I haven''t coded for one year now. For the last 3 months, I''ve been trying to get back into the habit of coding daily. However, I find this to be impossible for some reason. I can''t code a game in Allegro because I forgot what I knew. And on the other hand, I can''t sit down and read a book because I know most of it. This is really making me miserable. I wish some can give me some advice on what to do. Even if I do start reading some book. I can''t only read. I want something to code. Yet, nothing comes to mind. If I DO start reading a book, I have some to choose from. I would like it if someone can tell me which would be best for someone that knows how to program in general, yet forgot many important features of C++. The C Programming Language - K&R The C++ Programming Language - Stroustrup C++: The Complete Reference - Herbert Schildt Waite Group''s Object Oriented Programming in C++ - Robert Lafore Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days (3rd) - Jesse Liberty Practical C++ Programming - Steve Oualline Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

What''s up with the double post?

You hit the button twice, it double posts. Now I believe you can click "edit" and delete one.

I started learning C++ with "Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days", but I wouldn''t actually suggest it. Seems to go from really simple to stupidly complex, skipping out any middle ground to lead you through it. Good if you can grasp the concepts extremely quickly, but I''m thinking of buying another book...

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http://aud.vze.com <-- Newbie alert, look at your own risk. Can induce severe laughing fits and other variations of hysterical outburst.

Sometimes interests wane without our control, too.

Maybe you should take stock on the idea of whether or not you really want to code. If you''re having a hard time focussing on getting back into it, that might mean something.

However, if you are truly set on doing it, you''ll find a way back eventually, don''t worry.

I would suggest coding something *simple* yet *useful* to you. I mean, coding for coding is fine, but it''s always great when the programs you write are actually useful to you in some way, such as a calendar, some sort of screensaver, or maybe something to all-around make things easier for you on your computer.

I would recommend "The C Companion" by Allen Holub. Covers - compiler theory, assembly language, advanced pointers, recursion, and debugging.

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The Reindeer Effect
Insomniac Software

I think the books are my problem actually... I do nothing but read them. I need to start writing small programs in between, rather than reading the text non-stop. Hmmm.. What supplemental programs are there to make though after reading a section? :/ Also, at what rate should I be reading each section/chapter?

Thanks.

If you say you know most of the book and that''s why you aren''t reading it, do you mean a C/C++ book?
Because if you did know how to program and simply forgot, it shouldn''t be too hard getting back.
Why not skim through the book a bit, look at some source code, and spend some time coding the parts/features you know less about while reading about them?

Reading alone will not get you very far.
Coding is compulsory in order to learn.
Even if you copy the examples from the book, try changing them and playing around with the a bit - ''What happens if I change this?''. - Experiment as much as you like.
Whatever you write doesn''t have to be a useful program or anything fancy - as long as you learn from it, consider it useful.
If you can find a purpose for your programs - the better.
Otherwise, just program using as many features as possibles from what you have learned. As long as you understand what''s going on in there, who cares what the output is or how useful the program is if at all.

Hope this helps.

You shoould code what you learn, maybe the things you already know. Like when (re)learning recursion or classes, you could write a program that uses pointers and loops too.....

quote: Original post by Arkainium
I haven''t coded for one year now. For the last 3 months, I''ve been trying to get back into the habit of coding daily.

However, I find this to be impossible for some reason. I can''t code a game in Allegro because I forgot what I knew. And on the other hand, I can''t sit down and read a book because I know most of it.

This is really making me miserable. I wish some can give me some advice on what to do.

Even if I do start reading some book. I can''t only read. I want something to code. Yet, nothing comes to mind.

If I DO start reading a book, I have some to choose from. I would like it if someone can tell me which would be best for someone that knows how to program in general, yet forgot many important features of C++.

The C Programming Language - K&R
The C++ Programming Language - Stroustrup
C++: The Complete Reference - Herbert Schildt
Waite Group''s Object Oriented Programming in C++ - Robert Lafore
Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days (3rd) - Jesse Liberty
Practical C++ Programming - Steve Oualline

Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

Not to dissappoint you or anything but it''s just not feasible to drop something for a year, then come back and expect to remember everything. A boxer doesn''t stop boxing and training then come back to the ring and expect to win a fight. And if he''s sat on his butt drinking milk shakes, and eating french fries for the past year you can bet he''s fat, out of shape and probably needs to start his training all over again. This is where your at. It''s time to start over, this time you''ll move at a quicker pace but you still need to spend time doing the "lame programs" in order for your previous knowledge to return. Or you''ll be biting the ears of your peers asking for help for quite some time.