Frustrated

[alternative3d]

I am new to programming and have been going through the tutorials here and books to get a feel for c++. When I first started I was excited about learning c++ as a hobby but now I seem to be getting frustrated by the whole thing. I understand most of the concepts but not sure what to do next. I tried downloading SFML to see if I could make simple games but found it to much of a pain to get working properly and gave up on it. Is there a fun or practical use for c++ for the hobbyist to explore or is it mostly creating arrays and varibles which gets boring after a while.
Thanks

[3hM2Nwbp]

It wasn't so long ago I was in your shoes. The concepts of static linking, dynamic linking, setting up search paths, and generally fiddling around with your compiler and/or the libraries that you're trying to use are really aggravating at first, but trust me, stick with it and you'll soon master it. *Edit - or at least scrape by with enough configured to use it. :P

What IDE are you using, first of all?

[alternative3d]

Hi Luc
I am using Visual C++ 2010 express. I don't mind learning the concepts of the language and actually enjoy it. But I guess the frustration set in when I tried to install SFML so I could try and program a simple game. It was a total pain to say the least and still cannot get it to install. I am not sure if there is anything imbedded in VC 2010 that will run programs other than the WIN 32 dos screen because if there is I have not been able to excute it..

[Athar]

Is there a fun or practical use for c++ for the hobbyist to explore or is it mostly creating arrays and varibles which gets boring after a while.

There is one use to C++ and any other programming language, to hobbyists and professional programmers alike: creating programs of any type. "Creating arrays and variables" are means to an end, not the aim.

Edit: if you're new to programming, it might be better to install a Linux distribution (e.g. Ubuntu) alongside your Windows installation. The advantage is that when installing libraries such as SFML using the package manager, all files are installed to paths where the compiler will find them without additional configuration. This makes things much easier, especially when just starting out. Once you're familiar with linking and related topics, you should be able to get it working on Windows without too much trouble.

[3hM2Nwbp]

I haven't used SFML in the past, but I'll try to set it up in VS2010 when I get back from work. I'd be happy to walk you through it.
*Edit - Yeah, console programming with C++ is just the tip of the iceberg.
*Edit2 - Can't resist, Athar's post count 1337.

[alternative3d]

Luc
If there is another console that is recommended over SFML than I am all ears. The only reason I tryed SFML in the first place was because I heard it was a good place for beginners to work with.

[3hM2Nwbp]

SFML isn't a console library, it's for building graphics based applications, but from what I've heard around this community, it's fairly easy to use once it's set up.

[alternative3d]

Athar
So there is no conflict installing Ubuntu in Windows environment?

[Disch]

If you had a hard time installing SFML, then I don't recommend installing two OS's. =P

[alternative3d]

Thanks Disch

[zb0S216C]

Why not use a virtual machine? The operating system runs in the main memory. Plus, No reboot is required when installing/uninstalling, Virtual Box is free, you can run any operating system on it( as long as you have the ISO ), and the main operating system, such as Windows, will run in the background. So in theory, you're running two operating systems simultaneously.