Free C++compilers for a classroom

[john]

Hi, is there any suggestion for free compiler/IDE under Windows for
teaching C++ in a classroom?

I am thinking Dev-C++ 4.9.9.2 on top of mingw version 3.4.5, I have also
downloaded cygwin, but I want a user friendly IDE for Windows with an
uptodate C++ compatible compiler.


Any other ideas?

 

[Alf P. Steinbach]

* john:

Hi, is there any suggestion for free compiler/IDE under Windows for
teaching C++ in a classroom?

I am thinking Dev-C++ 4.9.9.2 on top of mingw version 3.4.5, I have also
downloaded cygwin, but I want a user friendly IDE for Windows with an
uptodate C++ compatible compiler.

Check out the CodeBlocks IDE for g++ (you might also think about the
Eclipse IDE with C++ add-on, but based on checking it out a few years
ago, and reports here in clc++ about difficulties, perhaps ungood).

I didn't know we're up to MingW 3.4.5, I guess it's time to update from
3.4.4.

Anyway, the Rolls Royce free environment is Microsoft's Visual Express
with Visual C++ 8.0. Not that I use it myself, I'm happy with Visual
Studio.NET 2003, and as regards the IDE, was even happier with DevStudio
6.0 (at least it did what you /told/ it to)... I'm guessing that if you
don't choose that, your students will anyway, and then will complain
about the primitive not-so-shiny thing they're forced to use in classes;
in particular, student will appreciate the wondrous state-of-ze-art
simply the bestest debugger, assuming it's part of the free version.


Cheers, & hth.,

- Alf

 

[Jensen Somers]

Hello,

Hi, is there any suggestion for free compiler/IDE under Windows for
teaching C++ in a classroom?

I am thinking Dev-C++ 4.9.9.2 on top of mingw version 3.4.5, I have also
downloaded cygwin, but I want a user friendly IDE for Windows with an
uptodate C++ compatible compiler.


Any other ideas?

I think Dev-CPP is too outdated. It's a nice tool and I have used it
throughout college myself, but it seems it has not been updated for some
time now. As an IDE it's missing some features I like and most starting
programmers would also like making programming easier and more fun.

Now, the best C++ compiler is still g++ in my opinion, so Cygwin would be
an option. The downside is the "difficult" build process.

Depending on the strictness and difficulty of the courses I would advise
you to use Visual C++ Express Edition 2005 (free Visual Studio version).
It has almost all the benefits of the wonderful Visual Studio IDE and has
a pretty good and up-to-date C++ compiler. Excellent for a beginner.
I myself use Visual Studio at work every day, mainly developing C++
applications without using MS Windows specific calls and functionality
and it works very well.
Given most students most likely run MS Windows at home this free version
does not require much knowledge and experience to install and to start
programming with.

- Jensen

 

[Guest]

Hi, is there any suggestion for free compiler/IDE under Windows for
teaching C++ in a classroom?

I am thinking Dev-C++ 4.9.9.2 on top of mingw version 3.4.5, I have also
downloaded cygwin, but I want a user friendly IDE for Windows with an
uptodate C++ compatible compiler.

Visual C++ 2005 Express, it is one of the most standards compliant
compilers available (not that a recent gcc is not compliant) if you just
use the right settings; make sure to tell you students how to set it up
for C++ and not C++/CLR. I recommend it because I think it is a superior
IDE, especially the debugger. It also comes with extensive help files.

 

[BobR]

Hi, is there any suggestion for free compiler/IDE under Windows for
teaching C++ in a classroom?

I am thinking Dev-C++ 4.9.9.2 on top of mingw version 3.4.5, I have also
downloaded cygwin, but I want a user friendly IDE for Windows with an
uptodate C++ compatible compiler.

Any other ideas?

Sounds good to me.

You might take a look at MinGW Studio for a simpler IDE (and has a GNU/Linux
port).
MinGWStudio http://www.parinyasoft.com/
[ easily tied to the MinGW installed with Dev-C++, or ?]

or:
Code::Blocks http://www.codeblocks.org/
[ I haven't tried it, but heard good things.]

 

[Kuberan Naganathan]

Visual C++ 2005 Express, it is one of the most standards compliant
compilers available (not that a recent gcc is not compliant) if you just
use the right settings; make sure to tell you students how to set it up
for C++ and not C++/CLR. I recommend it because I think it is a superior
IDE, especially the debugger. It also comes with extensive help files.

I like netbeans w/ the c++ extensions. It's also cross platform if
that's a concern.

 

[Ambush Commander]

Depending on the strictness and difficulty of the courses I would advise
you to use Visual C++ Express Edition 2005 (free Visual Studio version).
It has almost all the benefits of the wonderful Visual Studio IDE and has
a pretty good and up-to-date C++ compiler. Excellent for a beginner.
I myself use Visual Studio at work every day, mainly developing C++
applications without using MS Windows specific calls and functionality
and it works very well.

Agreed. Installing it as well as the SDKs can be slightly painful due
to the bulk of the IDE, but it is the standard development environment
for Windows.

Of course, I prefer a Unix-style/Cygwin build environment to that any
day...

 

[shailesh]

Agreed. Installing it as well as the SDKs can be slightly painful due
to the bulk of the IDE, but it is the standard development environment
for Windows.

Of course, I prefer a Unix-style/Cygwin build environment to that any
day...

My vote for Visual C++ Express Edition ... Much of the professional C+
+ development on Windows uses VC++ IDE. And since Express edition is
free, it should be a good choice.

 

[john]

I think Dev-CPP is too outdated. It's a nice tool and I have used it
throughout college myself, but it seems it has not been updated for some
time now. As an IDE it's missing some features I like and most starting
programmers would also like making programming easier and more fun.

Now, the best C++ compiler is still g++ in my opinion, so Cygwin would be
an option. The downside is the "difficult" build process.

Depending on the strictness and difficulty of the courses I would advise
you to use Visual C++ Express Edition 2005 (free Visual Studio version).
It has almost all the benefits of the wonderful Visual Studio IDE and has
a pretty good and up-to-date C++ compiler. Excellent for a beginner.
I myself use Visual Studio at work every day, mainly developing C++
applications without using MS Windows specific calls and functionality
and it works very well.
Given most students most likely run MS Windows at home this free version
does not require much knowledge and experience to install and to start
programming with.

I checked Visual C++ 2005 Express, but I think it requires much steps
for learning ISO C++ programming. You have got to create a Win32 Console
project and erase the tmain() and #include "stdafx.h", and create your
ISO C++ program. I think it isn't convenient for learning ISO C++. I
think VC++/VS is mainly suited for real already programmers to create
real world system-specific .NET/Win32 applications, as opposed to
students learning ISO C++ programming.

So far from what I have tested, I think Dev-C++ with the latest MinGW
and perhaps DJGPP with RHIDE are more suited for ISO C++ beginners.

 

[Alf P. Steinbach]

* john:

I checked Visual C++ 2005 Express, but I think it requires much steps
for learning ISO C++ programming. You have got to create a Win32 Console
project and erase the tmain() and #include "stdafx.h", and create your
ISO C++ program. I think it isn't convenient for learning ISO C++. I
think VC++/VS is mainly suited for real already programmers to create
real world system-specific .NET/Win32 applications, as opposed to
students learning ISO C++ programming.

I don't have Visual C++ 2005 Express, but surely it's possible to create
an empty project. Also, surely it's still possible to create a GUI
program project. Finally, learning to use the tools is necessary anyway.

So far from what I have tested, I think Dev-C++ with the latest MinGW
and perhaps DJGPP with RHIDE are more suited for ISO C++ beginners.

I had to look up DJGPP and RHIDE in Wikipedia.

Cheers,

- Alf

 

[Mark P]

* john:

I don't have Visual C++ 2005 Express, but surely it's possible to create
an empty project.

Indeed it is. It's called "Empty Project" and it's one of the options
under New Project.

VC++ is a nice IDE (far better than Dev-C++, IMO), includes a good
debugger, and while it may take a few minutes to figure out where things
are in the menus and options, is actually quite easy to use.

I happen to like emacs because I work on a Linux system, but for Windows
I don't know of a better and easier way to get started.

-Mark

 

[Guest]

I checked Visual C++ 2005 Express, but I think it requires much steps
for learning ISO C++ programming. You have got to create a Win32 Console
project and erase the tmain() and #include "stdafx.h", and create your
ISO C++ program. I think it isn't convenient for learning ISO C++. I
think VC++/VS is mainly suited for real already programmers to create
real world system-specific .NET/Win32 applications, as opposed to
students learning ISO C++ programming.

You should create an empty project, add a source-file and then write the
code in that, it might also be a good idea, but not necessary, to
disable the VC++ specific extensions (all that is needed is to change
one option).

 

[Duane Hebert]

Jensen Somers wrote:

I checked Visual C++ 2005 Express, but I think it requires much steps for
learning ISO C++ programming. You have got to create a Win32 Console
project and erase the tmain() and #include "stdafx.h", and create your ISO
C++ program. I think it isn't convenient for learning ISO C++. I think
VC++/VS is mainly suited for real already programmers to create real world
system-specific .NET/Win32 applications, as opposed to students learning
ISO C++ programming.

select all and replace with int main() {}

So far from what I have tested, I think Dev-C++ with the latest MinGW and
perhaps DJGPP with RHIDE are more suited for ISO C++ beginners.

Last time I tried djgpp it was pretty difficult to configure and the
debugging
was lousy. Has something changed recently?

I would prefer to be forced to create my own main() and have a good
debugger.

 

[James Kanze]

* john:

[...]

Anyway, the Rolls Royce free environment is Microsoft's Visual Express
with Visual C++ 8.0.

I guess it depends. I found the IDE with the free version of
VC++ 8 pretty unusable. But then, I've found most IDE's pretty
unusable; they get in the way more than they help. I can
imagine for a beginner, however, they do mean that he can start
producing and testing code faster, with a lot less other stuff
to learn. (He'll have to learn it later, of course.)

Not that I use it myself, I'm happy with Visual
Studio.NET 2003, and as regards the IDE, was even happier with DevStudio
6.0 (at least it did what you /told/ it to)... I'm guessing that if you
don't choose that, your students will anyway, and then will complain
about the primitive not-so-shiny thing they're forced to use in classes;
in particular, student will appreciate the wondrous state-of-ze-art
simply the bestest debugger, assuming it's part of the free version.

Presumably, as they're students, they're not allowed to use a
debugger.

 

[DJ]

john napisał(a):

Hi, is there any suggestion for free compiler/IDE under Windows for
teaching C++ in a classroom?

I am thinking Dev-C++ 4.9.9.2 on top of mingw version 3.4.5, I have also
downloaded cygwin, but I want a user friendly IDE for Windows with an
uptodate C++ compatible compiler.

emacs, gmake, g++ and you have the best tools set ever what else to
you need ?

 

[arnuld]

emacs, gmake, g++ and you have the best tools set ever what else to
you need ?

very good answer

 

[Alf P. Steinbach]

* James Kanze:

Presumably, as they're students, they're not allowed to use a
debugger.

It seems you mean: it's almost a given that a modern learning
institution forbids the students learning anything about the craft
they're supposed to learn.

Well, I don't think they forbid learning.


Cheers,

- Alf

 

[Shadowman]

* john:
[...]
Anyway, the Rolls Royce free environment is Microsoft's Visual Express
with Visual C++ 8.0.

I guess it depends. I found the IDE with the free version of
VC++ 8 pretty unusable. But then, I've found most IDE's pretty
unusable; they get in the way more than they help. I can
imagine for a beginner, however, they do mean that he can start
producing and testing code faster, with a lot less other stuff
to learn. (He'll have to learn it later, of course.)

Not that I use it myself, I'm happy with Visual
Studio.NET 2003, and as regards the IDE, was even happier with DevStudio
6.0 (at least it did what you /told/ it to)... I'm guessing that if you
don't choose that, your students will anyway, and then will complain
about the primitive not-so-shiny thing they're forced to use in classes;
in particular, student will appreciate the wondrous state-of-ze-art
simply the bestest debugger, assuming it's part of the free version.

Presumably, as they're students, they're not allowed to use a
debugger.

Huh? I don't think there was any rule against using a debugger when I
was in college. Although I never actually used one until later when I
was out in the world. I had enough trouble trying to figure out the
compiler and makefiles

That said, I think a debugger might actually be a helpful learning tool
for students. It certainly wouldn't constitute cheating, by any means.

 

[Phlip]

Unfortunately gdb was the only one available on the
school's systems.  The profs got pretty tired of trying to explain
how to use it <g>

A> ddd

B> unit tests

 

[duane hebert]

Presumably, as they're students, they're not allowed to use a

Huh? I don't think there was any rule against using a debugger when I was
in college. Although I never actually used one until later when I was
out in the world. I had enough trouble trying to figure out the compiler
and makefiles

That said, I think a debugger might actually be a helpful learning tool
for students. It certainly wouldn't constitute cheating, by any means.

I wish a few of our new guys has some better debugging
experience. FWIW in school we were allowed debugging tools
if we wanted. Unfortunately gdb was the only one available on the
school's systems. The profs got pretty tired of trying to explain
how to use it <g>