Language Choices

So I know all of you reading this don't owe me anything so I appreciate the responses given. I'm a fresh computer maintenance tech in a small computer store and I don't aspire to be doing that work for the rest of my carrier.

I'm not planning on becoming some kind of code guru. More as a skill I can put on a resume and a hobby.

I wanted to know what version or C i should start with that would be most practical for writing simple programs to do routine tasks... I loved how VB was so easy to edit and change what buttons did, though ive heard its not very powerful. Should i use Visual C++? C#. C++ or just C? Is there a big difference or are they just slightly different?


TL;DR >> Where should a new person start to get into C quickly with UI's. And what version of C to use...


Edit: Typo.

Visual C++ is a complier and IDE, not a language.
C#, despite it's name, isn't really a C language.
C++ is just an extended C, such that it's even backwards compatible, you can even learn both C and C++ together at the same time.

But to answer your question, it sounds like for what your looking for, is something like Java (esp. since you mention the desired ease of [G]UI programming).
But... as a C advocate, and being we're on the C board... learn C++.

I would start with C# as it is easier to learn, is in big demand, is easier to create stable apps with and has lots of online resources (to find help/code/controls).

Visual C++ is the common name for C++ with WIN32 API or MFC (a MS C++ WIN32 wrapper). It is used to create C++ apps with a MS windows GUI. It is powerful but has a steep learning curve and is harder to create a stable app with.

C is not popular, mostly used in embedded devices (though XPe C++ / C# is becoming more common as IPCs become more powerful) and has a lot of disadvantages in WIN32 apps compared to C++ (ie lack of polymorphism and inheritance).

VB.NET is also in use but I would recommend C# if begining.

All have the same resource editor as VB. where you can click on a control and it will allow you to edit the code for that control.

I highly recommend C# for GUIs. It's just far too simple to get a working GUI up in C# to recommend any other solution. For myself and novacain we can probably produce the same type of GUI in MFC or C# in about the same amount of time with equivalent functionality. However we also understand that MFC does take some getting used to and at the end of the day it's probably not worth it since it yields the same results as just doing it in C#.

If you know and are used to MFC then use MFC. If you don't know any MFC then I recommend C#.

It might also be possible to note that C# and C++/CLI can interop with each other. So you can write your GUI in C# and your code in C++, if that is your desire. That might be an interesting fact.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Elysia

It might also be possible to note that C# and C++/CLI can interop with each other. So you can write your GUI in C# and your code in C++, if that is your desire. That might be an interesting fact.

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I dident know, thanks again guys for the responses, i have some more research to do before i stick with something but the help goes a LONG way. Cheers!

Good luck choosing your language, then.

If you do choose C++/CLI and C# and you run into interop issues, and you will, post about them here in this forum. I've been in interop hades for quite some time now.