C++ for Java Programmers [Paperback]

Mark A. Weiss (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 013919424X | ISBN-13: 978-0139194245 | Publication Date: November 7, 2003 | Edition: 1

Written for the moderately experienced Java programmer, this book builds on readers¿ existing knowledge of object-oriented programming and covers all important aspects of Standard C++—emphasizing more lower-level C-style details later in the presentation. Chapter topics include philosophy of C++, simplest C++, pointers and reference variables, object-based programming: classes, operator overloading, object-oriented programming: inheritance, templates, abnormal control flow, input and output, collections: the standard template library, primitive arrays and strings, C-style C++, and using Java and C++: the JNI. For new C++ programmers converted from Java.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

For experienced Java programmers and students who require the skills of C++ programming, best-selling author Mark Allen Weiss bridges the gap. He efficiently presents the complex C++ language in this well-designed tutorial/reference that both students and seasoned programmers will appreciate. The book is ideal as a primary text for intermediate C++ courses, as a supplemental no-nonsense reference for other courses, or for independent learning by professionals.

C++ for Java Programmers is a concise, well-written text that provides authoritative and up-to-date coverage of key features and details of C++, with a special focus on how C++ compares to Java. The book's approach shows knowledgeable students or professionals how to grasp the complexities of C++ and harness its power by mutually addressing the benefits and the pitfalls of the two languages. By highlighting the features and comparative elements of each language, and building on the reader's existing knowledge of object-oriented programming, C++ for Java Programmers enables users to master the essentials of C++ quickly and thoroughly.

Key Features

• Includes insightful comparisons of the two programming languages throughout the text and points out the subtleties of C++
• Succinctly covers the pertinent highlights of STL (Standard Template Library) and the most effective use of templates
• Explains the use of the powerful JNI (Java Native Interface) for combining Java and C++
• Includes a summary of key C++ features and issues with each chapter
• Provides extensive treatment of C details the programmer is likely to encounter in C++
• Companion Website for complete online source code at:
  http://www.prenhall.com/weiss
• Available Instructors Resource CD-ROM

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

For many years, C++ was the defacto language of choice in introductory Computer Science courses, due largely to its support for object-oriented programming, as well as its wide adoption in industry. However, because C++ is arguably the most complex language ever to be widely-used, Java, which also supports object-oriented programming, recently has emerged as the preferred introductory language. Nonetheless, demand for C++ skill is still high in industry and most universities require C++ programming at some point in the Computer Science curriculum. Although Java and C++ look similar, programming in C++ is somewhat more challenging and filled with subtle details. While there are many books that thoroughly describe C++ (see the Bibliography), the vast majority exceed 1,000 pages and, for the most part, are written for either experienced industry programmers or novices.

This book is designed as a quick start guide for students who are knowledgeable in an object-oriented language (most likely Java) and would like to learn C++. Throughout the text, we compare and contrast Java and C++, and show C++ substitutes for Java equivalents. We do not describe in detail basic concepts (such as inheritance) that are common in both C++ and Java; rather, we describe how the concepts are implemented in C++. This helps achieve one of the important goals of this book, which is to keep the page count reasonably low. Consequently, this book is not appropriate for students who have limited or no prior programming experience.

Organization

The book begins with a brief overview of C++ in Chapter 0. In Chapter 1, we describe some of the basic expressions and statements in C++, which mostly mirror simple Java syntax. Functions, arrays, strings, and parameter passing are discussed in Chapter 2. We use the modern alternative of introducing and using the standard vector and string classes in the C++ library, rather than the older-style built-in array constructs.

Chapter 3 describes pointers and reference variables, paying particular attention to the host of pitfalls that await a C++ programmer. Chapter 4 is a long chapter that describes the basics of classes.

Two C++ features that are not part of Java are operator overloading and templates. Operator overloading is discussed in Chapter 5 and templates are discussed in Chapter 7. In between, we cover inheritance in Chapter 6. In Chapter 8, we examine exceptions in C++, as well as older library routines such as abort.

The next two chapters discuss some C++ libraries. Chapter 9 deals with I/O and Chapter 10 introduces the Standard Template Library, which is the C++ equivalent of the Collections API. Both libraries are complex enough to require an entire book: We provide the most important highlights, rather than attempting to list every detail.

Many courses will require C programming in addition to C++ programming. Because C++ builds on C, many C programming techniques are also found in C++, although in C++ they are not always the preferred way to do things. Chapter 11 covers primitive arrays and strings. As we mentioned earlier, modern C++ uses library classes as an alternative. Nonetheless, primitive arrays and strings will almost certainly be encountered by any C++ programmer, and the techniques are essentially the same in C++ and C. Chapter 12 covers C idioms that are occasionally used in C++, but probably should be avoided. Finally, in Chapter 13, we describe the Java Native Interface (again a whole book can be written on this one topic), which allows Java programmers to implement their methods in C++ or C.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 1 edition (November 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 013919424X
• ISBN-13: 978-0139194245
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #131,577 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Accelerated Intro to C++, March 30, 2005

By 

Adam Dukovich "colts_19" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: C++ for Java Programmers (Paperback)

Although C++ is definitely on the decline, it will be a major force in the programming world for years to come. This book is an excellent intro to the language taught specifically for a person with some Java experience, and it does do an effective job of comparing and contrasting the two languages. The analogies, I feel are invaluable to understanding abstract concepts in C++, and the approach is better than starting from the ground up, if you understand Java at a fundamental level. I also have to disagree with the reviewer below: the writing is quite good, it's concise and not excessively technical. I suspect that that reviewer is unfamiliar with contemporary texts on computer science, because this is one of the more readable ones I know.

Although the latter few chapters were not, I feel, exceptionally helpful, the book is a much better and lighter (not to mention cheaper) alternative to others out there, and is quite worth it, in every way.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for (experienced) JAVA (and C ?) programmers, May 27, 2007

By 

Philippe Adjiman (Israel) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: C++ for Java Programmers (Paperback)

Very useful. It respects its contract: saving your time by progressively build on your Java background the core concepts necessary to understand the C++ language (instead of reading a 1000 pages reference book). Sometimes the comparison of design issues between JAVA and C++ (for instance about class immutability) suppose that the reader has already a solid knowledge about object oriented programming and/or design patterns, but not necessarily requires it (by the way, if you're a JAVA programmer and you didn't read Effective Java Programming Language Guide, you may have missed something). Along with a strong experience in C, this book allow you to become an intermediate C++ programmer in only few days !

And remember: "[...] it is certainly not true that Java is better than C++, neither would we say that C++ is better than Java. Instead, a modern programmer should be able to use both languages, as each language has applications that can make it the logical choice". I deeply agree with the author's opinion.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great For Students, March 8, 2006

By 

Andrew (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: C++ for Java Programmers (Paperback)

I used this book in an introductory C++ class in college. Being a senior in Computer Science who has only been taught with Java, this book is a great starter to get into the world of C++. Nearly everything that is explained in the book is given an equivalent example in Java.

Having never used C++ before, I can recommend this for those who are starting with C++, but have a strong Java background. I wouldn't recommend this as an introductory book for a beginner in the world of programming, as it delves into many advanced topics right away.