Beginner: where to next?

[emin...@googlemail.com]

hi all,

i've just learned the basics of c++ and was wandering where to go from
here.
should i go looking for libraries(perhaps boost?) or learn more of the
c++ syntax? erm, you see
the thing is i get bored writing programs that add numbers or store
data in text files... i want to get to
the interesting stuff e.g graphics,networking,process's...
but i'm not sure i'll understand it all...

well, if i have i'll continue on the syntax and language structure but
i'd prefer to get down and dirty. :-)

thanks e.h.k

[Christian Hackl]

emin...@googlemail.com ha scritto:

> i've just learned the basics of c++ and was wandering where to go from
> here.

Philosophically speaking, where one should go depends first and foremost
on where one wishes to arrive.

> should i go looking for libraries(perhaps boost?) or learn more of the
> c++ syntax?

Getting into Boost is certainly an excellent idea, no matter what you
want to do with C++. It will give you a better understanding of the
language, help you write more robust and maintainable software and give
you a glimpse of some new library features offered by C++09.

Also, you should probably read some more books. I can highly recommend
Effective C++ and More Effective C++.

> the thing is i get bored writing programs that add numbers or store
> data in text files... i want to get to
> the interesting stuff e.g graphics,networking,process's...

Try to write a tool that you actually need and use yourself.

--
Christian Hackl
ha...@sbox.tugraz.at

[Christopher]

All those things take years and years of research and experience. Just
like when you pick up the guitar, you can't expect to jump on stage
and be an instant star playing Van Halen. Get good at all those boring
things because they are going to be required to do the more
interesting things.

[emin...@googlemail.com]

yes, to learn a programming lingo properly it does take a long time
but i find it hard going when i don't have anything interesting to do
i've started learning a number of lingos and stopped because i got
bored,
half a dozen times or so in the end choosing perl which is my current
language of choice
but i've been planning to convert to c++ for some time now.

so...

i know i'm not going to become a pro overnight ut i'd just like a
interesting place to start.

thanks all

[Bart van Ingen Schenau]

I would say, if you feel reasonably comfortable with the syntax and
the basic ideas of C++ (functions, variables, classes, control
statements, using templates), then by all means go ahead and start on
an interesting project.
Unless you are an exceptionally gifted programmer, there _will_ be
times that you don't know how things are supposed to work or how to
continue. That is no shame.
Just come by and ask questions about what you don't understand. Only,
don't be offended if we redirect you to another source of information.
Sometimes, those interesting things are just impossible in standard C+
+ and you need a platform-specific solution for which the experts
reside elsewhere.

Regards,
Bart v Ingen Schenau

[nick_keigh...@hotmail.com]

On 28 Jan, 22:27, Christopher <cp...@austin.rr.com> wrote:
> On Jan 28, 3:52 pm, eminha...@googlemail.com wrote:

> > i've just learned the basics of c++ and was wandering where to go from
> > here.
> > should i go looking for libraries(perhaps boost?) or learn more of the
> > c++ syntax? erm, you see
> > the thing is i get bored writing programs that add numbers or store
> > data in text files... i want to get to
> > the interesting stuff e.g graphics,networking,process's...
> > but i'm not sure i'll understand it all...
>
> > well, if i have i'll continue on the syntax and language structure but
> > i'd prefer to get down and dirty. :-)
>

> All those things take years and years of research and experience. Just
> like when you pick up the guitar, you can't expect to jump on stage
> and be an instant star playing Van Halen. Get good at all those boring
> things because they are going to be required to do the more
> interesting things.

I think that's a mistake. It's as if the budding guitar player was
told "you aren't Van Halen[1] so you must only do scales".

Yes you need all that basic stuff but you don't have to
memorize the entire C++ spec before you write a single
useful or fun application.

If you want to do graphics then a find a C++ graphics
library[2] you like and write something simple. Draw a graph,
bounce a ball, Penrose tile a plane. Your first cut
may be bad code but you can hardly fail to learn something
from it. Isn't programming supposed to be *fun*?!

[1] he's a guitarist, right?
[2] I did it on windows using Win32. That may
not be the best choice but it's easily available.

--
Nick Keighley

[Christopher]

> Nick Keighley- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Sorry, I didn't mean to say do not try. I meant to say, don't expect
instant gratification. By all means get into those interesting things,
but do not expect to make the next greatist hit without alot of work
and time invested.

I've found that programing is one of those things that you can spend a
lot of time on with little to show. When I pull my roomate in and say,
"Look I've finally created a window! I can minimize it, resize it, and
even pop another windows up in the middle of it!" My roomate responds,
"That took you 3 months to learn? are you kidding me?" Of course, now
that I've learned how to do it, it takes me a few minutes to reproduce
and it can be part of something much more grand.

[imanays...@googlemail.com]

thanks for the support guys, also going back to the original
question.. where should i
go from here, maybe boost is a good idea? also any other good
libraries, please post.
my os is mac os x so linux libraries should work fine.

i suppose the boost asio library would be the place start for network
programming...