Need help choosing a C++ development tool set - TIA for responses :)

[Mirek Fidler]

Well, it's free, but absence of a debugger (and the IDE) is a bummer.

Perhaps I am biased (or spoiled) because I've been using QuickC and
Visual C++ for more than a decade, and they come with all you need, but
you gotta buy those amenities. To have a debugger really takes the
prize. Inserting printf's all over code just to see what's going on
is not only tedious, it changes the behaviour of the code, and therefore
you don't get the right picture... Of course you could try using some
other debugger... If you can find something decent, that is.

I believe that TheIDE of Ultimate++ contains pretty good and fast .pdb
debugger:

http://upp.sourceforge.net/www$screenshots$en-us.html_3.png

Visual C++ Toolkit 2003 is one of supported compilers, although you need
some effort to fix the problem with missing runtime libraries
(description of process is included).

Mirek

 

[Mirek Fidler]

Sherm Pendley wrote in message ...



Someone who is developing on all three systems!




Or, GCC for all. No $. Why learn a new compiler for each system?

Because VC++ compiles 3 times faster and produces shorter and faster
executables? And is free as well?

Mirek

 

[Mirek Fidler]

VC++'s "Express" editions are $cheap - the final release will be priced at
$49US.

AFAIK I believe it is even better - recently they have decided that it
will be free download.

In any case, you can download BETA now and commandline compiler does not
require registration.

Mirek

 

[Bob Hairgrove]

Visual C++ Toolkit 2003 is one of supported compilers, although you need
some effort to fix the problem with missing runtime libraries
(description of process is included).

^^^^^^^^^^^

I looked all over the web site for this information, but couldn't find
it. Could you post a direct link, please?

 

[Mirek Fidler]

^^^^^^^^^^^

I looked all over the web site for this information, but couldn't find
it. Could you post a direct link, please?

Actually, you get the installation guide with download (that is quirk,
it should have been on website). Anyway, the content is this:

Microsoft® Visual C++™ Toolkit 2003

Visual C++ Toolkit is a little bit more tricky, because you have to
download and install three different parts:

Visual C++ Toolkit itself:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/visualc/vctoolkit2003/

Microsoft Win32 SDK (installing minimum 32bit core is all you need):

http://www.microsoft.com/msdownload...=/msdownload/platformsdk/sdkupdate/update.htm

And finally, there is missing cvtres.exe utility in Visual C++ Toolkit,
you can download it here:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q187280

and then please unpack and install to the bin directory of toolkit.
TheIDE should then detect all required directories and setup build methods.

Mirek

 

[Bob Hairgrove]

missing runtime libraries

I see ... you mean the Platform SDK libraries, not the CRT dll's with
import libraries. That is the BIG drawback about the MSVC++ toolkit,
that all the CRT *.LIB files are static libraries. Makes for big
problems (memory management, STL) when your application uses DLLs.

Thanks.

 

[Mirek Fidler]

I see ... you mean the Platform SDK libraries, not the CRT dll's with
import libraries. That is the BIG drawback about the MSVC++ toolkit,
that all the CRT *.LIB files are static libraries. Makes for big
problems (memory management, STL) when your application uses DLLs.

Right... Well I have tried to search for solution there, some those libs
can be separately downloaded, but in general you are right.

Anyway, current Visual C++ Express Beta 2 is "working equivalent" of
VC++ Toolkit 2003 - you can install command-line compiler only and all
of those missing items are there. For free....

Mirek

 

[Jed]

I want to thank all of you for taking the time to reply with your
experience and wisdom in this matter!

It looks like I'm going to choose GCC for now, and work with wxWidgets.

I liked the look of their graphics, but this doesn't mean I am going to
lock down on these tools permanently. They will definitely do (from
initial appearances) for the current projects I want to work on.

I won't rule out VC++, but I won't be using it for now.

My past C++ compiler experiences are MS Quick C, Turbo C++, Borland C++
4, and 5, Builder, and Visual C++ 6 educational edition.

IDEs can spoil you. I realize they can also make you more productive.
But, I don't have a problem using a text editor and writing batch files
for doing compilation and builds. Most of the Open Source tools I've
looked at lean in that direction. No problem.

My intention is develop my applications using standard C++. This will
also give me experience using templates and a few other features that
I've not had the opportunity to work with. Lots of goals, lots of ideas
and now I just need to get to work.

Again, Thank you all!

Best of coding to you all!

I will be posting this in both the moderated and non-moderated C++
newsgroups!

Sincerly,

Jed


[Do or do not, there is not try.]

Obviously Yoda didn't program in C++ or Java...

 

[Michael O'Keeffe]

With Qt4 Trolltech has released an open source version for
Windows, as well as Linux. I think the windows version only
runs with Cygwin though. It's a good product, although a bit
expensive for the commercial version if you're a single
developer.

There is a version of Qt based off the GPLed 3.x version available,
which does not require Cygwin. Rather cool to say the least.

http://kde-cygwin.sourceforge.net/qt3-win32/compile-msvc.php

Yes, Qt is expensive. But that is manager-speak. What management does
not realize, is that having a proper tool more than makes up the cost,
especially the more coding/development you are doing. There is a
saying, "If I had to cut down a tree in 9 hours, I would spend 6 hours
sharpening my ax." I like add: "Or by a proper chain saw and cut it
down in 1 hour."

I use both open source and commercial tools. Many open source tools
are excellent, however sometimes commercial tools are better. In the
Java world, many folks swear by IntelliJ
(http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/), which is rougly $500 more than
Eclipse (http://www.eclipse.org), and yet people think it's worth it.

-Mike