Coding help

[tvizz]

I know a lot of people on this forum are proficient coders... However every time I try to take a C++ tutorial and run with it I can never get past working with the compiler/ Getting it to compile, even a copy/paste hello world script....

I have done some light scripting. (TI-83 simple programs) And took a look at some java bot script, but otherwise have have 0 experience and would like to start getting (actually) good with computers. Everyone I know thinks im some sort of genius when I fix there computer but I know better, I want to learn the real stuff.

[Neomex]

Then grab a book and learn it, beggining will be a really hard time thou... ( as you might have noticed )

If you need any help on some specific things just ask.

[thorfinn]

Well, there is something I can tell you: if you think that popular IDEs and programming environments of today are very complicated to use, it\'s not all in your head. They really are.

I wrote serious programs (i.e. I got grades/scientific results out of them) in C, Fortran90 and VHDL in the past few years, but still can\'t really wrap my mind around modern IDEs. I believe that this happens because there is essentially no market anymore for 'hobby' programming environments: 'normal people' don\'t learn to program anymore, and most of those who do gravitate around the professional sector (they are there, or plan to be, or wish to be) so almost all tools emphasize the manteinance of large projects instead of easy 'quick and dirty' coding. The initial barrier to entry is higher (although making progress afterwards is probably easier)

Things like the Borland Turbo Pascal / Turbo C suites, or even M$ QBASIC (yes, I said that), that allowed most of us twentysomethings to easily take baby steps into programming, seem to have vanished. At least, I can\'t find them.

Scripting languages like Ruby and Python are probably the modern substitute: I dabbled a bit in Ruby, really love the syntax, but never had the time to really learn it; so I still don\'t know how to manage libraries, which is the No.1 problem usually with these things.

Compiling C++ from the command line with a makefile is clunky but conceptually easier, if somebody explains it decenty to you. Unfortunately, the last time I used a C++ compiler was three years ago, and I have totally forgot how to write makefiles... but if you find a good tutorial or manage to speak to somebody who can explain it well, it will be pretty straightforward for easy tasks.

[Neomex]

Well, there is something I can tell you: if you think that popular IDEs and programming environments of today are very complicated to use, it\'s not all in your head. They really are.

I wrote serious programs (i.e. I got grades/scientific results out of them) in C, Fortran90 and VHDL in the past few years, but still can\'t really wrap my mind around modern IDEs. I believe that this happens because there is essentially no market anymore for 'hobby' programming environments: 'normal people' don\'t learn to program anymore, and most of those who do gravitate around the professional sector (they are there, or plan to be, or wish to be) so almost all tools emphasize the manteinance of large projects instead of easy 'quick and dirty' coding. The initial barrier to entry is higher (although making progress afterwards is probably easier)

Things like the Borland Turbo Pascal / Turbo C suites, or even M$ QBASIC (yes, I said that), that allowed most of us twentysomethings to easily take baby steps into programming, seem to have vanished. At least, I can\'t find them.

Scripting languages like Ruby and Python are probably the modern substitute: I dabbled a bit in Ruby, really love the syntax, but never had the time to really learn it; so I still don\'t know how to manage libraries, which is the No.1 problem usually with these things.

Compiling C++ from the command line with a makefile is clunky but conceptually easier, if somebody explains it decenty to you. Unfortunately, the last time I used a C++ compiler was three years ago, and I have totally forgot how to write makefiles... but if you find a good tutorial or manage to speak to somebody who can explain it well, it will be pretty straightforward for easy tasks.

I know your pain, every single time when trying to install new IDE, no matter what language, I have to spend at least a day to learn how to use it

I\'ve started with few simple programs in pascal, not really knowing what I was doing, later on I\'ve somehow stumbled on C++. One of the biggest problems were to get MVC++ working properly ( how the hell could I know back then that it creates new console projects for CLI ) so I\'ve moved to Dev-C++, it is abandonned, but very easy to start with, lightweight and has UI. ( console compiling might be a really big problem for beginner )

Before touching any programming, you should probably get some more knowledge about tools. What compiler, linker, IDE are, etc. ( to know when it is a script and when a program, and what\'s the difference )

There are many tutorials helping to configure any IDE you want, all you need is patience.

[tvizz]

Thanks for the help guys I really appreciate it. Also thanks for letting me know not understanding the IDE is not all in my head.

I know what an IDE is (integrated development environment) It takes XML or what have you and helps you script for a specific thing (like KSP environment) script might look completely different if it were for a bot, even if it\'s in the same language. I find that managing files, programs is a serious pain with these. I like to know where all my stuff is and it wants to lump it all together and whatnot.

A compiler takes what you wrote and turns it into a functional file.

A program is a framework where you can script in if you make it that way. I would like to start with simple console scripts, and hopefully move into understanding different programing environments.

Please correct me where ever I am wrong, and if you could point me in the wright direction of learning how to console compile/write console scripts.

Thanks a ton!