Software C++ Beginner tutorial?

[Pyromaniac605]

Due to my recent decision to make my new add-on use a custom .dll rather than spacecraft3.dll I've been looking for a C++ tutorial that starts with a simple Hello World and gradually gets more complex, can anyone point me to a good one?

 

[Eccentrus]

I don't know about any on the net, but then again, there are books written for that very purpose, and if you like it, you can take some courses on it.

 

[Pyromaniac605]

Courses are a bit too serious for my tastes.

 

[orb]

Googling "C++ tutorial" brings some results. Did you look any of them, like (from the results at the top):

• http://www.learncpp.com/
• http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/

 

[PeterRoss]

I've bought 'C++ for dummies' book by Stephen Davis. It's good, I've been able to read only a half of it and - voila! - I've made my first .dll module with thrusters and key-controlled animation. Most of the information you need you will find in Orbiter SDK documentation, the tutorial is needed for understanding of C++ basics only.

 

[tblaxland]

http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/

Second that one :thumbup:

 

[Lucy]

Second that one :thumbup:

And thirded, that was the one I used when I first started learning C++ (though I did have the advantage of already knowing C beforehand).

 

[Pyromaniac605]

And thirded, that was the one I used when I first started learning C++ (though I did have the advantage of already knowing C beforehand).

I must have accidentally skipped past that one, I think that will do nicely. :thumbup:

 

[Wishbone]

Dimly remember that Stroustrup was also good for start, the standard itself was a bit dry, and the greatest thing for C++ IMHO has been Stepanov-Lee's templates.

 

[RisingFury]

I'd go with www.cplusplus.com myself. Very organized

 

[MeDiCS]

I'd go with www.cplusplus.com myself. Very organized

True. I also use it as a C/C++ API reference :thumbup:.

 

[n122vu]

Thanks for the links. Looks like they will help me also, I think.

*sigh* Need to get back at developing for Orbiter. Hate that real life has made that impossible right now. Was really enjoying building on my minimal C++ skills and working on the Explorer dll.

 

[Pyromaniac605]

Also could anyone recommend a good program to do my coding in, I've been thinking of using CodeLite.

Edit: Does Code Lite have highlighting? If so how can I activate it?

 

[Hielor]

Also could anyone recommend a good program to do my coding in, I've been thinking of using CodeLite.

If you're going to be making an addon for Orbiter, you need to use Visual C++: http://www.microsoft.com/express/downloads/

 

[Pyromaniac605]

Why do I need to use Visual C++ specifically?

 

[Hielor]

Why do I need to use Visual C++ specifically?

Because it's what Orbiter itself was compiled with, and it's what the headers/libs are designed to be used with.

You're certainly welcome to try a different compiler, but if you run into issues specific to compiling Orbiter addons you won't find anyone around here able to help out.

 

[MeDiCS]

Why do I need to use Visual C++ specifically?

You'll need to use the MSVC++ compiler, not it's IDE. If you configure it properly, you could use Code::Blocks, Eclipse, Notepad++ or even plain Notepad, but you'll need to compile your code using MSVC++ (instead of, say, MinGW) because of binary compatibility.

 

[Pyromaniac605]

I've been running through the tutorial on cplusplus.com with Visual C++ Express, but in the first tutorial the program only runs for a split second, I barely get a chance to read the Hello World! but I at least know what I did worked, as for the second tutorial it closes before I get a chance to see anything on the window, any help?

 

[Woo482]

You could try adding system("PAUSE"); before the return 0 that should stop it closing until you press a key. it's probably not the best way to do it but it works fine :thumbup:

 

[Pyromaniac605]

That did it thanks.

Also I only want to use C++ for Orbiter (For the moment anyway) so are there any Orbiter specific tutorials, or is there any way I can look at the code in a .dll to get some idea of how to go about making an add-on?