C++ For Java Programmers [Paperback]

Timothy A. Budd (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201612461 | ISBN-13: 978-0201612462 | Publication Date: April 2, 1999 | Edition: 1

This book provides students with an introduction to C++ that enlists their Java programming skills to get them comfortably programming in C++. It is an appropriate supplement for any upper-level course in which students are required to program in C++, or for anyone with experience in Java who is interested in an introduction to C++. The text starts off by teaching how to perform tasks in C++ that are inherent in Java, such as pointers and memory management. It then builds upon their Java experience to teach language features like class definitions and polymorphism, which are slightly different in C++. Finally, aspects of C++ that have no correlation in Java -- as well as those aspects of Java not found in C++ -- are presented.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

The reader envisioned as this book was being developed is a programmer with a year or more experience with Java, who has a good understanding of the language and Java libraries, and who wishes to learn more about the programming language C++. Programs in Java and C++ share a superficial resemblance to each other, but beneath the surface there lie a myriad of practical and philosophical differences. The unwary programmer not cognizant of these differences will encounter a host of problems in moving from one language to another.

This book is not intended to be a complete and thorough introduction to the C++ language. The length of the book alone should be enough to indicate this fact, since most recent introductions to the C++ language run to a thousand pages or more. Instead, this book tries or organize the differences between C++ and Java into a coherent framework that facilitates the transition from one language to the other. Where the reader desires more information on a specific topic, one of the recent descriptions or tutorials on the C++ language should be consulted. Excellent coverage can be found in the book by Stroustrup Stroustrup 97 or Lippman Lippman 98. Further Reading

There are literally hundreds of books on Java and/or C++. I have, of course, seen only a small fraction of these. The following list is therefore quite idiosyncratic, reflecting more than a fair amount of whimsy and chance. These are books that I have read and appreciated.

A good introduction to the C++ language, including the recent changes to the language, can be found in Stroustrup 97) or Lippman (C++ Primer Lippman 98). Slightly less thorough but in some ways more readable descriptions are presented by Eckel (Using C++ Eckel 89), and by Horstmann (Mastering Object-Oriented Design in C++ Horstmann 95).

Two other books authored or co-authored by Bjarne Stroustrup, the designer of C++, present much of the philosophy that lay behind the design of the language (The Annotated C++ Reference Manual Ellis 90, and The Design and Evolution of C++ Stroustrup 94). A collection of papers by others involved in the evolution of the C++ language is provided by Waldo (The Evolution of C++ Waldo 93). Another book by Lippman (Inside the C++ Object Model Lippman 96) describes the internal C++ view of the world.

The Standard Template Library, a major recent addition to the C++ language, is explained in an earlier book of my own Budd 98a, as well as in books by Musser Musser 96 and by Glass Glass 96.

There are various books that describe good C++ programming style. Perhaps the best of these are the text by Cargill Cargill 92, and the pair of books by Meyers Meyers 98, Meyers 96.

A wealth of information in the question and answer style of a FAQ is available in the books that collect FAQ information on C Summit 96 and C++ Cline 95. (There is a Java FAQ book Kanerva 97, that also has some discussion of C++).

There are several books that are almost the opposite of this book, that is, explanations of Java for programmers familiar with C++. One of the best of these is the book by Chew Chew 98. The more recent book by Wigglesworth and Lumby Wigglesworth 99 covers more of the recent changes to Java. The book by Daconta and others Daconta 98 is more complete, in that it covers both Java and JavaScript. Pappas Pappas 96 presents material specific to the Borland C++ system. Boone Boone 96 tends to dwell more on the programming environment and design differences, and less on the differences in the languages.

In an earlier book I have tried to explain object-oriented programming in a language independent fashion, including examples from both Java and C++ Budd 97.

A book by Coplien Coplien 92 presents an interesting discussion of many of the more exotic features of C++, for the adventurous reader who wishes to explore further than most programmers ever wish to go. Marginal Notes

There are four types of marginal notes used in this book to highlight material of particular important.

A Definition introduces a term that may be unfamiliar to the programmer if their only background is in the language Java.

A Rule provides advice that the reader is strongly encouraged to follow. Like all rules, there may be some times when the advice must be rejected, but rules generally reflect years of painful learning concerning the consequences of not performing some action.

A Warning highlights a potential danger that the programmer should be aware of. Often these reflect subtle issues easily overlooked, or places where Java and C++ constructs have similar appearances but different meanings.

A Note simply provides an additional or important bit of information that might easily be overlooked. Acknowledgements

Several people provided useful advice and suggestions both in the conception of this book and comments on the many early drafts of the manuscript. These include Yechiel Kimchi from The Technion, Israel, Joe Bergin, from Pace University, and students Nandhini Ganapathi Raman, Thomas Godin, David Hackenyos, and Hari Narayanan, from Oregon State University. 0201612461P04062001

From the Back Cover

In C++ for Java Programmers, the student gets an introduction to C++ that enlists their Java programming skills to get them comfortably programming in C++. This title is an appropriate supplement for any upper level course in which students are required to program in C++, or for anyone with experience in Java who is interested in an introduction to C++. The text first walks the Java programmer through features controlled by the Java language but left to the programmer in C++ (e.g., the use of pointers, controlling memory management). It then builds upon their Java experience to teach language features that are slightly different (e.g., the structure of a class definition, polymorphism). Characteristics of C++ that have no correlation in Java are then presented.

Features

• "Test Your Understanding" questions at the end of each chapter
• Four chapter-long case studies
• walked-through examples of C++ language features
• A price point and length that makes this an ideal title for students who need to learn C++ for their coursework

0201612461B04062001

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Product Details

• Paperback: 290 pages
• Publisher: Addison Wesley; 1 edition (April 2, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201612461
• ISBN-13: 978-0201612462
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #840,324 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Java vs C++ comparison guide, July 28, 2000

By 

Jonathan M. Davis (Scottsdale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: C++ For Java Programmers (Paperback)

This book was mistitled. It should have been "Differences Between Java And C++: A Crunch Translation Guide". Like an English-LanguageX translation guide (or a culture-to-culture translation guide, for that matter), this book is intended to identify the sorts of things that a Java developer jumping into C++ with no background in C++ would typically incorrectly presume or fail to correctly presume without having been told. To that end, this is an excellent, one-of-a-kind book that immediately immerses the reader into very significant and important differences between the languages regarding everything from syntax to compilation and execution. There is an interesting bit of detail about the philosophy, purpose, and objectives behind C++ which paints a significantly different picture in that realm than Java does, showing that in spite of the fact that Java and C++ look similar to the human eye, they are nothing alike (... but alike enough to be able to produce a "direct translation guide" like this book).

This book assumes a) significant familiarity with Java, b) is familiar with, and respects and appreciates, what too many people think "doesn't really matter," like how computers work, computing history, etc., and c) basic existing familiarity with C++, at least enough for "Hello World!" and then some.

I'd recommend this book to any Java programmer looking at C++ who has never done so but who has recognized that Java was born by C++ developers, and who has recognized that one can and should actively extend, and not indifferently coincide, new C++ skills on top of an existing fluency in Java. This book should be accompanied by other books--no book can do it all--but this is an excellent "Java/C++ translation guide".

Due to the mistitling/mismarketing, I would give this a 9/10 but given only five stars it rounds up to five.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very needed approach!, December 22, 1999

By 

Sergio "sergio_f" - See all my reviews

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

I liked this book. It *is* a light, but helpful, introduction to most of the pifalls of C++ for a person who has worked with Java for some time. The problem is that the approach to memory allocation and the standard library tools are very different in Java and C++, while the syntax of both languages appear to be very similar; the author makes this point clear with examples. Compared with some standard references for C++, with lots of detail and almost thousand pages, this book is very readable and enjoyable. This is not a reference type of book, there are plenty of those out there. It is a book for those who reached OO programming via Java period.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book, September 1, 2001

By 

Rajendran Appavu (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews

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

This is a very good book. I read it in full. This book provides a very precise explanation of the concepts that one needs to know in C++. Also this book provides a clear comparison of the two languages C++ and Java. It explains the strengths of both the languages without any bias. Many of the C++ books tends to be tough to follow. This book is highly readable and explains even the difficult topics in a simple language with simple and easy to follow examples. The case studies are very good. I like the way Templates are introduced in this book and the container examples in the case study. Simple yet complete and precise.