windows programming?

[Overload]

I know C and a little C++, but when i learnt a few years a go we only learned how to program for dos. what would be the best\easiest way to learn how to program for windows. im sure if i could just see some code of some simple windows programs i could pick it up. what would you suggest?

 

[PolyPill]

Pick up a book on it, that usually works best for me. There are a lot of websites with tutorials, can;t tell ya any off hand because I don't do very much windows gui programming.

 

[engjohn]

I can say the learning VB is REALLY easy, and VERY easy to make the GUI. The only drawback is the size of the exe.

I have played with making the GUI with C++, is is pretty difficult. I have experance with C++ at the command prompt but programming for windows GUI is not nearly as easy...

I have recently gotten a copy of Borland Delphi 6. It seems to have the ease of VB but the power of C++...

If you do not want to use Delphi You could wait to get C# (pronounced "see-sharp") when Microsoft releases it. It is supposed to have the power of C++ but the ease of VB.

I am ordering a few books and hope to make it my language of chioce...

 

[maha_x]

I once looked into win32. And have only touched it since. Luckyly I can write OpenGL with GLUT without knowing much of win32

Win32 is difficult. U need to perfect C++ first. Thats what the win32 is build upon. The MS VC has VB style graphical GUI tool but the interactions between the buttons etc. is way more complex than VB.

But as said, pick a good book. Book that teaches U with MS VC (taken that U have access to this expencive tool) gets U going and no much C++ knowledge is needed. Thats for "mastering" the win32

 

[vimal]

Writing GUI programs in C or C++ isn't all that hard once you've seen a couple well described sample programs.

If you use Visual C++, you can link to MFC (Microsoft Foundation Class) which has a whole bunch of classes used in creating windows, dialogs, passing messages, etc. Windows are object types, just like integers. So when you say "int myinteger;" you create an integer somewhere in memory. When you say "CWnd mywindow;" you create a window - then give it attributes like where to display, what child windows it has, etc.

If you are hard-core C only, then there is the world of WinAPI and #include "windows.h" The MFC classes are actually wrappers around WinAPI functions

If you're not sure which one you are interested in, go with MFC. WinAPI is a world of pain you do not want to enter in.

This is the book I used to learn MFC:
Getting Started with Microsoft Visual C++ 6 with an Introduction to MFC (2nd Package Edition)
Published by Deitel
I like it cause it is very short (163 pages) and contains examples specific to windows programming. You are expected to know how to program in general.

Oh yeah - see if you can get a program called Spy++ (comes with VC++) Open it up, and browse your desktop. After using that program, you will never look at windows the same.

 

[Overload]

This is the book I used to learn MFC:
Getting Started with Microsoft Visual C++ 6 with an Introduction to MFC (2nd Package Edition)
Published by Deitel
I like it cause it is very short (163 pages) and contains examples specific to windows programming. You are expected to know how to program in general.
.

thanks for all the advice everyone. the above mentioned book sounds good. i will have a look at it.

i have done some object oriented dos based stuff. like dos windows buttons and menues, but i learned on borland and i think a lot of it was borland spacific so it might not transilate to ms visual c++