Thread: Ask Me About Programming

Some dodgy C++ knowledge here.
[/b]

Sorry, it's been a while since I've used &

Ok, Kaniaz
proper question

In your opinion, what's the best way to incorporate 3rd party modules into a program?

take the boost libraries, for example
I want to use some of them

Dynamically linked (shared objects), or statically linked to my main program?

I'm thinking:

Dynamic

+ easy to update library's (bug fixes, etc.) without recompiling my project
- DLL Hell (or SO hell, depending....)

Static

+ easy for me, as I know in advance all interfaces to 3rd party components
- have to re-compile entire project if one 3rd party component is updated

My opinion? Probably dynamic, unless your application just so happens to be so terribly suited to static linking for some reason. But this is just out of what seems to be a general convention more than any compelling reason otherwise and I trust you not to take my word as some sort of gospel (duh). I'm going more with instinct than any facts and figures that make either way compelling.

Good old hell with those DLLs is one of the major problems with dynamic linking and something you want to avoid (who wouldn't?), but what with things like Microsoft's 'side-by-side' facilities, a bit of common sense and perhaps a teeny tiny bit of luck you shouldn't really have a problem with that. At least, not in this day and age. You'd think.

If I remember correctly Boost is a bunch of C++ utilities and "things" that just make your life easier. Something like that I might just statically link for speed/"so I know it works", and because it might not inflate the .exe as much as say, statically linking all of DirectX in.

Do you like answers that are basically 'maybe'? To be honest your linking method is probably rather inconsequential.

Originally Posted by Kaniaz

If I remember correctly Boost is a bunch of C++ utilities and "things" that just make your life easier. Something like that I might just statically link for speed/"so I know it works", and because it might not inflate the .exe as much as say, statically linking all of DirectX in.[/b]

yeah,
like the boost regex library
it's just a portable class that gives you regular expression functionality
it's internal to my program only (ie. it doesn't communicate with anything outside)
so I'm inclined to statically link it

but something like database API's
dynamic

ok, thanks

I've got a question.
This is less about the programming itself and more about the actual programming process, but here goes:
I'm just getting into C++. I'm still on the basics, but I'm learning quickly, and in a while I'm going to want to get my hands dirty with some experience.
What would you recommend as a good starting point for some actual work for somebody new to C++?
I've looked at possibly joining some open source projects and working on patching problems, would that be a good starting point, or not?

Originally Posted by Kaniaz

Code:

void foo(int *bar)
{
bar=45;
}

[/b]

Wouldn't that be:

Code:

void foo(int *bar)
{
(*bar)=45;
}

so as to change the value of the int instead of changing the pointer's target?

I learned Hypercard first, then VB, then C++, and now I use Java. Hypercard isn't quite a programming language, but I count it because it's what got me interested. The great thing about Hypercard is that some of the commands are grammatically correct.

so as to change the value of the int instead of changing the pointer's target?[/b]

You know, I think you're right. How's that for irony? Thanks for pointing it out.

What would you recommend as a good starting point for some actual work for somebody new to C++?
I've looked at possibly joining some open source projects and working on patching problems, would that be a good starting point, or not?[/b]

Myself, I spend a lot of time mucking around and making me own program - although it doesn't really have much use other than as a learning experience. I would reccomend you took a look at a project similar to one you'd like to try making, so when you do get stuck, you can see how "other people" do it.

At college, I started with C++ and then went on to Java. My C++ knowledge isn't the greatest (in fact for a programmer I'm not the most knowleadgeable about computers! lol) but I've done the basics.

I want to create windows apps, I enjoy C++ but I found that Java has a much friendlier way of doing things with Swing. Even so, where would I get tutorials to do that stuff in C++? Or should I just use visual C++?

I also want to, at some point, do some coding with openGL and stuff for games. Where would I get my hands on some tutorials and easy to follow books?

Originally Posted by 13redfan

I also want to, at some point, do some coding with openGL and stuff for games. Where would I get my hands on some tutorials and easy to follow books?[/b]

This site has a lot of good tutorials
http://www.cprogramming.com

Main tutorials list
http://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial.html

awesome! thanks man

this site is all about openGL, http://nehe.gamedev.net/