1. Reference Material
1.1 C++
- gcc/g++ compiler
- gdb debugger user manual.
- cplusplus.com reference material describes the C++ std library
- The C++ FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) has a wealth of information about object-oriented programming in general and about C++ specifically.
- If you want the real low-down on what is and isn’t legal, and can wade through some fairly technical details, check the draft ANSI/ISO standard for C++
1.2 Unix/Linux
- CS 252 Introduction to Unix for Programmers
2. Software Downloads
All software listed here is free unless explicitly stated otherwise:
2.1 Compilers
The GNU g++ compiler comes in various packages. It’s pretty much the same compiler. What varies are the supporting libraries.
Before installing a compiler, look at the IDE (below) that you want to use. Some will already include a copy of a compiler.
Linux users: use your Linux distribution’s normal mechanism for loading new software packages to install g++.
- Windows users: You have two main choices.
- The Cygwin project provides a Unix (technically Posix) emulation layer that allows many open source *nix packages to be compiled and run on Windows systems without modification. Install CygWin, then use its setup program to add g++ and gdb. This will give you a compiler plus library set that will be almost indistinguishable from waht we run on our CS Linux servers.
- MingW is a “spin-off” of the CygWin compiler port that allows you to obtain g++ and gdb without the overhead of running the Unix emulation layer of CYgWin. (Code compiled by MingW can be used on other Windows PCs that don’t have CygWin.) You may encounter occasional differences in the libraries supported by MingW and the ones used on our Linux network.
As a general observation, both of these ports are high-quality and should work well for you.
OS/X users can obtain the g++ compiler via Apple’s XCode program. You need to register with Apple as a developer, but registration (and the software) is free. The entire XCode package is rather large, but you don’t need that whole package. You get the compiler by installing the smaller “XCode Command Line Tools” package. (Actually, you get two C++ compiler suites this way: GNU g++ and the LVM clang suite. Both are actually good quality compilers, and you may want to eventually try them both out. It’s fairly easy two switch from one to another by changing project settings in your IDE.)
2.2 C++ IDEs
An IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is a package that helps you work with an editor, compiler, and debugger and generally provide some support for orgranizing your code into projects..
Some IDE’s come with a compiler suite included. All can be used with compilers that you have downloaded separately, though not every IDE can work with every compiler. Downloading the compiler separately may make it a bit trickier to get started with the IDE (you may need to tell it where you have put the downloaded compiler) but may make it easier to update the compiler when new releases are available.
Recommended: Code::Blocks for Windows or Linux machines. This is the IDE practiced in the labs for this course.
Windows users can download the binary release that includes the MinGW port of g++. If you have already downloaded and installed MingW or CygWin g++, then download a Code::Blocks distribution without the pre-packaged compiler.
Linux users should install g++ first, then download and install Code::Blocks.
As of summer 2013, I don’t recommend Code::Blocks for OS/X (Mac) machines, as the debugger support seems to be broken.
Equally Recommended: Eclipse for Windows, Linux or OS/X machines. A more professional-level environment than Code::Blocks, Eclipse is probably the most widely used IDE in the open source community. You will find lessons on using Eclipse in CS252, Compiling and Developing under X.
Eclipse comes in many varieties. C++ programmers will want to start with the “Eclipse IDE for C/C++ Developers). (All of these varieties differ from one another only i nthe set of plugins and extensions installed at startup. You can add all the features on another ”variety" at a later date.)
Eclipse does not come with a C++ compiler. You will want to install a compiler first, then install Eclipse. With luck, Eclipse will try to find the compiler the first time you run it. If it can’t, you will need to tell it where you have put your compiler.
Not recommended: Dev-C++
A lot of people in this Dept have grown fond of Dev-C++ package from Bloodshed Software. But I don’t recommend it because it has gone so long since it’s been updated (Feb 2005). The compiler version packaged with it is now badly out of date.
3. PDF generation
The following programs will allow you to generate PDF from any Windows program that allows printing. Generally, these create a special printer that writes to a file instead of to a physical output device. (Note that increasing numbers of Windows programs support options for direct generation of PDF. Such built-in generation is usually preferable to the fake printer approach.
