Using Visual C++ 6 [Paperback]

Jon Bates (Author), Timothy Tompkins (Author), Tim Tompkins (Author)

Book Description

Series: Using ... (Que) | Publication Date: August 1998

Using Visual C++ takes a straight forward, no-nonsense approach to teaching C++. The book is broken into a number of sections. The first part creates a foundation for the reader. The use of Developer Studio as well as Wizards, editors, and debuggers is covered. The book progress into the Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC). MFC is the libraries of pre-build classes that Microsoft provides to make Visual C++ programming much easier. By understanding how to use the classes within MFC, the reader will be able to create nearly any type of program. Unlike many books, Using Visual C++ does not try to be a compendium of all the questions any person may ever have, rather, the book focuses on teaching the reader to use Visual C++ and on providing quick and easy access to answers and information on Visual C++ basics.

• Based on market research by Market Decisions Corp., Visual C++ is being used by 73% of the professional developers using C++

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Using Visual C++ 6 provides a thorough tour of the essential features of Visual C++ 6 with plenty of hands-on programming examples. It's a good guide for any beginning or intermediate C++ programmer who wants to get a handle on Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) and the new Visual C++.

The order of material in Using Visual C++ 6 stresses getting the most out of the wizards and other Visual C++ tools that enhance programmer productivity. Early on, there's some good material on getting familiar with the AppWizard, the basic Project Workspace, and the Resource Editor.

After some discussion of mouse message processing, Using Visual C++ 6 continues with the basics of using ActiveX controls--always a strength of Visual C++. The authors round out their tour of the basics with such topics as working with bitmaps and image lists, the basics of MFC document/view architecture, menus, toolbars (including those fancy new Internet Explorer 4 toolbars called rebars), and Graphical Device Interface (GDI) graphics programming.

Later chapters contain additional background material on more advanced topics. Welcome tips on scrolling and sizing windows will help you create more professional-looking applications. The authors show you how to tap the power of MFC with an exploration of several view classes that simplify using List and Tree controls inside your programs. The text also covers multiple-document interface (MDI) applications and printing.

Throughout the text there are many step-by-step exercises, along with short code excerpts. Since programming with Visual C++ 6--especially in this new version--favors a more rapid application-development programming approach than actually typing code, this book's methods will be absolutely on target for beginning and intermediate C++ programmers. --Richard Dragan

Product Details

• Paperback: 850 pages
• Publisher: Que; 1st edition (August 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789716356
• ISBN-13: 978-0789716354
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,477,523 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't look for other books. This is it. You found it here !, November 18, 1999

By 

Petar Banicevic (Zagreb, Croatia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Using Visual C++ 6 (Paperback)

Here is a list of books that I bought last time I was shopping.

>Using Visual C++ 6

>Using Visual C++ 6 (Special Edition Using...)

>Visual C++ 6 from the Ground Up

>Windows Telephony Programming

>Mastering Visual C++ 6

>Visual C++ 6 Programming Blue Book

>Beginning Visual C++ 6

First I have to tell you my profile so you can find out if my comment 'works' for you. I am Delphi programmer for about 4 years, I used to program in C for dos, pascal and bit in assembly. By the time of programming in Delphi I got experience in API.

I wanted to learn Visual C++. Well, I am not total beginner, at least not at programming, but in Visual C++ I am beginner, the only thing I could do in VC is to write and compile a little DLL to be used in Delphi.

Here is my opinion about this book. Among these 7 books this one is the best is "Using Visual C++ 6". It is example how other books should be written.

So "Using Visual C++ 6" - is my pick. Here is why:

It has example for every basic control. Examples are very small, which makes you remember example, and you can understand it well. Some things are not explained in detail, which is also good approach - too much details at the moment you are about to learn most important basic is not good. Details come by the time.

Not only examples and explanations are excellent. Organization of book is very helpful. Every important chapter has its goal. Every important paragraph has little notes on margins. This helps a lot later when you go back to remind yourself about how to do something, then you can read the Margin Text.

After the explanation, author gives you the information where in the book you can find more about the matter. So If you are interested in details he directs you right there.

NO OTHER book has such organised way or teaching. I will not comment other books here, I just wanted to say that this one is the best. And off course I have to say THANKS to authors, and I wish they make many other good books as they did this one.

Thanks you for reading too.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For the price you can't lose!, September 2, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Now in Germany, but from California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Using Visual C++ 6 (Paperback)

I liked this book. I knew C++, but had no clue about Visual C++. Hell, I even know Visual Basic, but when it came trying to figure out VC++, I was lost. If you are in the same boat as I am, then I HIGHLY recommend this book for a first VC++ book. It has many great step through examples that are easy to follow. It is true that it doesn't get into too much detail about the inner workings of Windows or C++, but I wasn't expecting that. It goes over most major topics with VC++ though. COM,SDI,MDI,ActiveX even a bit with some DirectX stuff. At the moment I am going though the ENTIRE book, and learning about more of these topics that I initially skipped. I HIGHLY recommend this book if you already C, or C++ and want to learn VC++ rather quickly and easily.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you for writing this book!, September 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Using Visual C++ 6 (Paperback)

I bought this book based on the reviews on amazon's web-site. This is the best Visual C++ 6 book I've ever seen. It can help the beginner and on up. The code examples are flawless and applicable to commercial problems. This book is easy to read cover to cover and that makes it a rare find.

Thanks again Jon & Tim.