C++ Without Fear A Beginner's Guide That Makes You Feel Smart

Learning C++ Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult!

Have you ever wanted to learn programming? Have you ever wanted to learn the C++ language behind many of today’s hottest games, business programs, and even advanced spacecraft? C++ Without Fear, Third Edition, is the ideal way to get started. Now updated for the newest C++14 standard and the free Microsoft Visual C++ Community Edition, it will quickly make you productive with C++ even if you’ve never written a line of code!

Brian Overland has earned rave reviews for this book’s approach to teaching C++. He starts with short, simple examples you can easily enter and run. Within a couple of chapters, you’ll be creating useful utilities, playing games, and solving puzzles. Everything’s simplified to its essentials, patiently explained, and clearly illustrated with practical examples and exercises that help you make progress quickly.

Overland reveals the “whys” and “tricks” behind each C++ language feature. And you’ll never get bogged down in complex or pointless examples: He keeps you 100% focused on learning what works and what matters—while having fun!

This new and improved edition

• Covers installing and using the free Microsoft Visual C++ Community Edition— but you can use any version of C++
• Explains valuable improvements in the new C++14 standard
• Modularizes C++14 coverage so it’s easy to write code that works with older versions
• Teaches with even more puzzles, games, and relevant exercises
• Offers more “why” and “how-to” coverage of object orientation, today’s #1 approach to programming
• Presents more ways to use Standard Template Library (STL) code to save time and get more done
• Contains an expanded reference section for all your day-to-day programming

Whether you want to learn C++ programming for pleasure or you’re considering a career in programming, this book is an outstanding choice.

Brian Overland has professional experience as a programmer on large commercial projects, as an author of six books, and as a teacher of programming. At Microsoft, he was a programmer, writer, and manager, winning several awards for writing. He’s been involved with several hi-tech start-ups since then. When not programming or writing programming books, Brian is an actor and novelist.

Proposed Table of Contents

Preface to the Third Edition

Chapter 1. Your First C++ Programs

Chapter 2. Decisions, Decisions

Chapter 3. The Handy, All-Purpose “For” Statement

Chapter 4. Functions: Many Are Called

Chapter 5. Arrays: All In a Row…

Chapter 6. Pointers: Getting a Handle on Data

Chapter 7. Strings: Getting a Handle on Text

Chapter 8. Files: Electronic Storage

Chapter 9. Some Advanced Programming Techniques

Chapter 10. Introducing Classes: The Fraction Class

Chapter 11. Constructors: If You Build It…

Chapter 12. Operator Functions: Doing It With Class

Chapter 13. Dynamic Memory and the String Class

Chapter 14. Two Complete OOP Examples

Chapter 15. Easy Programming with STL

Chapter 16. Inheritance: What a Legacy

Chapter 17. Polymorphism: Object Independence

Chapter 18. More STL Containers

Chapter 19. Advanced Features of C++14 and C++17

Appendix A. Operators

Appendix B. Data Types

Appendix C. Syntax Summary

Appendix D. Preprocessor Directives

Appendix E. ASCII Codes

Appendix F. Standard Library Functions

Appendix G. I/O Stream Objects and Classes

Appendix H. STL Classes and Objects

Appendix I. Glossary of Terms

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.