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c++ - A Few questions and rant about VC++

reply Phil Thompson <Phil_member pathlink.com> writes:
Hi there,

Although the following questions may seem fairly trivial, buying a new
development environment is not just about spending money. As I have a fair sized
project in Visual C++ .NET 2002 it will take time to get used to the new IDDE
and it's not just about buying as much as it is about investing. I've made the
decision to switch because I'm not prepared to pay £100 for a non optimizing
compiler that I get absolutly no support on and that is obsolete within a year
with no upgrade path so I have to spend another £100 to those money grabbing bar
stewards!!!

Anyway, so far the Digital Mars compiler seems to fit the bill for ANSI standard
compiler with continous upgrades and plenty of online support. I just have a few
questions mainly regarding the IDDE.

1. What can be syntax highlighted? Can non fixed pitch fonts be used?
2. Are the Class Wizards customizable? Do they only work for MFC or can they be
configured to generate custom classes?
3. How can the views be customized?
4. Not essential but does the IDDE support any kind of autocomplete? Support for
autocomplete in VC++ is pointless because it doesn't handle nested namespaces
which I use quite a lot.
5. Are there any problems converting a project from VC++ to DMC++?
6. Does the IDDE have a tree view? VC++ has a pointless notion of virtual
folders which drives me mad. Why they don't just take the folder structure from
the file system I don't quite know. They seem to think everyone will use the
source files/header files/resources structure which is useless when your project
consists of several hundred classes/files (I use one class per file as with
Java).

I guess a screen shot of the IDDE would be nice. I've seen a few snippets in the
docs but a full screen shot would give me a better idea. I'm planning on adding
my own tools so if there is any support for this in the IDDE it would be useful
to know. I've wrote a macro in VB for VC++ that generates a class from a
template file which I use a lot so being able to do something similar would be
an added bonus.

Sorry for the long post I guess for $30 I could just buy it but as I said it's
an investment as once I've found the right product I want to stick with it.

Thanks,
Phil
Apr 25 2003
next sibling parent "Phil Thompson" <phil electricvisions.com> writes:
Sorry I didn't mean questions about VC++. The questions are about DMC++ and
rant is for VC++ incase I mislead anyone :)

Thanks.
Phil


"Phil Thompson" <Phil_member pathlink.com> wrote in message
news:b8avh9$5ho$1 digitaldaemon.com...

 Hi there,

 Although the following questions may seem fairly trivial, buying a new
 development environment is not just about spending money. As I have a fair


sized

 project in Visual C++ .NET 2002 it will take time to get used to the new


IDDE

 and it's not just about buying as much as it is about investing. I've made


the

 decision to switch because I'm not prepared to pay £100 for a non


optimizing

 compiler that I get absolutly no support on and that is obsolete within a


year

 with no upgrade path so I have to spend another £100 to those money


grabbing bar

 stewards!!!

 Anyway, so far the Digital Mars compiler seems to fit the bill for ANSI


standard

 compiler with continous upgrades and plenty of online support. I just have


a few

 questions mainly regarding the IDDE.

 1. What can be syntax highlighted? Can non fixed pitch fonts be used?
 2. Are the Class Wizards customizable? Do they only work for MFC or can


they be

 configured to generate custom classes?
 3. How can the views be customized?
 4. Not essential but does the IDDE support any kind of autocomplete?


Support for

 autocomplete in VC++ is pointless because it doesn't handle nested


namespaces

 which I use quite a lot.
 5. Are there any problems converting a project from VC++ to DMC++?
 6. Does the IDDE have a tree view? VC++ has a pointless notion of virtual
 folders which drives me mad. Why they don't just take the folder structure


from

 the file system I don't quite know. They seem to think everyone will use


the

 source files/header files/resources structure which is useless when your


project

 consists of several hundred classes/files (I use one class per file as


with

 Java).

 I guess a screen shot of the IDDE would be nice. I've seen a few snippets


in the

 docs but a full screen shot would give me a better idea. I'm planning on


adding

 my own tools so if there is any support for this in the IDDE it would be


useful

 to know. I've wrote a macro in VB for VC++ that generates a class from a
 template file which I use a lot so being able to do something similar


would be

 an added bonus.

 Sorry for the long post I guess for $30 I could just buy it but as I said


it's

 an investment as once I've found the right product I want to stick with


it.

 Thanks,
 Phil
Apr 25 2003
prev sibling parent reply Arjan Knepper <ask me.to> writes:
Phil Thompson wrote:

 1. What can be syntax highlighted? Can non fixed pitch fonts be used?


Highlight any keyword _YOU_ define. Standard provided are C C++ and MFC 
and PREPROCESSOR keywords. No you have to use fixed pitch fonts in the 
editor


 2. Are the Class Wizards customizable? Do they only work for MFC or can they be
 configured to generate custom classes?


They work for MFC and your own custom classes and 3rd party class lib 
classes.


 3. How can the views be customized?


What do you mean? Workspaces? Or the contents of the project window?
Workspaces max 5, completely custom definable, for example my "editting 
workspace: has the projectwindow left, the output window at the bottom, 
the edittor windows all over the place.


 4. Not essential but does the IDDE support any kind of autocomplete? Support
for
 autocomplete in VC++ is pointless because it doesn't handle nested namespaces
 which I use quite a lot.


No not that i'm aware of.


 5. Are there any problems converting a project from VC++ to DMC++?


Depends on your defenition of 'converting'


 6. Does the IDDE have a tree view? VC++ has a pointless notion of virtual


No no virtual folders. You mau define project inside project inside 
projects etc. That will give a tree, clickig a leaf project shows all 
the source files in the left project-pane with the colums (user 
selectable) filename filename-extension filepath date time parsed 
exe/dll virtual. You could also swicth the view to show also the include 
files dependecies etc. And of course you can sort the view on any column!


 folders which drives me mad. Why they don't just take the folder structure from
 the file system I don't quite know. They seem to think everyone will use the
 source files/header files/resources structure which is useless when your
project
 consists of several hundred classes/files (I use one class per file as with
 Java).
 
 I guess a screen shot of the IDDE would be nice. I've seen a few snippets in
the
 docs but a full screen shot would give me a better idea. I'm planning on adding
 my own tools so if there is any support for this in the IDDE it would be useful
 to know. I've wrote a macro in VB for VC++ that generates a class from a
 template file which I use a lot so being able to do something similar would be
 an added bonus.


A marco scrip intepreter is included in the idde.


 
 Sorry for the long post I guess for $30 I could just buy it but as I said it's
 an investment as once I've found the right product I want to stick with it.


This product is defenitly worth your $30.

Attached a few screenshots.

Arjan
Apr 25 2003
parent "Phil Thompson" <phil electricvisions.com> writes:
Thanks Arjan, I think that pretty much answers my questions.

Just need to do some testing with the compiler and then I'll be ordering the
CD.

Thanks again,
Phil

"Arjan Knepper" <ask me.to> wrote in message
news:b8bem1$fj1$1 digitaldaemon.com...

 Phil Thompson wrote:

 1. What can be syntax highlighted? Can non fixed pitch fonts be used?


 Highlight any keyword _YOU_ define. Standard provided are C C++ and MFC
 and PREPROCESSOR keywords. No you have to use fixed pitch fonts in the
 editor


 2. Are the Class Wizards customizable? Do they only work for MFC or can




they be

 configured to generate custom classes?


 They work for MFC and your own custom classes and 3rd party class lib
 classes.


 3. How can the views be customized?


 What do you mean? Workspaces? Or the contents of the project window?
 Workspaces max 5, completely custom definable, for example my "editting
 workspace: has the projectwindow left, the output window at the bottom,
 the edittor windows all over the place.


 4. Not essential but does the IDDE support any kind of autocomplete?




Support for

 autocomplete in VC++ is pointless because it doesn't handle nested




namespaces

 which I use quite a lot.


 No not that i'm aware of.


 5. Are there any problems converting a project from VC++ to DMC++?


 Depends on your defenition of 'converting'


 6. Does the IDDE have a tree view? VC++ has a pointless notion of




virtual

 No no virtual folders. You mau define project inside project inside
 projects etc. That will give a tree, clickig a leaf project shows all
 the source files in the left project-pane with the colums (user
 selectable) filename filename-extension filepath date time parsed
 exe/dll virtual. You could also swicth the view to show also the include
 files dependecies etc. And of course you can sort the view on any column!


 folders which drives me mad. Why they don't just take the folder




structure from

 the file system I don't quite know. They seem to think everyone will use




the

 source files/header files/resources structure which is useless when your




project

 consists of several hundred classes/files (I use one class per file as




with

 Java).

 I guess a screen shot of the IDDE would be nice. I've seen a few




snippets in the

 docs but a full screen shot would give me a better idea. I'm planning on




adding

 my own tools so if there is any support for this in the IDDE it would be




useful

 to know. I've wrote a macro in VB for VC++ that generates a class from a
 template file which I use a lot so being able to do something similar




would be

 an added bonus.


 A marco scrip intepreter is included in the idde.


 Sorry for the long post I guess for $30 I could just buy it but as I




said it's

 an investment as once I've found the right product I want to stick with




it.

 This product is defenitly worth your $30.

 Attached a few screenshots.

 Arjan



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Apr 25 2003