Practical C++ Programming, Second Edition

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 600 pages
• Published by: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
• Edition: 2nd Edition January 2003
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0596004192
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0596004194
• Book Dimensions: 8.9 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Weighs: 1.8 pounds

Product Description
C++ is a powerful, highly flexible, and adaptable programming language that allows software engineers to organize and process information quickly and effectively. But this high-level language is relatively difficult to master, even if you already know the C programming language. The 2nd edition of Practical C++ Programming is a complete introduction to the C++ language for programmers who are learning C++. Reflecting the latest changes to the C++ standard, this 2nd edition takes a useful down-to-earth approach, placing a strong emphasis on how to design clean, elegant code. In short, to-the-point chapters, all aspects of programming are covered including style, software engineering, programming design, object-oriented design, and debugging. It also covers common mistakes and how to find (and avoid) them. End of chapter exercises help you ensure you've mastered the material. Practical C++ Programming thoroughly covers:

• C++ Syntax
• Coding standards and style
• Creation and use of object classes
• Templates
• Debugging and optimization
• Use of the C++ preprocessor
• File input/output

Steve Oualline's clear, easy-going writing style and hands-on approach to learning make Practical C++ Programming a nearly painless way to master this complex but powerful programming language.

About The Author
Steve Oualline lives in Southern California, where he works as a software engineer for a major phone company. In his free time he is a real engineer on the Poway Midland Railroad. Steve has written almost a dozen books on programming and Linux software. His web site is http://www.oualline.com .

Reader Reviews
This is a programming textbook for C++ that assumes that you have little or no programming experience. Over half of the text is dedicated to basics of programming, constructions like arrays and so on - even the idea of classes isn't broached until p. 191. But the serious problem with this text is that it encourages really bad things without warnings. For instance, every C++ programmer knows that class destructors really, truly ought to be virtual; but the text doesn't mention this at all until chapter 21, when discussing virtuality. Up until then, even the examples in the text include non-virtual destructors. Someone reading this text without reading it cover-to-cover, with extraordinary care, will miss this rather crucial point completely - and if, gods forbid, they end up using some of the sample code for their own purposes, they'll find themselves with bugs that are very difficult to track down. This is unfortunately symptomatic of the style of the text as a whole. So many of the examples contain major flaws which aren't even discussed until the end of the book that they're virtually useless, except perhaps as good exercises in "What's wrong with this code snippet?" Not recommended - there are better books out there.