| For the practicing programmer with little time to spare, Essential C++ offers a fast-track to learning and working with C++ on the job. This book is specifically designed to bring you up to speed in a short amount of time. It focuses on the elements of C++ programming that you are most likely to encounter and examines features and techniques that help solve real-world programming challenges.
Essential C++ presents the basics of C++ in the context of procedural, generic, object-based, and object-oriented programming. It is organized around a series of increasingly complex programming problems, and language features are introduced as solutions to these problems. In this way you will not only learn about the functions and structure of C++, but will understand their purpose and rationale.
You will find in-depth coverage of key topics such as:
* Generic programming and the Standard Template Library (STL)
* Object-based programming and class design
* Object-oriented programming and the design of class hierarchies
* Function and class template design and use
* Exception handling and Run-Time Type Identification
Eventually, I realized sadly that the third edition of C++ Primer could no longer fill a similar role for someone needing to learn C++. It had just become too big. I think it's a grand book, of course -- particularly with Josee Lajoie coming on board as co-author of the third edition. But it's too comprehensive for this kind of just-in-time C++ language learning. That's why I decided to write this book.
The full source code of the programs developed within the text as well as the solutions to the exercises is available on-line for downloading both at the Addison-Wesley Longman web site and on my home page (www.objectwrite.com). All the code has been executed under both Visual C++ 5.0 using the Intel C++ compiler and Visual C++ 6.0 using the Microsoft C++ compiler. You may need to modify the code slightly to have it compile on your system. If you make any modifications, send me a list of them (slippman@objectwrite.com) and I will post them, along with your name, in a modifications file attached to the solutions code. (Note that the full source code is not displayed within the text itself.)
About the Author
Stanley B. Lippman is Architect with the Visual C++ development team at Microsoft. Previously, he served as a Distinguished Consultant at the Jet Propulsion Laboratories (JPL). Stan spent more than twelve years at Bell Laboratories, where he worked with Bjarne Stroustrup on the original C++ implementation and the Foundation research project. After Bell Laboratories, Stan worked at Disney Feature Animation, originally as principal software engineer, then as software technical director on Fantasia 2000. |
