Programming In "VC++" -Developer Studio - Part I

[sivaji]

Programming Stuffs in "C" - Technical Skills for INTERVIEW

Visual C++ and the Developer Studio

The Visual C++ Developer Studio application is the centerpiece of the Visual C++ development system. It offers a variety of features, provides access to most Visual C++ development system components, and also provides a front end for other Microsoft development products, such as Microsoft Test, Microsoft SourceSafe, or the Developer Library CD-ROM.

The Developer Studio

This new Developer Studio sports a much-improved source editor, an excellent resource editor, an integrated help system, project build options, and access to other integrated components such as the AppWizard, the ClassWizard, the integrated debugger, and the profiler.


Although the Developer Studio represents the interface of choice for accessing the features of Visual C++, the C/C++ compiler and other components of the development system can also be used from the command line. In some cases, such as when compiling simple test programs, it is actually easier to do than to use the graphical interface.

In this chapter, we begin our tour of Visual C++ by reviewing the Developer Studio and its basic features. In the second half of the chapter, we examine the use of Visual C++ command-line tools.

Developer Studio: An Overview

The Developer Studio offers a series of interfaces for projects, source files, resource file components; and a series of tools for building, running, and testing applications. It also offers integrated access to the Visual C++ help system and other media titles, such as the Microsoft Developer Library.

The Project Workspace

The Project Workspace in ClassView

For those of us familiar with earlier versions of Visual C++, perhaps the most striking new feature in Version 4 is the new project workspace window.

In addition to the old-fashioned presentation of a project as a collection of source files, you are now provided with two new ways of looking at a project. In ClassView, the classes that comprise a project, their member functions and variables, and the project's global variables and functions are presented; in ResourceView, the project's resource file components can be viewed.

The ClassView window provides a hierarchical representation of classes when they are embedded in other classes. It also uses different symbols to identify private, protected, and public class members.

Apart from being pretty, the ClassView is also useful. Double-clicking on any item opens the appropriate file for editing and positions the text cursor on the item. For example, double-clicking on a class name opens the file containing the class declaration and positions the cursor at the beginning of the declaration. Double-clicking on a member function name opens the appropriate implementation file and positions the cursor at the beginning of the function definition.

The FileView window presents a more traditional view of your project. This view lists all your project source files and dependencies. Double-clicking on any file opens the file for editing.

Often you add new files to a project implicitly, such as when you create a new class through ClassWizard. However, if you need to explicitly add a new file to your project, use the Files into Project command from the Insert menu.

Projects and Subprojects

The Project Workspace is not restricted to a single project. You can use the Project command from the Insert menu to insert additional projects into a workspace.

You can add new projects to the workspace as top-level projects or as subprojects. The major distinction is that a subproject participates in the build process; when a project with subproject is rebuilt, its subprojects are rebuilt first.

The use of projects and subprojects allows for a variety of scenarios. For example, a project may have subprojects representing dynamic link libraries. Two top-level projects may represent a client and a server application.

Project Configuration

The Configurations dialog

A project configuration defines how the executable program or library that a project defines is built. When you create a project through AppWizard, a set of default project configurations is also created. For example, if you create a project for the Win32 Intel platform, AppWizard creates two configurations: one for debug and one for release build. Later, project configurations can be added or removed using the Configurations button from the Build menu.

The settings for a specific configuration or set of configurations can be modified using the Settings command in the Build menu. We return to the Project Settings dialog later in this chapter when we discuss building a project.

Editing Source Files

The new Visual C++ source editor offers familiar features, such as drag and drop editing and syntax coloring. It is also extensively customizable.

Keyboard customization

The editor can be made key-compatible with the Brief or Epsilon editors. Key settings can also be customized by the Customize command from the Tools menu and selecting the Keyboard tab in the Customize dialog.

Selecting editor emulations

The preset Brief or Epsilon editor configurations can be invoked through the Options command in the Tools menu. In the Options dialog, select the Compatibility tab. In the Recommended options drop-down box, select the desired editor emulation. The four choices include the default Developer Studio configuration, the Visual C++ 2.0 compatibility mode, and the Epsilon and Brief emulations