Debugging Visual C++ Windows: Choose the Best Debugging Tools/Debug the Entire Software Cycle with Disk [Paperback]

Keith Bugg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1998

This text provides readers with a tutorial-based explanation on how to debug Visual C++ Windows applications. Debugging is covered for the entire sortware cycle and the author examines both Microsoft's debugger and third-party debuggers, including Purify and Bounds Checker.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

One of the most overlooked aspects of software development is testing and debugging. Keith Bugg's Debugging Visual C++ Windows offers a wealth of expertise on fixing and preventing bugs in C++.

In early chapters, the author looks at the sources of errors in C++ programs, whether machine (such as round-off errors), compiler, run-time, or logic and design errors, and offers his expertise in minimizing them. A chapter on memory management functions--a common source of trouble in C++--demystifies what goes on underneath the hood. Further chapters look at the powerful debugging features available in Visual C++, such as assertions and built-in debugging functions that most developers probably aren't aware of. The author's expertise really shines in this section, offering some invaluable hints that should be a part of every Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) programmer's repertoire.

In subsequent sections, the author looks at exceptions and potential problems when porting code. The book closes with a tour of Visual C++ tools, such as the Profiler, Spy++, and Process Viewer, and an examination of popular add-on tools such as NuMega's BoundsChecker (for memory validation) and Microsoft Visual Test (for automated testing). For database programmers, a handy appendix lists Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) error codes. --Richard Dragan

About the Author

Keith Bugg is a seasoned Windows developer who has been working with Visual C++ since the release of version 1. Trained as a mathematician, he pursued his passion of developing software early in his career. His is primarily interested in the user interface; always looking for ways to make software more robust and easier to use. He is a regular contributor to Visual C++ Developer magazine and has authored The Visual C++ Construction Kit, Building Windows Help Files, and The MFC Controls Construction Kit.

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Publishers Group West; Pap/Dsk edition (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879305452
• ISBN-13: 978-0879305451
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,155,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not very useful., January 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Debugging Visual C++ Windows: Choose the Best Debugging Tools/Debug the Entire Software Cycle with Disk (Paperback)

While this book did offer a few pieces of good information, I was very disappointed overall. Even though the book calls itself "A Tutorial-Based Desktop Reference", very little, if any of the book was in the form of a tutorial.

The first part, which deals with Windows memory issues, did at least have some code samples, but no tutorials. Once he started talking about the Visual C++ debugger and other tools, he just gave brief descriptions without saying why or when you would want to use them.

The information in the book is about the same quantity and quality you can find in Visual C++ help. In fact, after reading one topic, I looked it up in the help and was surprised to find that it said almost exactly the same thing, word-for-word. The author added one or two sentences of his own that didn't give me any useful information.

I was looking forward to the section on third party tools, but I found that it was basically a listing of features with nothing to tell me whether the tools would be worth buying, much less instructions on how to actually use them.

There is some useful information, such as a description of how memory is managed in 32-bit Windows. But the same thing can be found in other books. And most of the rest of the book can probably be found in the Microsoft help files or on the outside of the third party tool packages. The best thing I can say about this book is that it puts all of this together.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A tutorial needs to tutor!!!, February 10, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Burlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Debugging Visual C++ Windows: Choose the Best Debugging Tools/Debug the Entire Software Cycle with Disk (Paperback)

The book could have been named: "Debugging Visual C++ for Dummies". It's contents in certain chapters are not detailed enough to actually teach you how to use to the various debugging tools to full potential. Chapters 4(The Visual C++ Debugger) and 5(Additional Debugging Tools) fit the above description. The author does provide some good suggestions to bolster your debugging process, but to be a true tutorial for the "intermediate" programmer, more code examples and actual use of the debugging features is required. Hopefully the next edition will go from an IDG "...Dummies" clone to a "Visual C++ Debugging Bible".

1.0 out of 5 stars Reader beware--DeMorgan's Laws are misstated, January 9, 2007

By 

OneTahiti "OneTahiti" (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Debugging Visual C++ Windows: Choose the Best Debugging Tools/Debug the Entire Software Cycle with Disk (Paperback)

DeMorgan's Laws are misstated and the author compounds the problem by proceeding to erroneously "prove" the newly minted falsehoods.