Am I just stupid?

[Avragehuman]

Hey guys, I'm new to C++, I have small amounts of training in XHTML, but this is just blowing my mind. I've read the first 3 pages of the tutorial over...and over..and over again, I still don't get this! I don't know what to code in, how to run it, or anything really. Only thing I've gathered is that putting "//" behind something makes it a comment and it doesn't effect the program. Am I really this stupid? am I doing something wrong? What's going on? Sorry to take up a slot in the forum, but just getting out of high school, I really want to learn C++.

Thanks for your time,
Jeff

[hamsterman]

To run your code you need to get a compiler. Download Code::Blocks IDE, it will have one.

[Jikax]

Only thing I've gathered is that putting "//" behind something makes it a comment and it doesn't effect the program.

I hope you mean before;)

Am I really this stupid?

No one is stupid, you just don't have the knowledge yet.
did you look at http://cplusplus.com/files/tutorial.pdf ?

there are a lot of c++ tutorials out there.

[fafner]

Oh my, this is exactly how I felt when starting out :p As suggested earlier, download an IDE (integrated development environment) which will automate the steps of building and running your program, so that as a beginner, all you have to do is write some code and hit the run button :)

[Moschops]

Oh my, this is exactly how I felt when starting out :p As suggested earlier, download an IDE (integrated development environment) which will automate the steps of building and running your program, so that as a beginner, all you have to do is write some code and hit the run button :)

In the interests of balance, I take the opposite approach; if you start with an IDE, you will not understand how turning the text file into a program works and you will struggle every time something goes wrong.

I suggest a barebones command line compiler, which will mean there is less to learn in the beginning (you'll be learning C++, not how to operate an IDE) and will give a far more secure base of understanding (if you can actually understand how the compiler/linker chain works, you will sadly be in the top 20% of programmers).

[Avragehuman]

That's the thing, I don't know any of it. Nothing at all. No idea how to run a IDE (or what one is for that matter), What it does, what any of the underlining code is (or does), or how I can manipulate it to preform my will!

[Moschops]

Do you have a compiler yet?

[Avragehuman]

I actually do, Codeblocks. It any good?

[Moschops]

Codeblocks is not a compiler; it is an IDE.

An IDE is a tool to automate some of the drudge work involved in programming. This has benefits and disadvantages, as most such tools do.

The compiler is a command-line program that takes a text file(s) and turns it into a binary object file. Codeblocks calls that compiler for you on demand. If you look through the codeblocks options, you'll find a list of compilers in which you pick the one you want to use. It is up to you to make sure that compiler exists, but if you simply downloaded Codeblocks with compiler, it came with one to save you having to go looking for one yourself (the GCC compiler and GDB debugger from MinGW).

[Avragehuman]

... Derp. In that case.. no I didn't get a compiler, any recommendations?

[Jikax]

maybe the easiest way is to isntall a linux distro like Ubuntu, is has the compilers build in and you can use any text editor to create your first code.

[Avragehuman]

I found one called Bloodshed, anyone have any experience with it?

[fafner]

I see your point, Moschops, I use command-line compiler and linker myself, but it might be hard to start with that if you don't know how to use the command-line.

Avragehuman, did you download codeblocks with or without compiler? I think there are options for both.

[Avragehuman]

I believe I was without. Man I'm so lost in this, I feel like an utter fool. I hate this feeling of complete and total lack of independence I have in this project I've taken on, I have no idea what's going on.

[fafner]

Don't worry. Learning C/C++ is not easy, especially if you haven't done much programming before. To download codeblocks WITH compiler, go here: http://www.codeblocks.org/downloads/26 and download codeblocks-10.05mingw-setup.exe

[Avragehuman]

Downloading now, any tips/tricks on using it/learning C/C++?

[fafner]

For a quick start: Open codeblocks, go File->new->project, and from the menu select "Console application". In the following wizard, select C++, next, and then enter the name of the application. Then just press next once or twice until the wizard closes (You should, however, in time learn what all the different settings in this wizard are :) ). After that there will be a new project in the leftmost panel. Expand it and expand the folder called sources, and click on the .cpp file inside. It contains the most basic c++-program. Click the button with a sort of cog-wheel behind a play-button on it, and it will build and run the program for you.

[fafner]

If you want to go the command-line way (and now that I think about it, I agree more and more with Moschops that this would be a better way to go), here's a guide to get you started: http://www.mingw.org/wiki/InstallationHOWTOforMinGW

[Moschops]

I found one called Bloodshed, anyone have any experience with it?

We all do. Our experience with it is that it's old, buggy and comes with a hopelessly out of date compiler. It's a terrible choice. We have a whole article about not using it.

http://www.cplusplus.com/articles/36vU7k9E/

[catalin10]

I have a question. I see you guys have different views about use IDE or compiler at beginning. Now I'm using Codeblocks which is an IDE, before I used Borland C (at school) and some Turbo C++ at home. Are those two a "barebones command line compiler"? And if they are, I don't see the difference. With all 3 (CB, Borland, Turbo) it's the same thing: write the code, press compile(or build) and then run it. Can someone enlighten me?