Question How long does it take for you to learn C++ just for addon developing?

I'm guessing it varies from person to person just like any other skill.
 
I think it can be done in a week...
It took me weeks of :rant:ing to get the compiler set up...
 
Pipcard said:
How long does it take for you to learn C++?
Click to expand...
How long does it take to learn English?
It's not only a language to learn, it's a whole thinking framework.

For Orbiter add-ons?
If you know programming already, it may take a few hours to figure out the syntax enough to make a decent DLL, and weeks to months to feel really in control.
From scratch - really depends on the person in question.

Pipcard said:
how long did it take for you to code your first .dll for Orbiter?
Click to expand...
A few hours, give or take. I played with the examples before that, but it was without a set goal.
 
So it's like learning Orbiter. But I'm asking you all: how long did it take for you to code your first .dll for Orbiter?
Click to expand...

It really depends on too many factors: Do you have expierience with other languages? What do you want to do?

Knowing C++ syntax isn't tough. If you know programming, you can figure out C++ really, really fast. If you don't know programming, C++ is a very harsh mistress to learn it from scratch, but it can be done.

Also, depending on how you define writing your first DLL, the time can be measured in minutes or in years. Is my first dll an edit of one of the samples? depending on what you want to change, that can be done in under an hour if you already know how programming works but are unfamiliar with C++.

On the other hand, OrbiterGalaxy is my first dll, and the first piece of code I wrote in C++ (I did a few things in C++.Net, but not really much), and it's still not finished after 3 years...
 
Pipcard said:
On your own and just for Orbiter add-on developing?
Click to expand...

∞.

Really, you'll never stop learning it, just like you never stop picking up new words or mannerisms for your communication languages. Go about it with the attitude of there's always more to know. It's not a quick, two-minute "OK now I know C++, so I'm finished with this Orbiter addon let's go and fix all the bugs in GCC now..." - no chance. (Those bugs are there to stay anyway, but never mind).

You start with Hello World(optional: !), and go from there to wherever you want to go. The OrbiterSDK is fantastically documented and full of samples to get you going creating all sorts of things quickly. It all depends on your prior experience, your attention span, and how much free time you have to devote.
 
Pipcard said:
So it's like learning Orbiter. But I'm asking you all: how long did it take for you to code your first .dll for Orbiter?
Click to expand...


One day.

But then I was just editing an existing DLL someone was kind enough to give me the source code to and I did a bit of C in university.
 
Pipcard said:
How long does it take for you to learn C++?
Click to expand...
There is always something new to learn. I have been programming with C++ 20 years already and I don't know a half of it. So, the answer is simple: Forever :lol:
 
I've known C, Python, some Java etc before I found interest in Orbiter, so the biggest timesink for me was learning the Orbiter API, which I've picked up from the examples as I went along.
 
I needed 6 hours for my first add-on, but I already knew C++, had spaceflight technology lectures and had little trouble there. Most work went into learning to make the meshes.
 
I first tried doing C++ in... 2009 I think it was. I still can't code Orbiter addons, ergo for me, learning C++ has taken 3 years with no end in sight. :lol:
 
I'm not any good at C++, but can tell you from experience with other languages (both of the machine and spoken variety) that you will never stop learning. The better question would be how long it takes to become proficient, and I think others have answered it already: it depends on how much time you put in to learning and what your background is.

If you've never written in any language before, it wouldn't be bad to start on a simpler language like Javascript (my girlfriend is learning from codeacademy.com and it seems to be working) and work your way up.
 
Took me about 3 committed months of straight learning to even start using Java well enough to transfer to C++. This stuff'll take time.
 
Going from Java to C++ is like learning to fly a helicopter for getting your drivers license. :lol:
 
Urwumpe said:
Going from Java to C++ is like learning to fly a helicopter for getting your drivers license. :lol:
Click to expand...

:lol: So true.

Start with C, then C++, would be my advice. It's basically what I did. Course, the PASCAL and FORTRAN I learned before then completely rotted what was left of my pudding. Er, I mean pudding. No I don't, I mean pu....BRAIN.
 
Xyon said:
:lol: So true.

Start with C, then C++, would be my advice. It's basically what I did. Course, the PASCAL and FORTRAN I learned before then completely rotted what was left of my pudding. Er, I mean pudding. No I don't, I mean pu....BRAIN.
Click to expand...

I recommend PASCAL as well...if you have nothing better. But C++ is generally a good language to start programming IMHO... you have a strange syntax maybe, but only very few rules that you need to know. If you stick at the C-language heritage, it is pretty easy to get into the stuff, and its object orientation is not too tricky.

Java for example quickly hits you with bloat, since it comes with many many classes to use, if you want something done.
 
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