Our Ironclad Guarantee
You must be satisfied. Try our print books for 30 days or our eBooks for 14 days. If they aren't the best you've ever used, you can return the books or cancel the eBooks for a prompt refund. No questions asked!
Murach’s C++ 2008
Murach’s C++ 2008 is designed to teach you the C++ language as quickly and easily as possible by taking advantage of the Visual Studio 2008 IDE. Along the way, you’ll also learn how to use C++ 2008 to develop Windows Forms applications. When you finish this book, you’ll not only know how to use C++ 2008 for developing new applications, but also how to use Visual Studio to compile, run, and enhance legacy C and C++ programs.
As an amateur, recreational programmer with a little knowledge of Visual Basic, I approached C++ with trepidation. However, this book is at just the right level for a serious (even amateur) programmer! It covers the basics but provides enough depth to actually design and write programs. I had the disadvantage of a non-OOP background, but the remarkable clarity of this book got me through the new (to me) concepts."
Posted at an online bookseller
- About this Book
- Table of Contents
- FREE Downloads
- Book FAQs
- Corrections
- Reviews
Who this book is for
If you want to add C++ to your skill set, this book makes it easier than ever. That’s true whether you’re a C#, Visual Basic, or Java programmer. That’s also true if you’re a novice who wants to learn C++ as your first programming language.
To make that possible, this book uses a unique instructional method that lets you set your own pace. For example, section 1 guides you through the basics of using Visual Studio and the .NET Framework with C++. So if you’re a Visual Basic or C# programmer who is already comfortable with this IDE and Framework, you can skim this section. If you’re a Java programmer, you’ll need to read more carefully and maybe do the exercises at the end of each chapter. And if you’re a novice, you’ll need to study the chapters and do the exercises to make sure you get off to a good start.
What you'll learn in this book
- Section 1 teaches the basics of working with the C++ language and Visual Studio 2008. Here, you’ll learn how to develop a simple Windows application.
- Section 2 presents the data types, control structures, and other essential elements of the C++ 2008 language, as well as the core .NET classes for Windows applications.
- Section 3 teaches the powerful object-oriented programming features of the C++ 2008 language. Here, you’ll learn how to create your own business and data access classes, and you’ll learn how to use the data access classes to populate the business objects with data from files. You’ll also learn how to use inheritance, polymorphism, interfaces, and much more.
- Section 4 shows how to work with text, binary, and XML files. That’s one way to provide the data that is used to populate the business objects of an application.
- Section 4 ends with a chapter that shows you how to use the tools and features of Visual Studio to work with legacy C and native C++ programs. This means that you’ll learn how to compile and run the thousands of legacy programs that are available. You’ll also learn how to enhance legacy programs and how to use legacy code in Windows Forms applications and Visual Studio console applications.
What software you need
To develop Windows applications with C++ 2008, you can use any of the full editions of Visual Studio 2008, including the Standard Edition, Professional Edition, or Team System. All of these come with everything you need to develop Windows applications, including Visual Studio, version 3.5 of the Microsoft .NET Framework, and C++ 2008.
You can also use the Visual C++ 2008 Express Edition. This product provides everything you need to use this book, and it can be downloaded from Microsoft’s web site for free.
What people say about this book
"I received the books today, and it felt like getting a key to the secrets of the Universe."
Robert Espiritu, Developer, Washington (after ordering our C++, Visual Basic, and Oracle SQL books)
"This book is the most complete, easy-to-use, and instructive manual I have read in the past 25 years. Every member of a project using C++ should have copy of it on their desk; I certainly will."
Szabolcs Michael de Gyurky; posted at an online bookseller
"One thing I really liked about this book is how the author discussed how to test and debug C++ code in the Visual Studio environment. This is an important topic that all developers need to use when developing any application."
Eric Mortensen, Northeast Ohio Oracle Users Group
"In reviewing this book for inclusion in Computer Information System courses, I find it to be one of the easiest to understand of its type. A programmer with any C# or Java in their background would be able to pick up C++ very effectively."
Eric M. Notheisen, Adjunct Faculty, Central Piedmont Community College, North Carolina
"A well-written, easy-to-follow, and informative book covering a wide variety of topics in C++ for Windows.... This book is highly recommended for anyone looking to develop Windows applications with C++, Visual Studio, and the .NET platform."
Adam Steckel, Online Technical Editor
"Never have I found such a helpful book to learn to program as Murach's C++ 2008. The format of the book was refreshing.... The examples and exercises are not the trivial examples that I have found in many books over the years. They are examples taken from the real world of business programming. I wish I had a book like this when I was in school in the early 1990s. It helps to reduce the learning curve required to learn a new programming language."
Posted on a forum at www.dreamincode.net
To view the table of contents for this book in a PDF, just click on the link below:
Sample chapters
Chapter 3: How to code and test a Windows Forms application
Chapter 3 teaches you how to use C++ in a Windows form application. And it gets you started with practical debugging techniques that you'll use all the time.
Chapter 3 PDF (952Kb) Download Now
Book applications and exercises
This download includes:
- all of the applications presented in this book
- the starting points for all of the exercises
- the solutions for all of the exercises
- the files that are used by the applications and exercises
Appendix A in the book shows how to install and use these files.
Exe file for Windows (1.27Mb) Download Now
Zip file for Windows (1.27Mb) Download Now
On this page, we’ll be posting answers to the questions that come up most often about this book. So if you have any questions that you haven’t found answered here at our site, please e-mail us. Thanks!
To view the corrections for this book in a PDF, just click on this link: View the corrections
Then, if you find any other errors, please email us so we can correct them in the next printing of the book. Thank you!