C++ learning tips

Thread Starter

LightningWalrus

Joined Mar 15, 2016
26
Hello ! I'm interested in learning C++ language. I already know basic stuff of C and Python. The problem i have is that i get bored quite quickly when i learn a programming language from a book. It happened when i learned Python from a book called Automate boring stuff with Python by Al Sweigard and it happened when i learned C from a book called Programming in C by Stephen Kochan. I got through half of each book and stuff just got very boring and i lost any interest in further learning. I think the problem was that after each chapter i did exercises which i was not very motivated to do because they seemed useless for me. I wanted to do some programs that might know in use to me or to someone else even if those programs were very premitive. I see a problem in a books linear arangment where you should take one chapter after another and surpress the temptation of hoping over one tasty part of the language to another. Authors usually discourage you from doing that beacause it will be difficult to understand one part without knowing some stuff from previos chapters. My question is: is there any way to learn C++ in more interactive way ? Like learning stuff by doing it.
 

AMenard

Joined Jun 7, 2016
11
Depends on which plateform you're using.
On windows I can recommend the: Begining DirectX 11 game programming

Or you can also register at Lynda.com (online course). They have a C and C++ essential programming course that is quite nice. It's about $30 per month and you can quit whenever you want. I usualy pay for a month, follow the course I want then quit until I need something new.
 

Thread Starter

LightningWalrus

Joined Mar 15, 2016
26
youtube videos?
What kind of activity would keep you interested?
To be honest. I'd love to do some stuff with microcontrollers, i even found an interesting book to learn how to program avr chips in C but all the stuff needed is kinda expensive and my life is very unstable, evrything can crumble in a moment. I don't even know what stuff i would like to do with C++. I began to read a book about it but i don't feel motivated to read that. I just hope that if i have some knowledge about things which you can do in C++ then i can come up with some ideas how to use that knowledge to make something useful. But honestly, it feels like i'm lying to my self at this point. When i read the book about C++ i feel like i always miss something, some minor details which will turn out critical at some point.

Hello,

There are many tutorial to be found on the net.
Here are a couple and a PDF:
http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/
http://www.tutorialspoint.com/cplusplus/

Bertus
This book seems to be interesting and easy to read. >Thanks
 
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AMenard

Joined Jun 7, 2016
11
To be honest. I'd love to do some stuff with microcontrollers, i even found an interesting book to learn how to program avr chips in C but all the stuff needed is kinda expensive and my life is very unstable, evrything can crumble in a moment. I don't even know what stuff i would like to do with C++. I began to read a book about it but i don't feel motivated to read that. I just hope that if i have some knowledge about things which you can do in C++ then i can come up with some ideas how to use that knowledge to make something useful. But honestly, it feels like i'm lying to my self at this point. When i read the book about C++ i feel like i always miss something, some minor details which will turn out critical at some point.
Don't over think it... Whatever you want to do in C++, it can also be done in plain C or python which you are already familliar with.
 

Thread Starter

LightningWalrus

Joined Mar 15, 2016
26
Thanks for the answer. I don't have any particular plans with C++ i just got interested at learning this language.

Edit

If i want to write some simple software like a program for writing and saving your notes. If i write such program in python would would there be some drawbacks compared to if i have written it in c++ ?
 
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AMenard

Joined Jun 7, 2016
11
Nope...

Both are object oriented and such an application doesn't really need the boost in performance that compiled executable has over the interpreted python. In fact, python's vast text and data manipulation routine would result in a faster and easier completion of your project. As in many things, you have to choose the best tool for the job, not necessarly the one that is more "elite" or hip...
 

AMenard

Joined Jun 7, 2016
11
On a side note, looking at the history of home computing, we went from writing program in assembler, then moved to the convenience and easy learning of interpreted Basic, then we reached a point where we needed more performance from our hardware so we turned to compiled language and now, today, with fast as hell cpu and gpu at our disposal we are coming back to interpreted language like Python... What goes around...
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,081
Python is a 'glue' language for wrapping well designed compiled library code (numpy scipy) into a quick solution so the slowness of actual Python code doesn't really matter with good design using its strengths. The whole C++/OOP concept (vs task-oriented programming) while elegant hides a minefield of twisty little passages that embedded (microcontrollers) programmers need to handle with care.
 
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AMenard

Joined Jun 7, 2016
11
Today, I mostly do plain C, Pascal (don't laugh!) or Python (with PyQT) programing. Those meet my need for Low, Mid and High level programing.
 

Thread Starter

LightningWalrus

Joined Mar 15, 2016
26
I don't know much about programming but when i learned Python it satisfied my needs but i always felt like I'm not getting enough but when i started to learn C and then C++ i felt like i got he power !

P.S
I'm going through some though times in my life and that's really nice to have some people to discuss some stuff that you are interested in. Thank you guys for your replies !
 

Thread Starter

LightningWalrus

Joined Mar 15, 2016
26
Are they ? I though there so many web designers and very little places since HTML and CSS are one of the easiest languages on my opinion.

Today, I mostly do plain C, Pascal (don't laugh!) or Python (with PyQT) programing. Those meet my need for Low, Mid and High level programing.
I've never heard someone using pascal nowadays. I'm interested what do you use it for ?
 
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