Using Visual C++ takes a straight forward, no-nonsense approach to teaching C++. The book is broken into a number of sections. The first part creates a foundation for the reader. The use of Developer Studio as well as Wizards, editors, and debuggers is covered. The book progress into the Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC). MFC is the libraries of pre-build classes that Microsoft provides to make Visual C++ programming much easier. By understanding how to use the classes within MFC, the reader will be able to create nearly any type of program. Unlike many books, Using Visual C++ does not try to be a compendium of all the questions any person may ever have, rather, the book focuses on teaching the reader to use Visual C++ and on providing quick and easy access to answers and information on Visual C++ basics.
- Based on market research by Market Decisions Corp., Visual C++ is being used by 73% of the professional developers using C++
Using Visual C++ 6 provides a thorough tour of the essential features of Visual C++ 6 with plenty of hands-on programming examples. It's a good guide for any beginning or intermediate C++ programmer who wants to get a handle on Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) and the new Visual C++.
The order of material in Using Visual C++ 6 stresses getting the most out of the wizards and other Visual C++ tools that enhance programmer productivity. Early on, there's some good material on getting familiar with the AppWizard, the basic Project Workspace, and the Resource Editor.
After some discussion of mouse message processing, Using Visual C++ 6 continues with the basics of using ActiveX controls--always a strength of Visual C++. The authors round out their tour of the basics with such topics as working with bitmaps and image lists, the basics of MFC document/view architecture, menus, toolbars (including those fancy new Internet Explorer 4 toolbars called rebars), and Graphical Device Interface (GDI) graphics programming.
Later chapters contain additional background material on more advanced topics. Welcome tips on scrolling and sizing windows will help you create more professional-looking applications. The authors show you how to tap the power of MFC with an exploration of several view classes that simplify using List and Tree controls inside your programs. The text also covers multiple-document interface (MDI) applications and printing.
Throughout the text there are many step-by-step exercises, along with short code excerpts. Since programming with Visual C++ 6--especially in this new version--favors a more rapid application-development programming approach than actually typing code, this book's methods will be absolutely on target for beginning and intermediate C++ programmers. --Richard Dragan
