Written by one of the preeminent authors of books on programming languages, this new edition of the current bestseller is fully updated to cover the .NET (Whidbey) release of Visual C++. Serving as a comprehensive introduction to both the standard C++ language as well as C++/CLI for .NET, the book also continues the tradition of Ivor Morton's unique approach to teaching programming languages.

You'll learn the essentials of Visual C++ 2005 and get a thorough introduction to the techniques used for accessing data sources in both Microsoft Foundation Classes and Windows Forms applications. Plus, the exercises included at the end of most chapters will help you apply what you've learned as you make your way to becoming an effective C++ programmer.

What you will learn from this book

• How to use the capabilities of Visual C++ 2005 to create applications
• Unique aspects and new features of Visual C++ 2005
• The basic ideas and techniques involved in debugging
• Ways to build a graphical user interface for your application
• How Microsoft Windows applications are structured
• Tips for understanding the nuances of C++ without getting confused by the complexities of Windows GUI programming

Who this book is for

This book is for novice programmers who are looking to write C++ applications for the Microsoft Windows OS. No previous programming experience is required.

• Programming with Visual C++ 2005
• Data, Variables, and Calculations
• Decisions and Loops
• Arrays, Strings, and Pointers
• Introducing Structure into Your Programs
• More about Program Structure
• Defining Your Own Data Types
• More on Classes
• Class Inheritance and Virtual Functions
• Debugging Techniques
• Windows Programming Concepts
• Windows Programming with the Microsoft
• Foundation Classes
• Working with Menus and Toolbars
• Drawing in a Window
• Creating the Document and Improving the View
• Working with Dialogs and Controls
• Storing and Printing Documents
• Writing Your Own DLLs
• Connecting to Data Sources
• Updating Data Sources
• Applications Using Windows Forms
• Accessing Data Sources in a Windows Forms Application
• Appendix A: C++ Keywords
• Appendix B: ASCII Codes
• Index