About VC++ from Windows 7 SDK....

I know this is not a generic C++ question but perhaps some of the VC++ users here can fill me in...

A family member is beginning a course in C++ programming after New Years and they're recommending he set himself up with Visual Studio 2010, Professional ... which in Canada comes with a $1,000 price tag.

Now, from experience with the Microsoft Windows 7 SDK I know there's a VC++ compiler supplied with the SDK that creates native code. I can hook this up with Code::Blocks (etc.) easy enough and I can add resource editing etc from other free sources. I've done this before as most know, even tacked it onto POIDE in Pelles C... but there's one nagging question I can't seem to find an answer to...

Is the free VC++ compiler in the SDK complete... or is there some essential library or header(s) missing?

If there is something missing... is there a way to add it?
(No BS about third party libraries please!)

I'd really rather not have my kid dumping $1000 from an already tight budget, if I can help it...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CommonTater

Is the free VC++ compiler in the SDK complete... or is there some essential library or header(s) missing?

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The current official Visual Studioo 2010 Express page brings me to a comparison of Visual C++ 2010 Editions. The comparison shows that ATL, MFC and OpemMP are the libraries not included with the Express edition. Likewise, the resource editor is not included.

If your family member is a student, check if there is some kind of "academic alliance" scheme to obtain a professional edition copy at a lower price.

The VS version shipped with the SDK is VS2008 SP1, so if they're going to be to using C++0x or any of the newer features he'll have to use the Express version of the IDE, hope his institution is listed on http://www.dreamspark.com so he can bag a free pro version, or hope they're enrolled in MSDNAA as laserlight mentioned and that the administrator of the program actually does his job.

O_o

The SDK versions is what I have installed on most of my machines. It is "complete" in that you can easily use it to develop any standard C++ application, but it only support a few bits of "TR1". (You can get some other "TR1" bits from the "Boost" library.) You will lose the convenience of the integrated debugger. (The integrated debugger is literally the only reason I've ever had the IDE installed.) If he needs, or just wants, the integrated debugger you'll be fine with the "Express" version.

If they aren't teaching anything that the "Express" version is missing it would be a waste of money to buy anything. If they are teaching him the few bits it doesn't support "out-of-the-box", like MFC, he would be better off finding another source of instruction.

Soma

Quote:

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Originally Posted by laserlight

The current official Visual Studioo 2010 Express page brings me to a comparison of Visual C++ 2010 Editions. The comparison shows that ATL, MFC and OpemMP are the libraries not included with the Express edition. Likewise, the resource editor is not included.

If your family member is a student, check if there is some kind of "academic alliance" scheme to obtain a professional edition copy at a lower price.

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There in lies the problem... I've compared the includes that come with the SDK and those in the Express IDE... right off the top there are about 30 more headers in the SDK version than in the Express version...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CommonTater

I'd really rather not have my kid dumping $1000 from an already tight budget, if I can help it...

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You are absolutely right; who the hell is gonna install (buy!?) VC++ Professional for a beginner kid for 1000$? This software will be old before he is able to use a quarter of its features.

Btw. here in Poland we don't have such problems, since we get every version of VC++ for free ;]

I'd seriously look at the academic licence. The last version of it I saw was 2007, but it had MFC, ATL and all the usual stuff you'd expect from a full blown release.

I'm not sure why Express would not be good enough. There isn't really anything "essential" missing, unless you count some obsolete technologies, and certainly nothing a kid would be using in a beginning programming course.

At the cost of free, it's zero risk.