Mail Archives: djgpp/1999/07/28/21:16:26
Steven Taylor wrote:
>
> Now that I've got what is supposed to be the best implemntation of Mingw32
> (namely egcs - thanks M.K.), is there a FAQ or tutorial(s) so I can get
> started with windows programming?
http://people.montana.com/~bowman/Software/winAPI.htm
There are some links here, though they may be a bit dated. Windows
programming, whether MS, X, or GUI environments, is a bit different than
what you might be used to. Your code must respond to user events such as
a mouse click, changing focus,
keystrokes and so forth in any order and at any time.
Charles Petzhold's books are the best for plain API Windows Programming.
Programming Windows, 5th Edition is the latest, and has been reworked
considerably, but any will get you started. Herb Schildt's Windows 98
book is also good if you don't mind reading the most hated author on
comp.lang.c.
Once you get into it, download one of the WinHelp API references. Jacob
Navia's version at the lcc-Win32 site is pretty complete. The Waite
Group has also published an excellent series with titles like The
Windows API Bible. Hard to get, though. I've found most of mine at
remaindered booksellers for some reason.
MS also sells the hardcopy docs, for something like US$130.
If you have access to the msnews newserver, there are many ng's for all
aspects of Windows programming, as well as those on the
comp.os.ms-windows.* heirarchy.
> Everything I've found so far relates to VC++ and it's got me tearing my hair
> out.
If you really want to get something done, you might want to look at one
of the less expensive versions of VC++ 6.0. As you note, that is how
most people do it, with some diehards using one of the Inprise/Borland
tools. Straight API programming has never been too popular, and you will
have to pay the price for not going along with the herd. OTOH, after you
get proficient, you will understand what you are doing, rather than just
clicking on Wizards, and your skills will transfer to something like X
programming.
--
Bear Technology Making Montana safe for Grizzlies
http://people.montana.com/~bowman/
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