C++ in 24 Hours, Sams Teach Yourself

by Rogers Cadenhead, Jesse Liberty

Overview

Sams Teach Yourself C++ in 24 Hours is a hands-on guide to the C++ programming language. Readers are provided with short, practical examples that illustrate key concepts, syntax, and techniques.

Using a straightforward approach, this fast and friendly tutorial teaches you everything you need to know, from installing and using a compiler, to debugging the programs you’ve created, to what’s new in C++14.

Step-by-step instructions carefully walk you through the most common C++ programming tasks
Quizzes and exercises at the end of each chapter help you test yourself to make sure you’re ready to go on

Learn how to...

• Install and use a C++ compiler for Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux
• Build object-oriented programs in C++
• Master core C++ concepts such as functions and classes
• Add rich functionality with templates and lambda expressions
• Debug your programs for flawless code
• Learn exception and error-handling techniques
• Put to use the new features in C++14, the latest version of the language
• Create and use templates
• Control program flow with loops
• Store information in arrays and strings
• Declare and use pointers
• Use operator overloading
• Extend classes with inheritance
• Use polymorphism and derived classes
• Employ object-oriented analysis and design

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780134192550
Publisher:	Pearson Education
Publication date:	08/02/2016
Series:	Sams Teach Yourself
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	480
File size:	19 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Rogers Cadenhead is a writer, computer programmer, and web developer who has written more than 25 books on Internet-related topics, including Sams Teach Yourself Java in 21 Days and Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Minecraft Mods Programming. He publishes the Drudge Retort and other websites that receive more than 22 million visits a year. This book’s official website is at http://cplusplus.cadenhead.org.

Jesse Liberty is the author of numerous books on software development, including best-selling titles on C++ and .NET. He is the president of Liberty Associates, Inc. (www.libertyassociates.com), where he provides custom programming, consulting, and training.

Table of Contents

 Introduction     1
PART I:  BEGINNING C++
Hour 1:  Writing Your First Program     5
Using C++     5
Compiling and Linking the Source Code     6
Creating Your First Program     7
Hour 2:  Organizing the Parts of a Program     13
Reasons to Use C++     13
The Parts of a Program     17
Comments     19
Functions     20
Hour 3:  Creating Variables and Constants     27
What Is a Variable?     27
Defining a Variable     32
Assigning Values to Variables     33
Using Type Definitions     34
Constants     36
Auto-Typed Variables     38
Hour 4:  Using Expressions, Statements, and Operators     43
Statements     43
Expressions     44
Operators     45
If-Else Conditional Statements     52
Logical Operators     56
Tricky Expression Values     58
Hour 5:  Calling Functions     61
What Is a Function?     61
Declaring and Defining Functions     61
Using Variables with Functions     64
Function Parameters     67
Returning Values from Functions     68
Default Function Parameters     70
Overloading Functions     72
Auto-Typed Return Values     73
Hour 6:  Controlling the Flow of a Program     79
Looping     79
while Loops     79
do-while Loops     83
for Loops     84
switch Statements     89
Hour 7:  Storing Information in Arrays and Strings     95
What Is an Array?     95
Writing Past the End of Arrays     97
Initializing Arrays     98
Multidimensional Arrays     99
Character Arrays     102
Copying Strings     104
Reading Arrays with Foreach Loops     105

PART II:  CLASSES
Hour 8:  Creating Basic Classes     109
What Is a Type?     109
Creating New Types     110
Classes and Members     110
Accessing Class Members     112
Private Versus Public Access     112
Implementing Member Functions     114
Creating and Deleting Objects     116
Hour 9:  Moving into Advanced Classes     123
const Member Functions     123
Interface Versus Implementation     124
Organizing Class Declarations and Function Definitions     124
Inline Implementation     124
Classes with Other Classes as Member Data     127

PART III:  MEMORY MANAGEMENT
Hour 10:  Creating Pointers     135
Understanding Pointers and Their Usage     135
The Stack and the Heap     145
Null Pointer Constant     150
Hour 11:  Developing Advanced Pointers     155
Creating Objects on the Heap     155
Deleting Objects     155
Accessing Data Members Using Pointers     157
Member Data on the Heap     158
The this Pointer     160
Stray or Dangling Pointers     161
const Pointers     162
const Pointers and const Member Functions     163
Hour 12:  Creating References     167
What is a Reference?     167
Creating a Reference     167
Using the Address of Operator on References     169
What Can Be Referenced?     171
Null Pointers and Null References     172
Passing Function Arguments by Reference     172
Understanding Function Headers and Prototypes     177
Returning Multiple Values     177
Hour 13:  Developing Advanced References and Pointers     183
Passing by Reference for Efficiency     183
Passing a const Pointer     186
References as an Alternative to Pointers     189
When to Use References and When to Use Pointers     191
References to Objects Not in Scope     191
Returning a Reference to an Object on the Heap     192
Pointer, Pointer, Who Has the Pointer?     195

PART IV:  ADVANCED C++
Hour 14:  Calling Advanced Functions     199
Overloaded Member Functions     199
Using Default Values     201
Initializing Objects     203
The Copy Constructor     204
Compile-Time Constant Expressions     208
Hour 15:  Using Operator Overloading     213
Operator Overloading     213
Conversion Operators     224

PART V:  INHERITANCE AND POLYMORPHISM
Hour 16:  Extending Classes with Inheritance     231
What Is Inheritance?     231
Private Versus Protected     234
Constructors and Destructors     236
Passing Arguments to Base Constructors     239
Overriding Functions     244
Hour 17:  Using Polymorphism and Derived Classes     251
Polymorphism Implemented with Virtual Member Functions     251
How Virtual Member Functions Work     256
Hour 18:  Making Use of Advanced Polymorphism     267
Problems with Single Inheritance     267
Abstract Data Types     271

PART VI:  SPECIAL TOPICS
Hour 19:  Storing Information in Linked Lists     287
Linked Lists and Other Structures     287
Linked List Case Study     289
Linked Lists as Objects     298
Hour 20:  Using Special Classes, Functions, and Pointers     301
Static Member Data     301
Static Member Functions     303
Containment of Classes     305
Friend Classes and Functions     312
Hour 21:  Using New Features of C++14     331
The Newest Version of C++     331
Using auto in Function Return Types     332
Improved Numeric Literals     334
The constexpr Keyword     335
Lambda Expressions     338
Hour 22:  Employing Object-Oriented Analysis and Design     343
The Development Cycle     343
Simulating an Alarm System     344
PostMaster:  A Case Study     350
Hour 23:  Creating Templates     373
What Are Templates?     373
Instances of the Template     374
Template Definition     374
Using Template Items     381
Hour 24:  Dealing with Exceptions and Error Handling     391
Bugs, Errors, Mistakes, and Code Rot     391
Handling the Unexpected     392
Exceptions     393
Using try and catch Blocks     397
Writing Professional-Quality Code     403

PART VII:  APPENDIXES
Appendix A:  Binary and Hexadecimal     411
Other Bases     412
Around the Bases     412
Hexadecimal     416
Appendix B:  Glossary     419
Appendix C:  This Book’s Website     427
Appendix D:  Using the MinGW C++ Compiler on Windows     429
Downloading MinGW-w64     429
Setting the Path Environment Variable     431
Testing Your Installation     433
Index     439