Programming Microsoft Visual C++ at Dominant Systems Book Store

Programming Microsoft Visual C++ reveals the structures and systems that make Windows programs work. If you know C well and are at all familiar with C++, this latest version of a classic text is an excellent springboard into programming for Microsoft Windows.

This book is sure to reveal new information to those with Windows programming experience--most of which has to do with the new tools available to Windows programmers. The authors explain COM and Active Template Library (ATL). In learning about those things, you absorb information about ActiveX technologies, database programming, and Microsoft's Internet facilities. Additionally, this guide is still the best around for those who want to put well-behaved windows on the screen, fill them with controls, and have them perform useful functions. Illumination of the Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) has traditionally been this book's strong point, and the coverage of MFC 6 in this edition upholds the tradition.

Throughout, illustrative code translates well to real-world projects (particularly since it all appears on a companion CD-ROM). Each example tackles a particular task, such as how to use a persistent frame window class or how to refer to the contents of Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs). --David Wall

Customer Reviews & Comments
I Just picked up the book from a half price bookstore. It's one of the best buys I made in recent months. The writing style is concise and their explanations extremely clear. A "must buy" for anyone who wants to dive into Win32 programming using MFC. However this is not a book for everyone. It is ideal for intermediate programmers. I'm an experienced C/C++ programmer who wants a quick way of learning VC++ and the Visual Studio 6.0 Development Environment. And this is THE BOOK! I would also recommend the book for seasoned XWindows/Motif programmers who need to learn the popular MFC Windows application framework for porting their applications. It covers in breadth (but not in great details) many topics related to the Win32 environment: Document-View Architecture, ActiveX, COM, ATL, ODBC, Winsock, etc. In essence, it gives a nice capability overview of the VC++ 6.0 development tools. Like some negative reviews posted earlier, I have to warn that the ideal readers should have some prior knowledge about Win32 API or at least some prior exposure to event-driven programming style (Smalltalk experience, also a plus.) A nice companion book for Win32 programming is: "Windows 98 Programming from the Ground Up" by Herbert Schildt. It gives C programmers better understanding of the Win32 API underlying MFC. This is NOT an introductory text, NOR an in-depth reference. It is a comprehensive tutorial that is extremely well written and enjoyable for seasoned programmers who are new to the Win32 environment. I can't wait to start learning DirectX SDK after reading this book. :-)

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