Hey y''all, I have Teach Yourself Visual C++ in 21 Days, Ivan Horton''s Introduction to Visual C++ 6.0 (came with VC++), and of course the beloved world wide web. Since I can''t step outside of my bewilderment, does anyone have suggestions on how you, yourself learned to program in C++? What do you think? Should I stay on one book, finish it (whether or not it has errors galore like Sam''s TYVC++ in 21 days) and then move on? I''ve just become so scatterbrained with every resource I am challenged to focus. Partly, because I want to learn the basics and I want to learn it NOW! I want to CHOMP instead of chew. I am willing to sacrifice some of my sanity...... Forgive my incoherent thought process...I''m somewhat tired. Please, let me know your challenges and victories in learning so that I know, though the hill is steep, others like myself can climb it to C++ profficiency... "I Vanna Fryyyy Skyyyy Hiiiiiiigh! Vroooll to get Vyyy!" -Sega''''s "Daytona USA"

There are 4 things that you need to do in order to learn C++ (At least that worked for me)

1. Find someone to dicuss with.
One thing is learning by yourself, but having someone to discuss with really boost learning process, and also you get more committed (Use GD.Net, flipcode or whatever if you don't have anyone where you live).

2. Projects.
Code, code, code, code. It almost doesn't matter what you do, as long as it can keep your interest up.

3. Enroll in a class.
Now this is proparly the best thing to do, I've learned a lot at school, and no not from my teacher . I got a lot of projects, and used my knowledge to help my class mates and actually got a better understanding of things.

4. Read.
Keep reading everything you can get a hold of, and try new things out.

That's about all. You could start making a little game like tetris or TicTacToe (Helped me) and then move on

Hope this helps

-- Sturm

---------------------------------------------------
Life after death? No thanks, I want to live NOW
--- Sturm 2001

Edited by - Sturm on November 26, 2001 11:22:17 PM

Program.
Program.
Program.
Start out small, get big.
After you get the basics of C++ down, get the OpenGL Red book and learn opengl basics. Graphics are alot more fun than watching text on the screen.
Learn...just learn. So long as its interesting, read in a topic.
You will find surprising applications for stuff.
For instance, I`m thinking about applying chaos theory to get a random numbre generator. Not that I`m great at chaos theory...
I`ve written a small un-published paper on genetic algorithims for school. I used a textbook on genetics for the esentials...

So learning stuff and applying it in your program is how you do it.



I came, I saw, I got programmers block.
~V''''lion

I am an ''auditory'' leaner. I had three teach yourself books, but wasn''t picking up very much (I was ok until the chapters about pointers). I enrolled in class, and instantly picked up on all that I had read about. In all reality, I probably wouldn''t have done so well in class (105%) without the prior study, but I still needed to have a trained profesional to reinforce what I had already read about. Another good thing is to get a good problem, and code a program for it, then go back and do it again as differently as you can. I did this three or four times on one project just to see how much I had learned during the semester.

What I didn''t know, but I''m just figuring out, is that you also need to take some more advanced math courses if you want to program 3D games. So, if you plan on taking a course on programming, I suggest also getting a couple of math courses under your belt while you are there.

Good luck.

The instructor had an optional lab and assignment. I did them, plus I always set the curve on the exams.

Okay...one thing at a time and code like crazy...got it. Thanks for the encouragement and feel free to add anymore suggestions that pop up in your minds.

"I Vanna Fryyyy Skyyyy Hiiiiiiigh! Vroooll to get Vyyy!" -Sega''''s "Daytona USA"