Book Suggestions

[Materialised]

Hi All,

I'm just looking for some suggestions on a good book that will cover the
C++ standard well.
I Know C (quite) well, and learnt this language by reading as much
source code as possible and using Herbert Schildt's C The Complete
Reference (4th Edition) as a reference where needed.

I was thinking about purchasing C++: The Complete Reference (4th
Edition) and attempting to learn C++ in a similar way.
I do have a few questions:

1) I know many people dismiss these books as being rubbish, but if it
works for me then it is ok right? I mean, I wont fall into any serious
traps when only using it as a reference to the standard library functions.

2) Is this book up to date with the newest ANSI/ISO Standards?

3) Has there been any major changes to the C++ Standard since its
release? (November 2002)

Thanks for any replies
Mick

 

[Victor Bazarov]

I'm just looking for some suggestions on a good book that will cover the
C++ standard well.
I Know C (quite) well, and learnt this language by reading as much
source code as possible and using Herbert Schildt's C The Complete
Reference (4th Edition) as a reference where needed.

I was thinking about purchasing C++: The Complete Reference (4th
Edition) and attempting to learn C++ in a similar way.

NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get a good book. Get a book from a reputable author (authors). See
www.accu.org, the book review section, for the recommended books.

I do have a few questions:

1) I know many people dismiss these books as being rubbish, but if it
works for me then it is ok right?

You will have to define "works" here before your question can be answered.

I mean, I wont fall into any serious
traps when only using it as a reference to the standard library functions.

Why not just get a _good_ reference? Like Nicolai Josuttis' "The C++
Standard Library", for example.

2) Is this book up to date with the newest ANSI/ISO Standards?

The sheer name of the author is enough to answer "no" to this, based
on the reputation he earned with his other creations.

3) Has there been any major changes to the C++ Standard since its
release? (November 2002)

This question is only valid if the answer to (2) is "yes". And, no,
there were no _major_ changes to the Standard in 2003, but there were
_some_.

Victor

 

[John Harrison]

Hi All,

I'm just looking for some suggestions on a good book that will cover the
C++ standard well.
I Know C (quite) well, and learnt this language by reading as much source
code as possible and using Herbert Schildt's C The Complete Reference (4th
Edition) as a reference where needed.

I was thinking about purchasing C++: The Complete Reference (4th Edition)
and attempting to learn C++ in a similar way.
I do have a few questions:

1) I know many people dismiss these books as being rubbish, but if it
works for me then it is ok right? I mean, I wont fall into any serious
traps when only using it as a reference to the standard library functions.

2) Is this book up to date with the newest ANSI/ISO Standards?

3) Has there been any major changes to the C++ Standard since its release?
(November 2002)

I think possible you are mistaken in your thoughts about what it takes to
learn C++. Learning C++ is not about primarily about learning a few concepts
and standard library functions. I can see how learning C would have seemed
mostly to be like that. But C++ is a much more about learning the styles of
programming that work well with it, e.g. object oriented programming and
generic programming. C++ is also a very idiomatic language and it has many
many 'gotchas'. So I would get a book that teaches you C++ style not a
reference to its standard library (although that wouldn't hurt). Accelerated
C++ by Koenig and Moo is often recommended for someone in your position.

John

 

[Materialised]

NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get a good book. Get a book from a reputable author (authors). See
www.accu.org, the book review section, for the recommended books.



You will have to define "works" here before your question can be answered.




Why not just get a _good_ reference? Like Nicolai Josuttis' "The C++
Standard Library", for example.



The sheer name of the author is enough to answer "no" to this, based
on the reputation he earned with his other creations.



This question is only valid if the answer to (2) is "yes". And, no,
there were no _major_ changes to the Standard in 2003, but there were
_some_.

Victor

Im looking for a good book really, that will cover the full standard and
STL, while providing examples on the usage (as Schildt's did.)

Does the book you suggested cover this? I have read the review and can't
decide if it does or not. Or would I also need to purchise C++ Standard
Library: A Tutorial & Reference by the same author?

 

[Materialised]

I think possible you are mistaken in your thoughts about what it takes to
learn C++. Learning C++ is not about primarily about learning a few concepts
and standard library functions. I can see how learning C would have seemed
mostly to be like that. But C++ is a much more about learning the styles of
programming that work well with it, e.g. object oriented programming and
generic programming. C++ is also a very idiomatic language and it has many
many 'gotchas'. So I would get a book that teaches you C++ style not a
reference to its standard library (although that wouldn't hurt). Accelerated
C++ by Koenig and Moo is often recommended for someone in your position.

John

Great, and its half price on Amazon at the moment. The reviews on it
make it look like its exactly what I am looking for. Thanks.
(for anyone else who wants it check out
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...760/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/026-9945000-9793212
)

 

[Andrew Koenig]

I'm just looking for some suggestions on a good book that will cover the
C++ standard well.

The best source for information about the C++ standard is the C++ standard,
which you can buy from ANSI in PDF form for $18, or from your favorite
bookstore in paper form for $65 (ask for ISBN 0-470-84674-7).

If you're looking for tutorial books, you might check the reviews in
www.accu.org

 

[Victor Bazarov]

[..]
Im looking for a good book really, that will cover the full standard and
STL, while providing examples on the usage (as Schildt's did.)

Does the book you suggested cover this? I have read the review and can't
decide if it does or not. Or would I also need to purchise C++ Standard
Library: A Tutorial & Reference by the same author?

That's the same one.

V

 

[Materialised]

Hi All,

I'm just looking for some suggestions on a good book that will cover the
C++ standard well.
I Know C (quite) well, and learnt this language by reading as much
source code as possible and using Herbert Schildt's C The Complete
Reference (4th Edition) as a reference where needed.

I was thinking about purchasing C++: The Complete Reference (4th
Edition) and attempting to learn C++ in a similar way.
I do have a few questions:

1) I know many people dismiss these books as being rubbish, but if it
works for me then it is ok right? I mean, I wont fall into any serious
traps when only using it as a reference to the standard library functions.

2) Is this book up to date with the newest ANSI/ISO Standards?

3) Has there been any major changes to the C++ Standard since its
release? (November 2002)

Thanks for any replies
Mick

Ok, all done and dusted. I have ordered the following 2 books from Amazon.

"Accelerated C++: Practical Programming by Example (C++ in Depth S.)"

and

"The C++ Standard" British Standards Institute;Hardcover;

I would have paid to download the PDF version of the latter, but to be
honest, although computers are great and some belive that books may soon
be a thing of the past, I much prefer reading from books than a computer
screen, and also the lack of toner for my printer, would have ended up
making it just expensive to print it. lol

I would like to thank all who answered for your suggestions.

 

[Paul F. Johnson]

Hi,

Materialised did utter the following words of wisdom:

Im looking for a good book really, that will cover the full standard and
STL, while providing examples on the usage (as Schildt's did.)

Schildt may supply examples on the usage. Whether they work as they
should, are explained correctly or actually compile is another matter.

Schildt == very bad.

TTFN

Paul

 

[Greg Comeau]

I'm just looking for some suggestions on a good book that will cover the
C++ standard well.
I Know C (quite) well, and learnt this language by reading as much
source code as possible and using Herbert Schildt's C The Complete
Reference (4th Edition) as a reference where needed.

I was thinking about purchasing C++: The Complete Reference (4th
Edition) and attempting to learn C++ in a similar way.
I do have a few questions:

1) I know many people dismiss these books as being rubbish, but if it
works for me then it is ok right? I mean, I wont fall into any serious
traps when only using it as a reference to the standard library functions.

2) Is this book up to date with the newest ANSI/ISO Standards?

Even ignoring comments you will no doubt received about these books,
I'd like to offer you some caution about just getting one book.
Get many. See http://www.comeaucomputing.com/booklist
and http://www.accu.org for suggestions

3) Has there been any major changes to the C++ Standard since its
release? (November 2002)

Some Defects in Standard C++ have been officially fixed with C++03,
though compilers are still catching up with those, and in trying
to meet C++98.

 

[Unforgiven]

I would have paid to download the PDF version of the latter, but to be
honest, although computers are great and some belive that books may soon
be a thing of the past, I much prefer reading from books than a computer
screen, and also the lack of toner for my printer, would have ended up
making it just expensive to print it. lol

http://www.eink.com/
^_^

 

[bla abla]

Hi All,

I'm just looking for some suggestions on a good book that will cover the
C++ standard well.

<snip>

There are free online alternatives like: thinking in
C++ (http://www.mindview.net/Books/TICPP/ThinkingInCPP2e.html)
I have a copy of Bjarne Stroustrupp's C++ programming language (Stroustrup
is the creator of C++), its verry complete (as it is the ansi/iso
standard) and with good examples and exercises. I've also read a book on
object-oriented programming in general (not bound to C++). This is not a
bad idea to do, so u will definitely see the benefits an oo design can
have, and to be sure to have the right mind-set when designing classes.

grtz
Emile

 

[puppet_sock]

Great, and its half price on Amazon at the moment. The reviews on it
make it look like its exactly what I am looking for. Thanks.

Why is it that every time I buy a book, like magic, within only
a couple years, it shows up half price on Amazon. </sarcasm>
Socks

 

[Archer]

"The C++ Programming Language (Special Edition)"
or "C++ Primer" would suit for you!

 

[jeffc]

I would have paid to download the PDF version of the latter, but to be
honest, although computers are great and some belive that books may soon
be a thing of the past...

I doubt it.