Advice for starting C++

[shane01101]

Hey I am going to be starting studying C++ in about a week when I have a lot of free time and I was looking for some advice on what materials I will need. I have experience in java, I have taken 2 java classes at my college. I am starting classes at university in a month and one of our classes is C++/Math class and I have no C++ experience. The counselor said its ok I dont have C++ experience but im not so sure about that.

I have read Java: Introduction to Problem Solving and Programming (5th Edition) by Frank Carrano and am still reading Thinking in Java by Bruce Eckel.

The two books assigned for my C++/Math class are Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications by Kenneth Rosen and Data Abstraction & Problem Solving with C++ (5th Edition) by Frank Carrano.

I wanted advice to whether I need to purchase a beginner C++ book and if so some recommendations or if I can start with the 2 assigned books for my upcoming class.

[Cydboi]

Do you have any C experience? If so, you will find C++ very simple to learn. C++ is just mainly C with classes and many new features which make it much more convenient and object oriented.

I first did Java just like you and I found it very convenient and useful in learning C, as the latter is a more rudimentary language. I googled for you one seemingly nice tutorial that you can try out:

http://einstein.drexel.edu/courses/Comp_Phys/General/C_basics/

You will probably find it very familiar to what you already learned, except for when you will get into pointers. Pointers is one of the fundamentals in both C and C++, although it is not present in Java.

Overall, C++ is in between C and Java, as it has both the procedural aspect of C and the object oriented possibilities (and even more) as Java does.

Hope I helped you!

[Gz64jE8b]

Java is a derivative of C++, if you know Java you should understand C++ fairly easily.

[1vRz3TCk]

shane01101, this may seem like an odd question but are you interested in learning C++ or learning enough to get you through the C++/Math class?

If you want to learn C++ then yes a good book on the language would be worth while, somthing like C++ Primer (Lippman et al).^[1]

If you want to just get through the course (i.e. that will be the extent of your involvement with C++) then it may not be worth getting a book, you could try this sites tutorials^[2] and see how you get on and there are plenty of people here that are willing to help out if you get stuck.


____________________________
[1] http://www.amazon.co.uk/C-Primer-Stanley-B-Lippman/dp/0201721481/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313572822&sr=8-1
[2] http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/

[shane01101]

Thanks for the advice and links they were helpful. I want to actually learn C++ because I am trying to become a software engineer when I graduate. I bought Accelerated C++ for $21, a very good deal. My teacher also said I don't need to know any C++ and provided me with link to free book Thinking in C++ 2nd edition Volume 1 and 2. I am reading Thinking in Java currently and think its a great book, I hope Thinking in C++ is just as good, if not better. I have 2 java books I am going to read which is Thinking In java, then read Effective Java, and finally accelerated C++ within a month to refresh my programming skills. I havent done any programming in almost 3 months need to get started.

[brokenbot]

Screw all these good books... A good project is needed :D

[sohguanh]

You learn most by doing so it would not be advisable to just read book after book without any practical hands-on experience. A balance is needed. You can read book but along the way set some small assignment for practising. Best is to have a small project that you can utilize what you have learn from the whole book into the project. This is what I call learning and doing. Learning without doing indicates you maybe academic-inclined but not hands-on inclined.