Customer Reviews

The C++ Programmer's Notebook: An Illustrated Quick Reference

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book is a GREAT example of really bad C++. This is not a flame or an "out of place" accusation, it is plain truth. The C++ examples in this book are very, very bad C++. They absolutely should not be used or taught to beginning C++ programmers. Buy this book to teach yourself and others what NOT to do in C++. Of course, there really IS NOT much C++ in this book. Rather, it consists mostly of C library functions and C "containers" and doesn't even once touch on the C++ standard library containers. In fact, the queue and stack used herein are NOT std::queue and std::stack (from the C++ standard library), rather, they are simple C implementations of these "containers," which have no intelligence (one of the important reasons why we use C++) to them at all.

For an example of just how bad the C++ is...

Keogh creates a "student" class that inherits from a class called "course." A student is a kind of a course? You would properly be able to use a student wherever a course was needed? This is one of the most common and blatant misuses of inheritance in any OO language, and the author exploits it to its fullest "potential" in this work. Similarly bad "logic" is used throughout the entire book. From a look at the TOC of the second edition, I can say that perhaps the author recognized some of the fatal flaws in this "work" and at least added a discussion of a copy constructor, exceptions and more "things you gotta know" if you're going to program using C++.

The author's "oversight" of anything representative of real C++ continues into chapter "Storing an Array of Objects on the Heap." As a C++ programmer, you might think that he really is talking about storing an array of Objects (not primative data types) on the heap using new and delete AND certainly NOT calloc/malloc and free! Looking further into it, we find that he is really using a standard C function call to calloc() to zerio initialize a char pointer then uses another standard C function call gets() to fill the memory at the address of the char pointer. Of course, this is just fine for C, but where is the new operator?! If you're really going to title a book using "C++," one might think that there would actually be something relevant to the way things are actually done in C++ and not just a rehashing of C. The absurd use of the mentioned chapter title suggests C++ and the contents further mislead by containing absolutely NO C++ at all! None! De Nada! In fact, the #include directives use only standard C library functions!

You wouldn't think that an example of The Bubble Sort would be found in a C++ "programmer's notebook." Perhaps a discussion of iterators and algorithms...but, like the rest of the C-specific content of this book, you'll also find a Linked List and NOT a std::list. Even though copyrighted in 1997, there is no excuse for such poor C++ coverage and the coverage that you do get is just plain wrong.

First the bad news: At $34.95, this book is SERIOUSLY overpriced. There are typos, typos, typos -- editorial staff must have been lax or high on caffeine. There are a few serious factual errors that may confuse newbies (one whole section about exponential notation is especially gruesome and shameful). The diagrams are of high school art class calibre -- and it isn't actually illustrated. A second edition is needed. But, the GOOD news is that the text is relatively concise, and many sections cover the basics of complex topics -- such as pointers -- very clearly, and the author modularizes how C methods and C++ methods are employed to do the same task -- so its easy to compare the two related languages. Sections are brief and self-contained. Code samples are straightforward and don't veer off into wild tangents. If Prentice-Hall could revise the errors and the outdated info, improve the diagrammatics, add a supplementary section to address more complex aspects, and maybe decrease the blankspaces to make this more of a smaller handy manual (with margin spaces to scribble in) this book could be really useful as a support text. As it stands, its okay for gathering up loose ends after reading a main C++ text -- but the reader is always wary for errors. Given that it neither covers advanced material or provides comprehensive coverage, it should be priced cheaper.

This is not a tutorial, but an excellent quick reference. You simply lookup the functionality that you need. The right hand page shows the functionality in short, working code. With notations by the author explaining the code and how each piece of the functions works. While the left hand page has a narrative about the callouts on the right hand side. The book is just what the title says a C++ Reference NoteBook.

I am so f***king tired of inaccurate reviews, it makes me sick to my stomach sometimes, u know had i not come across this book at my college library i would of actually gone with the negative reviews of this book, NOW let me actually say few things about it that are FAIR AND BALANCED.
1)BEST FUNCTION OF THIS BOOK: STUDY GUIDE, Letting u look up topics you don't quite understand but have done reading on in your textbook

2)use this book **WITH** a solid c++ textbook(get familiar with c++ syntax), personally it helped me grasp confusing concepts easier and faster, and it even allowed me TO BE ABLE to move ahead of what was being covered in class with confidence, THE CONCEPTS, not the applications of them, okay
***3)This book is not ideal for learning c++ from the scratch, but rather to give comprehension of c++ topics, right about the time u start scratching your head, meaning you've done some hardcore getting to know c++, late at night in your dorm room, personally it helped me A)get more out of the TEXT on the particular concept it the author was discussing B) so i could move on to the next topic in the text.

4)it wouldn't hurt to have it, if you're starting out in c++, especially in a computer science 101 course will that be/is taught in c++.

5) Once again, as i mentioned earlier, i came across this book, looking for a book to help me with my c++ studies, meaning, i had done a few chapters of reading, I ATLEAST KNEW WHAT FUNCTIONS WERE, IT GAVE ME A SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WRITING TO FUNCTIONS BY VALUE OR BY REFERENCE for example.

6) GET THE SECOND EDITION.

7) I'M SURE I DON'T HAVE TO TELL U THIS, BUT U BETTER BE READY TO SPEND SOME SERIOUS TIME IN THE COMPUTER LAB IF U PLAN ON GETTING ANYWHERE WITH C++, NO MATTER WHAT BOOK YOU'RE USING, PERIOD.

i've reapeated myself for a reason.

laterz and good luck.

I like the layout of the book. I think the Oct. 7 review was too harsh in complaining about arrowheads. I never noticed the problem he complained about. The back of the book does not claim that color is used inside, but that bold type is used, which is done. What's good about the book is its organization and presentation of info. It is a useful reference. It's much easier to find answers to questions in this book than in Bruce Eckel's book, e.g.. It's also nice that he does more than simply show how pointers to pointers work. He mentions when you would want to use them. The book is helpful. But, his discussion on the new operator is a bit dated. The new operator used to return a zero on failure, and maybe it still does on many compilers. But the new standard has the new operator throwing an exception when it fails. So this is an error, maybe a minor one. The section on pointers to functions had a typo in it. You can figure it out, but it detracts from the book. Not a great book, but not a terrible book either. A so-so book. I do love the organization and presentation. Since some of the info is out of date in this book, you might want to consider an older (slightly dated) book: "The C++ Programmer's Handbook" by Paul Lucas. Too many textbooks are poor references. A good reference would be good to have. I use Lucas and "C++ FAQs, 2nd. Ed.".

The C++ syntax is not in color but rather many times in bold black covered many times with thick bold black arrowheads covering code. Leaders of arrowheades are misplaced. C++ syntax code in bold most the time is not spaced from the following variable's name. Partly other non c++ syntax is in bold (black). It appears that the writer was not abble to use his wordprocessor placing arrowheads and the leader lines correctly not covering other code, also he seems to forget to switch off the bold command so that other code, not being syntax, turned out in bold. Again the book does not show the C++ syntax in color as claimed at the introduction pages but rather in black and bold. many places the syntax is in plain printing not outlined at all what the book claims the color (none existing) was used. This book is not recommendable, not even to professionals. I have not evaluated if even the arrowheads pointing at the correct code, some I sah at first hand apparently don't. I am from now on carefull if I buy another book from Prentice Hall. It is irresponsible from the publisher to let such a poor production slipp throuh.

You'll love this style if you want to quickly learn c++. This is not a tutorial, but an excellent quick reference. You simply lookup the functionality that you need. The right hand page shows the functionality in short, working code. And best of all the author using callouts pointing to each piece of the code explaining what each piece does. The left hand page contains a narrative that is less useful than the right hand callouts. It's really a very nice touch.

Interesting concept of explaining C++ through the use of diagrams and pointers to code segments. Really useful I must admit despite what others say.

Each area of C++ is concisely explained with examples on e next page. Great for QUICK references. HOWEVER, its filled with minor spelling errors.... this can be quite disappointing, but hey, its not that bad. What area of C++ is explained? Just the usual stuff, but nothing to do with library definitions, but more on e basic stuff like arrays, enums, OO and others.

Definitely a SHORT and QUICK reference book, but for such a thin book compared to the other massive volumes of C++ programming books out there... you might want to look else where. This book is definitely for BEGINNERS ONLY. But the minor errors might cause some confusion.....so watch out.

I would have given this book 5 stars except it needs a little more attention to detail.

I was immediately offended by the preface's claim (p. xviii) of "C++ code ... shown in color" when in fact, there's no color anywhere in the book except on the cover. C++ code is, in fact, shown in bold print.

Syntax for main( ) should be, "int main( )" not ... "void main( )". This could be a result of bad timing. The C++ standard committee may not have established this syntax at the time of publication.

This book is a handy reference, lack of attention to detail aside.

If you're just learning C++, buy this book in addition to another text. I've tried Waite Group's interactive computer course "Master C++"(possibly out of print) and "C++ Primer Plus by Prata". They're good, but I'm still struggling to learn C++ on my own. Lafore's book, "C++ Interactive Course" is well reviewed. I'll try it next, though I believe the "interactive" portion of the title refers to "internet on-line" testing and help. "Master C++" was truly interactive. Your computer led you though writing actual code, a neat concept.