C++ Inquiry

**Nephalim** · 08-08-2003, 10:40 PM

I'm thinking about starting back again with C++ (wow, does that ever sound cliched) and I'd like to know what an easy/popular widget API is for Windows programming that isn't MFC. I tried to learn MFC a number of years ago and just about threw myself and my computer out the window. I want to write (anything!) a program with a windows-like interface. You know, check boxes, text boxes, drop down menus, toolbars, the whole bit. If you have a good suggestion, perhaps you could also post some links to some tutorial sites so I can get a feel for how difficult it is before I slit my wrists over it.

**Flip** · 08-09-2003, 12:38 AM

I want to have the windows look and feel, but I want to do it in Java, are there any APIs that resemble windows for Java?

-Robert

p.s. or Perl, or any other free language...

**Nephalim** · 08-09-2003, 12:58 AM

Java has an interface controller that allows you to either explicitly or dynamically choose between a windows interface, a java interface, or some other kind of interface. Look in the java class listing on java.sun.com

**EverlastingGod** · 08-10-2003, 01:18 PM

I'm not sure if there's anything besides MFC that you can use.

Java has a Windows Look and Feel, a Java L&F, and a Motif L&F. The Windows one however, I don't think it looks up the system's look and feel but rather automatically assumes it's the "classic" gray look (default on everything but XP).

http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutor...ml#lookandfeel

http://developer.java.sun.com/develo...e.html#JFCLook

**ksuohio** · 08-10-2003, 07:56 PM

This may not be the suggestion that you are looking for, but you might want to try VB.Net or C#. A lot easier than using MFC from what I've seen and it keeps that Windows look and feel.

**Nephalim** · 08-10-2003, 09:47 PM

I know there are other widget libraries out there, I'm just not sure what exactly they're called, and more importantly, which are any good. I thank you guys for your suggestions, but I think I just need to spend more time researching in other places

I'm so lazy. Also, part of the point of not using MFC was to get away from Microsoft if I could. VB.NET and C# would only get me closer instead of further away. Thanks anyways.

**rock** · 08-11-2003, 08:33 AM

Another GUI interface to think about is Tk. We've wrapped a number of C applications incide a Tk interface to have some level of platform independence. Everything C still needs to be compiled on separate platforms, but the interface is portable.

**Nephalim** · 08-11-2003, 06:29 PM

K, I found TK (GTK), wxWindows, Amulet, Motif, Qt, etc. Now to figure which is easy enough for me and still retains some usefullness. They all must, I found a whole lot of info on all of these... Ah yes, the wonders of programming.

**Remington** · 08-16-2003, 02:48 PM

Give borland delphi or c++ builder a try, they both use a library called the visual component library, which is much more object oriented than MFC and a whole lot easier to use. Once you're done that, you can learn borland's other library that vcl is partially based on, CLX. This is system independant for the most part so you can compile the vast majority of it's code (and therefore, your code) on linux.

**gameboy1234** · 08-23-2003, 04:57 PM

Qt is popular becuase it's used by KDE, a GUI toolkit for Linux. I don't know how much of Qt KDE exposes, but you can look at the tutorials on their website. http://kde.org , iirc.

Or you can just use the Win32 API and interface that to C++ directly, which is what I do. Make your own objects and inheritance trees. Not hard, and kinda fun I would think if you're learning. Petzold is the source everyone quotes for the basic Win32 API, but I found his book to be somewhat incomplete. Lotta $$ for little API. You can get decent tutorials on line if you google for "win32 api tutorial".

**god_shiva** · 08-24-2003, 01:48 AM

MFC is easy when used with its helper - the MSDN library

Start with a real simple textbook style application - get it to work once and you will begin to understand the feeling of MFC

Do one again - and with a little help from google and MSDN you can program anything

If you really need to avoid MFC use JAVA or VB

**dighn** · 08-24-2003, 08:19 AM

Originally posted by gameboy1234

Or you can just use the Win32 API and interface that to C++ directly, which is what I do. Make your own objects and inheritance trees. Not hard, and kinda fun I would think if you're learning. Petzold is the source everyone quotes for the basic Win32 API, but I found his book to be somewhat incomplete. Lotta $$ for little API. You can get decent tutorials on line if you google for "win32 api tutorial".

learning Win32 API will also make MFC easier to grasp

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