Hi all! I have read many posts and pages on a good C++ book. I have come to a conclusion that if I were to study C++ seriously I would have to buy several books. However I can only afford one for now and hopefully a few more down the road. Ultimately I would like to be a game programmer So I hope to study OpenGL when I''m ready. So what is the best book out right now that would best suit someone with only a little knowledge of programming(Visual Basic)? Thanx in Advance! PS I have Visual C++ 6.0 and Windows XP, is this a good combination?

Note: VSC++ is good, but the XP is bad

The best book for you would probabyl be C++ The Complete Reference Third Edition, teaches straight C++ (Gives you a whole part to learn C), but it doesnt go into the windows api, so you''ll be programming DOS all the way.

The next book would probably be Petzolds book on the windows api, then OpenGL Game Programming




CFO Wretched Penguin Entertainment

quote: Original post by penguin
Note: VSC++ is good, but the XP is bad

Uhm, why is XP so bad?



E-mail: i8degrees@cox-internet.com
AIM: i8 degrees

[Edited part]

Oh, and I find the book C++ Primer Plus by Stephen Prama to be a very good, accurate, standards compliant, pretty complete reference to C++. With that alone, that could get you into OpenGL programming. Better be good with math

[edited by - i8degrees on April 22, 2002 9:24:15 PM]

Thanks for the suggestions! Hmmm.. I''m pretty good with math so hopefully I''ll be able to be a good programmer. What does programming in DOS mean? I only have Visual C++. I also heard C++ The Complete Reference isn''t very good for beginners, is this true?

I bought C++: The Complete Reference and have been reading it cover to cover. It''s supprisingly linear reading for a ''reference'' book. Any I haven''t got heavily into advanced OOP yet but so far the book has been great.
I often find in books there is a sencetance or paragraph which I just cannot wrap my head around and after reading it slowly 3 times over, I go and find someone else''s explanation. I''m glad to say I haven''t reach such a sencetance in C++: The Complete Reference. I have a couple of other c++ book but this beats it them by miles. The only real problem I have encounter is that because it''s designed to span all platforms no special GUI is explaned other than console. So you''ll probably need another book for windows/linux interface and then openGL/DirectX later on. I find online resources for these adiquate though and I''ll buy these books later on when I''m sure of my career path.

It is a great book never the less. (and incase tyou didn''t relaise this is a newbie speaking)

- J

C++ Complete Reference
Opengl Game Programming
Petzold''s Window Programming

are 3 of my most used books. Check out amazon.com for deals on books, I got C++ and C Complete Reference for $50+. Search online to find ebooks that you can download or even sourcecode. You can never have enough books! Good Luck!


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"There are ones that say they can and there are those who actually do."

"...u can not learn programming in a class, you have to learn it on your own."

I''ve never had any problems with XP.. must be a condescending unix programmer! hahah.. don''t mind me.... >.< teach yourself c++ in 21 days was okay, but it gets sticky after the second week VC++ is good. make sure you get msdn and whatever else comes with the actual version (ie, don''t just get the software if your getting it from a friend)

¬_¬

here are some useful links:
www.cpp-home.com
www.gametutorials.com

Also, I used Teach yourself C++ in 21 days and it was pretty good in getting me started. Then C++ Complete Reference will really help get the ball rolling.


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"There are ones that say they can and there are those who actually do."

"...u can not learn programming in a class, you have to learn it on your own."

Just came back from the book store, and couldn''t find both books However I did find a book called Visual C++ 6: The Complete Reference, is this the same book? And since it says Visual does that mean I don''t have to use DOS? Sorry for all the questions but I really want to know about being a programmer. I''ll most likely check out a few more book stores this weekend.

First, ask your self this question: Do you know C? Most of the books that I''ve seen on C++ say that they require you to know C first, so you may want to learn it. I don''t suggest you learn it well though, just get very familiar with the syntax and standard library functions, because the programming style of C++ is quite different. I''m new myself, so don''t believe everything I say though even though I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.