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Dark GDK / Object Oriented... Guh?

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Zealous
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Joined: 13th Sep 2004
Location: Colorado Springs
Posted: 1st Mar 2005 12:33
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So im really excited about this SDK. Ive been burned out on DBPro for several months (no reason, I just program in spurts), and I think this is really going to get me going again. It seems like a great way to learn c++ and still be able to get some of the instant gratification you expect form DB.

However, im wondering just why c++ and other 'object oriented' languages are so great? I know when it comes to pure speed/calculations c++ will give you a huge edge, but other than that is there anything I really CANT already do in DBPro? It seems to me that 'object oriented' programming is more of a way of organizing your code, rather than a TYPE of language. I mean, I just dont see a huge difference between these 'objects' everyone talks about and a DBPro custom function. Ive read a few things on the net about OOP, and none have been able to explain the difference.

Well, just a started question. I really want to learn c++ and this seems like a great way to get started. More questions to come.

Thanks in advance! Good to be back!

All you need is zeal
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Zealous
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Location: Colorado Springs
Posted: 1st Mar 2005 12:39
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Blast... Im really Zeal

http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=view_profile&i=f36f4ddda01e8fdd884ba9e10edc07c4

I dont know why it thinks im zealous (ehe). I think I made zealous when I forgot which email I used for zeal (remember I program in spurts so I go away for months at a time lol). Both are registered to this email.

Can any forum mods get back my original ID? Zeals old school.

All you need is zeal
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IanM
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Posted: 1st Mar 2005 20:47
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OO gives you quite a bit - too much to really give you all the benefits in this little text box. Instead, there is an OO FAQ available here for all of the reasons : http://www.objectfaq.com/oofaq2/
Click on the 'Basics' link to start.

Resetting your password
Go to this URL : http://www.thegamecreators.com/?m=user_lost_password
Just enter your email address, and it'll send you a new password - you can change it to something more memorable when you log in. If you don't get the right one, then you'll need to email Rich and get him to reset it for you.

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Red Ocktober
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Posted: 1st Mar 2005 23:38 Edited at: 1st Mar 2005 23:43
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OOP allows you to think in terms of objects... like in the real world... and program using that paradgm...

as opposed to thinking like a programmer... in terms of functions and linear flow.

for instance... say you want to make a car game... well, you're gonna need cars, right... all cars share some basic similarities, right... so, you make a basic car object, test that out, get it working right, and then you can make other more specialized version of cars derived from your basic car...

same thing with anything else in your game... define what the object does, how it relates to the outside world... program these as the objects properties and methods... and there you go...

a lot more intuitive than linear procedural coding.

[added]
learn c first... then learn c++... then learn microsoft visual c++

ms vc++ does things a lil different (organizational wise) and will be a bit overwhelming to jump right into without any prep...

and c is a prerequisite to learning c++... some people will tell you that you don't need to learn c first...

... don't listen to em.

it'll only take a few days to become conversant in c... a few more to get the hang of pointers and some of the obtuse syntax...

then c++ is easier to understand... the syntax isn't much different, but the mindset is the thing...

after all this you will be ready for the amalgum that is vc++

good luck


--Mike
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Benjamin
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Posted: 2nd Mar 2005 22:05
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Quote: "and c is a prerequisite to learning c++... some people will tell you that you don't need to learn c first...

... don't listen to em."

I must say I disagree with that. It depends on how you learn really.


"Lets migrate like bricks" - Me
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IanM
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Posted: 3rd Mar 2005 02:09
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Me too. For example: Why should you have to learn about C character arrays and memory allocation when you can just use strings?

That only applies to the beginner though - we all have to learn about arrays sometime

In addition, you shouldn't get too hung up about objects representing things either - they can represent concepts too (smart pointers, linked lists, direction etc).

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billy the kid
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Posted: 3rd Mar 2005 04:21
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I think the idea behind teaching C first is the teaching method of starting simple and working up to more complex ideas. C is much simplier than full-blown C++. Therefore using the traditional teaching method, that would dictate its better to learn C first. Now of course you could learn C++ without learning C first. But I think it is probably better to not start with C++ since it is more complex. I would say the only exception would be if you have lots of programming experience with other languages already.
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OSX Using Happy Dude
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Posted: 3rd Mar 2005 04:30
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With C you are pretty much guaranteed to be able to use any written code (and to generally use the same functions and routines) on all C compilers whether its for the PC, Apple, Linux, Cray or Zodiac.
The same goes with C++ as long as you dont use any vendor specific extras - I can image converting an MFC program to Linux would be a slight problem.

C is taught first because it is easier to understand that C++, after all, if your new to programming, would you be able to grasp classes, polyporphism, friends, public and private functions, overloads and things like that ?

Visit http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~nickk/
Questions are a burden to others, answers a prison for oneself.
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IanM
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Posted: 3rd Mar 2005 21:45
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Ok, joining two strings together.

In C


In C++


Which is easier? Strings were easy in BASIC, and they really caused me a lot of problems when I first switched to C. Then I learnt C++, and found strings became easy again.

Linked list, keyed trees, automatically-resized arrays - all are easier with C++.

It's harder to learn the WHOLE of C++ than learning C, but you can get a lot more done with less learning with C++.

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billy the kid
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Posted: 3rd Mar 2005 21:58
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1 or 2 things being easier in C++ hardly justifies it as being easier. And BTW the argument is that linked lists, etc are too advanced for complete beginners.
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Erick G
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Posted: 4th Mar 2005 02:58
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Heard of STL ? That is hardly difficult.
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billy the kid
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Posted: 4th Mar 2005 03:50
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Knowing how to use an API/SDK does not mean you know a language. Knowing STL just means you know STL. But if you can rewrite STL then you know C++ pretty well Id say.
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Erick G
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Posted: 4th Mar 2005 12:54
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The same can go for DirectX and OpenGL. But I understand where you are coming from.

STL is your friend though.
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billy the kid
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Posted: 4th Mar 2005 13:33
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Sometimes STL is your friend. And sometimes it can drive you insane with speed and stability issues. As long as you dont go crazy with it, it is fine. But if you start needing a list of queues of vectors, you better write your own stuff.
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