21 replies to this topic

[victorroemer]

I have Visual C++ but its well quite beefy and it really needs a a tutorial on how to get around with it. So what is another good compiler minus my incapability to use Visual c++ at least until I learn the basics.

[SamuraiCrow]

Another good compiler for Windows is Dev C++ which uses the MinGW version of GCC. It is free of charge and generates code that is generally as good as Visual C++. The IDE needs some work and there is another IDE that I haven't used called Code::Blocks. You might want to look into both.

[bladder]

The basics of the VC++ IDE is not that hard to learn. Here're the basics:
- You start off by creating a new project (FILE MENU -> NEW -> Project)
- Then you choose the language you want to program in and the project type. Assuming C++ and a standard dos prompt program then you choose C++ project and "Console application"
- In the following dialog boxes and tabs seach for a ticker that says "empty project" next to it and make sure that is checked. Also make sure you are not creating a "static lib" or a "dll"
- Then you add a file to the project - (in the case of C++ you either add a header file or a souce file) and start programming as in any other compiler.
- You can link in libraries by writing this line in any file:
#pragma comment( lib, "libraryname.lib" )

If you're still confused about anything regarding the VC++ IDE then do ask, the basics are not that hard to learn and if you're going to be using the Windows platform then it really is the best IDE out there hands down.

[Vexorian]

Code::Blocks is the best Free c++ ide out there (I actually like it more than Visual studio) http://www.codeblocks.org

And for compilers use mingw.

[Ed Mack]

DevCpp http://www.bloodshed.net is a nice and quickly improving IDE.

[Mihail121]

EdMack: I wouldn't call DevCpp "quickly improving" since it has not been updated for quite much time now...

Vexorian: Yes, Code::Blocks is indeed one of the best choices.

I personally use DevCpp.

[Axel]

Ed Mack said:

DevCpp http://www.bloodshed.net is a nice and quickly improving IDE.

Quickly improving? The last version is from february.

[bombardier]

There is nothing out there that can beat Visual Studio + Visual Assist X.

[.oisyn]

Reality check: I'm a visual studio fanboy, but it's seriously getting behind on other, more recent IDE's like Eclipse and Idea. It definitely needs support for features like refactoring and code generation. But Visual Studio 2005 is going to change a lot, I wonder how it's going to turn out.

That said, nothing beats VS' debugger

[Ed Mack]

Axel said:

Quickly improving? The last version is from february.

I see the big jumps between versions as making up for that :) Okay, so I just like it a lot..

[bramz]

.oisyn said:

That said, nothing beats VS' debugger :)

I second that sir!

[m4x0r]

bombardier said:

There is nothing out there that can beat Visual Studio + Visual Assist X.

How about Visual Studio + Visual Sidekick?

Max

[Jordan]

m4x0r said:

How about Visual Studio + Visual Sidekick?

Max

Neat plugin, I hadn't seen that before. Thanks for pointing it out.

[eddie]

Victor, I think your best bet is to tough it out with C++. You might want to try the free trial of Visual Assist (a personal fave, and a bargain at 99$) from www.wholetomato.com.

Really, C++ itself is a daunting language while you're learning it, but Visual C++ is not really the tough end of it. :) In fact, it's debugger is quite helpful, and it's docs are quite complete and relatively well written (I have beefs with their search mechanism, however. I advise using Google on the msdn website however).

Good luck! And ask plenty of questions. :)

[zavie]

What about Valgrind ?

[eddie]

Valgrind isn't a compiler, last I heard. It's a debugger that's awesome for memory debugging.

That said, I haven't used all aspects of Valgrind, but I can't imagine it compiles code.

[zavie]

eddie said:

Valgrind isn't a compiler, last I heard.

Indeed. I was just replying to .oisyn and bramz about debuggers. :-)

[Axel]

Valgrind is very nice, but you can achieve what it does (well, the memory-leak checking) with some source-code tools too. For example Paul Nettle's mmgr works very well for me.

The other features are something that I surely miss on Windows. MS should implement something similar in Visual Studio.

[thekingofgaming]

Free c++ compilers
Bloodshed
http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html
Borland C++
http://www.borland.c...ppcompiler.html
Cygwin (Gnu C++)
http://www.cygwin.com/
MINGW
http://www.mingw.org
Dj delore's C++
http://www.delorie.com/djgpp
Gnu gcc source
http://www.gnu.org/s...re/gcc/gcc.html
The LLVM Compiler Infrastructure
http://llvm.cs.uiuc.edu/

[Axel]

Uhm the Microsoft Compiler is free as well (including an IDE).