Skip to main content ↑ ↓

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: Development Jumpstart (Read 3210 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Development Jumpstart

Hello everyone,

As far as multimedia development is concerned, I am a complete newbie. I have a fair amount of experience with C, and Java, however, not much with C++. I thought that the best way to learn C++ would be to take on an already established project. Perhaps I'll try to make my own component soon. Anyways, what I am trying to get at, is that I need your help to point me in the right direction! Just so you know, I am not necessarily looking for help as to how to learn C++, but simply how foobar2000 works. I am quite aware that I'll need to learn C++ in order to be successful. So I think it is best if we just assume that I know how to code in C++.

First of all, which program do you recommend to start coding? I'm currently using eclipse, and have been using it for almost all my programming. Should I use Visual C++ from Microsoft?

Secondly, how should I start learning the software? Are there some specific classes that I should be aware of?  Are there some header files that I absolutely need to learn? What are the most important files? Is this even the best way to get started?

Thirdly, what do I need to know? From your experience, how do you think I should get started? When you look back when you started developing for foobar2000, is there something you wish you knew when you started that you could tell me? =)

Thanks.

Development Jumpstart

Reply #1 –
Okay, here's some tips.

Short version
Look at the sticky threads in this forum.

Long version
You will need to get Visual C++ Express Edition and the Windows SDK. All the project files in the SDK are for the Microsoft IDE. The Windows SDK contains the native Microsoft C++ compiler that you will need to get ABI compatible (i.e. on the binary level) component DLLs. Plus Eclipse CDT cannot use the Microsoft tool chain (yet).

Get a good book on C++. C++ is not a language that can be learned by observation only, i.e. looking at existing code and trying out what it does will not teach you the language in a reasonable time frame. Just to give you a start, Bruce Eckel's book "Thinking in C++" is available as a free download from the author's homepage.

Once you have a grasp on the language, read the foobar2000 SDK readme. Then move on to my component tutorial.

Start with a component without a GUI to make things easier for yourself.
 

Development Jumpstart

Reply #2 –
Exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you.