My New C++ Project

[Digman]

Hi guys, I'm considering starting up a new C++ project. I just
completed my local college's Introduction to C++ course. Right now,
I'm following an online tutorial for the Windows API. This is going
to be an introductory project for me, but... I was hoping if someone
here could point me in the right direction!

Here are the basic building blocks for my project:
1. Check a folder, specified in the preferences, for file changes.
2. Move the new files into another specified folder.
3. Update a database file (xml) for the changes.
4. Repeat .

For this, I'm taking a wild guess that I'm going to need to:
1. Read and write to the Window's registry.
2. Create a program that runs either invisibly, or with a tray icon.
3. Check a directory's file list.
4. Move files into another directory.
5. Open an xml file, parse, write to it, and save.

I have a decent understanding of the language and its uses, but I
don't know anything of the C++ libraries behind it.

More importantly, I don't know where to start. I'm looking for a
book, a website, or even a tutor that could teach me!

If anyone could point out a good learning source for me to start on
this project, I would be very appreciative!

A few other small points of information:
- Right now, I'm using a free compiler from Bloodshed Software
(http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html) and if I need to I can update to
Visual C++.

- I'm probably going to publish the source of this code when I'm
finished, so I can use any open libraries! Joy.

Thanks for your time guys!

 

[Victor Bazarov]

Hi guys, I'm considering starting up a new C++ project. I just
completed my local college's Introduction to C++ course. Right now,
I'm following an online tutorial for the Windows API. This is going
to be an introductory project for me, but... I was hoping if someone
here could point me in the right direction!
[...]

news:comp.os.ms-windows.programmer.win32

 

[John Dibling]

Off topic, check out Windows-specific newsgroups. But anyway...

I've never seen an online tutorial that wasn't either utterly useless
at best, plain wrong at worst. Get a used copy of "Programming Windows
95 With MFC" by Jeff Prosise. I think it's out of print, but it is a
great intorduction to programming Windows. The project you describe
will be a challenge, especially if you don't already know how to
program for Windows. I'd suggest you go through the book first.

Good luck,

John Dibling