Differences:
Win32 is the underlying API that is used for making windows programs. It is relatively more difficult to use than the others. It is not object oriented, just a bunch of function calls.
MFC is a class library that is written over top of the Win32 API's. It was made to simplify the coding of windows Apps. Some people like it, others don't.
Forms.NET is the way to code windows apps using the .NET framework. The .NET framework is just a class library that is written for all .NET languages, i.e. C#, VB.NET, managed c++, JScsript.NET. I have written GUIs in VB.NET and found it to be preferable to using MFC. But I haven't tried using it for a c++ application.
As for writing the config file, I assume you mean the .NET config files that are xml based. I can only give a VB.NET sample (because I'm lazy) and you can try and port it to c++. Also try doing a search on google for ".NET Framework Reference" and go to microsofts doc page. There's a lot of good docs there and also quite a bit of sample code if you're willing to look for it.
As for what a reference is, I really hope you don't mean what is a object reference in straight c++. Because if so, you should disregard everything I have told you, and go find a basic c++ book like "The c++ programming language" by Strustrep, and forget about everything else until you've finished it...
The code:
Code:
Module Module1
Sub Main()
Dim col As IDictionary
Dim x As System.Collections.DictionaryEntry
System.Console.WriteLine("Trying to open config file")
Try
col = CType(GetConfig("Testing/SubTesting/Section1"),IDictionary)
Catch ex As Exception
System.Console.WriteLine(ex.Message)
End Try
For Each x In col
System.Console.WriteLine("Name: {0}, Value: {1}", x.Key,x.Value)
Next
End Sub
End Module
The config file:
Code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<sectionGroup name="Testing">
<sectionGroup name="SubTesting">
<section name="Section1"
type="System.Configuration.DictionarySectionHandler" />
</sectionGroup>
</sectionGroup>
</configSections>
<Testing>
<SubTesting>
<Section1>
<add key="Key1" value="Value1"/>
<add key="Key2" value="Value2"/>
</Section1>
</SubTesting>
</Testing>
</configuration>