use to start with.
Last time I tried starting with Programming Windows, Fifth Edition by
Charles Petzold but was not able to continue long (Just 2 days ).

I would buy an old version of Visual C++. VC7.1 is pretty good, but even a
very old version I have Microsoft QuickC and MSVC6 and MSVC1.0, which I got
very cheap. Don't bother to use the compilers, but you get a nice boxed set
of manuals all about the SDK, detail description of all the main API calls,
which hasnt changed that much at its heart. If you buy the latest version it
will cost a lot though

Petzold is actually a pretty good book. It is C not C++, but then ultimately
so is the SDK, so if you dont like the book, you probably won't enjoy
windows programming, at least in C any way.

You could also try making a C++/ CLR project also (look in VS2005 IDE),
though many people here are snotty about it, but it has a very good library
for all sorts of things which is simply lacking in standard C++, and you get
garbage collection and so on, which makes life easy too. Also you can
transfer the skills to other languages. Visual Basic, C# and F#, all of
which are easier than C++ and marketable skills. The .Net windows libs is
quite easy to use compared with MFC.

Now I'll stand back and wait for the rotten tomatoes to be hurled

regards
Andy Little

 

[Eagle]

Any suggestions for Books or any links that I can use to start with.
Last time I tried starting with Programming Windows, Fifth Edition by
Charles Petzold but was not able to continue long (Just 2 days ).

I've transistioned to the Windows platform and MSVC++ v6 and done
well for about 8 years. I don't pretend to know or do everything
but it isn't difficult. Take your time and readthe MSDN Help on
subjects that you are familiar with. The microsoft.* groups can
point you to the interfaces you want that may not be obvious to
find.

Good luck,

David

 

[noagbodjivictor]

I'm about to start Windows programming, so before doing that I just
wanted to know is this good place to ask questions about programming
windows.
if yes then what do I need apart from courage . is Microsoft Visual C
++ express edition enough or do I need something else.

The same old version? Or is there an update?