Chapter 1. Programming with Visual C++ 2008

Windows programming isn't difficult. In fact, Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 makes it remarkably easy, as you'll see throughout the course of this book. There's just one obstacle in your path: Before you get to the specifics of Windows programming, you have to be thoroughly familiar with the capabilities of the C++ programming language, particularly the object-oriented aspects of the language. Object-oriented techniques are central to the effectiveness of all the tools that are provided by Visual C++ 2008 for Windows programming, so it's essential that you gain a good understanding of them. That's exactly what this book provides.

This chapter gives you an overview of the essential concepts involved in programming applications in C++. You'll take a rapid tour of the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that comes with Visual C++ 2008. The IDE is straightforward and generally intuitive in its operation, so you'll be able to pick up most of it as you go along. The best approach to getting familiar with it is to work through the process of creating, compiling, and executing a simple program. By the end of this chapter, you will have learned: