Debugging C++: Troubleshooting for Programmers [Paperback]

Chris H. Pappas (Conductor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 21, 2000 | Series: Debugging

This work contains proven debugging methods for real-life scenarios, comprehensive coverage of procedure-orientated code and object code, and a special section for working with DLLs, Active X, COM, STL, and MFC coding problems.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Prevent problematic code and fix bugs with help from the expert techniques and strategies found in this unique resource. Debugging C++ shows you how to recognize and stamp out common and little-known code bugs quickly and easily. You'll get complete coverage of procedure-oriented and object-oriented debugging. And there's more--learn how to debug STL and Windows applications also developed with the MFC. Software bugs cause chaos and downtime which can result in lost revenue. Save the day! Use the real-world solutions offered in this handbook to prevent bugs from crippling your company's systems.

• Optimize your code with the compiler
• Investigate logical and syntactical errors
• Debug code in the procedure-oriented environment-at the command line and in Windows
• Locate, analyze, and repair object-oriented code errors at the command line and in the Microsoft Foundation Class (FMC) Library
• Handle Standard Template Library (SQL) code debugging
• Work with DLLs and fix ActiveX and COM errors

About the Author

Chris Pappas (Binhamtom, NY) and William Murray, III (Montose, PA) are professors of computer science at the B.C.C. campus of the S.U.N.Y. system in Binhamton, NY. They have co-authored over four dozen books on such programming topics as assembly language, Visual Basic, C and C++, HTML, Visual J++, Java, JavaScript, Microsoft Foundation Class Library, OS/2 Standard Template Library, Windows

Product Details

• Paperback: 523 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies (April 21, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072125195
• ISBN-13: 978-0072125191
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,851,032 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's about time., June 28, 2000

By 

Shane Ragone (Hanover, MN USA) - See all my reviews

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

Finally, a thorough book on the use of Visual C++'s Debugger. This book will take you through the essentials of optimization, debugging inline assembly code, dealing with MFC, and goes on to discuss repairing errors in STL code. If you want to get the most out of the debugger in Visual C++, you must have this book!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Buy John Robbins 'Debugging Applications' instead., March 4, 2002

By A Customer

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

Like I said, the above sums up my advice. I'd suggest only absolute beginners would write a good review for this book, because they don't know any better. One section alleges that a programmer who teaches themself C++ will get fired, because they would use the line

i = i + 1;

not realising they SHOULD use

i++;

This is funny on SO many levels.

1. Who would fire someone for this ?
2. Why can't people find this syntax for themselves ?
3. He crows about increased efficiency, but i++ creates a tempory, he wants ++i for this claim
4. He was talking specifically about people teaching themselves in migration from C, which, as you know, supports i++.

He goes on to list the STL containers, misses half of them and goes on to explain why STL containers are better than containers based on templates ( which is the bedrock of STL ).

His understanding is obviously lacking, but this does not stop him from writing about a topic if he thinks it will help sell his book.

John Robbins book, on the other hand, is indispensable. If you don't own it, you need to. It is everything this book could have been and more. John is the author of MSDN's 'Bugslayer' column, and he knows what he is talking about.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Decent for beginner Windows programmers, September 10, 2001

By A Customer

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

I was pretty excited when I first got this book, but was pretty disappointed after reading it.

First off, the title is misleading, focusing on Windows rather than C++. Since I am mainly a Windows programmer, though, this didn't phase me too much. However, the book often seemed to be a manual for the Visual C++ debugger rather than an insightful narrative on the debugging process. Although I realize examples have to be short and to the point, I was often insulted by the ridiculously simple errors the authors presented. The section on inline assembly debugging is almost useless. A much better approach would be examining the assembly language that the Visual C++ compile generates, rather than creating simple ASM programs with obvious mistakes.

I would have much rather seen a book about preventing bugs, and techniques that can be used to accomplish this goal. While this is certainly not that book, it would be useful for something just getting started with Visual C++, though anyone beyond a novice would probably be as disappointed as I was.