VC++ programming in the UK

klloyd

klloyd

klloyd

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Hi All,

I'm hoping to apply for VC++ programming jobs in the UK as a starter. I have good enough experience in VB programming. But, never worked in VC++ programming in an office or company environment. I just want to know how this line of field, the interview etc .will be and mainly want to know if one has to understand each and every line the Visual studio's app wizards build while creating the skeleton of the project. Also want to know do people use this wizard to write programs from scratch in a commercial environment?

I can understand the message maps and how to link the code to the member functions etc..but the app wizards built lots of other codes. this is what I'm not so sure about. I'd also want to how much wide knowledge/skills/experience of VC++ does one need to confidently apply for any vacancy.


Thanks in advance for your replies

KL
 
C++ jobs usually expect a highly experienced person. C++ jobs never use "wizards" to create anything generally.
 
Thanks for your reply nathane. But, I'm planning to look for VC++ jobs not C++. I understand that in VC++ programming one writes C++ syntax and coding concepts likes (Object Oriented Programming), but Visual Studio provides the skeleton of the project like writing .cpp .h files for the type of project one is trying to build (ex: a dialog based or document/view architecture, MDI/SDI etc.) making it easier and time saving for tha programmer. Please correct me if I'm wrong, do VC++ programmers write programs in C++ interface(like BorlandC etc) all the way from scratch like using the Windows MFC classes?


Also, you mentioned C++ programmers are highly experienced. Could you please explain, what type of programs a highly experienced C++ programmer would be writing? Would they be writing a database driven program all the way from scratch completely in C++ and at what level do these higlhy experienced programmers will be, like would they be dealing with pointers programming on a day to day basis or a lot more than that?

Thanks again
 
klloyd said:
Thanks for your reply nathane. But, I'm planning to look for VC++ jobs not C++. I understand that in VC++ programming one writes C++ syntax and coding concepts likes (Object Oriented Programming), but Visual Studio provides the skeleton of the project like writing .cpp .h files for the type of project one is trying to build (ex: a dialog based or document/view architecture, MDI/SDI etc.) making it easier and time saving for tha programmer. Please correct me if I'm wrong, do VC++ programmers write programs in C++ interface(like BorlandC etc) all the way from scratch like using the Windows MFC classes?


Also, you mentioned C++ programmers are highly experienced. Could you please explain, what type of programs a highly experienced C++ programmer would be writing? Would they be writing a database driven program all the way from scratch completely in C++ and at what level do these higlhy experienced programmers will be, like would they be dealing with pointers programming on a day to day basis or a lot more than that?

Thanks again
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VC++ is the IDE. C++ is the language...

You don't really need to be experienced in c++, just good.
 
I did "VC++ programming" for 6 years and let me tell you it's not all "VC++"

you would be developing using the Win32 API, to which MFC is a thinly veiled OO wrapper around. You would probably also be using (consuming, building) COM components probably with ATL. These days it's highly likely you would also be doing some .NET interop.

you ARE aware that "VC++" IS C++........right? Hence you'll be working with pointers, memory management, OO concepts on a DAILY basis. In industry no-one in their right mind uses the wizards to generate code for them other than for short prototype/spike projects because they will have the level of knowledge required to be able to build the same application faster and more streamlined than the boilerplate wizard code would provide.

no offence mate, but from the way you describe your goals, level of knowledge and situation, you've got a long, long way to go before anyone in industry would consider you for a role.
 
I wouldn't consider myself for a C++ role, I'm just not fluent enough in it. And I've been rolling around in code for 15 years now. And frankly, it's too much like hard work today when languages like C# exist and have far bigger job prospects. Like I said, you need to be experienced and fluent to land a decent C++ job. Not just in the language (that's easy), but fluent with the defacto standard libraries and frameworks that C++ devs use on a daily basis.

C++ is very much a last generation language now. I would say "legacy" except that would imply it has been replaced. It hasn't of course. It will always exist as it will always serve a purpose in the computer programming stack of languages.

MFC is the wizardy part of VC++, and to be honest I've not heard of any greenfield projects using it for years. It was very much a late 90s early 00s framework that nobody particularly even liked at the time.

Nowadays most greenfield projects involving C++ only use it for the absolute specific areas that need it. Whilst the rest of the project is developed in, for example, C# or Java.

You'll struggle to find any greenfield projects using C++ for GUI work these days. It's cheaper to develop the GUI in Winforms/WPF/Silverlight/whatever and call into the C++ code as either a library or background service via some sort of IPC.


By the way... VC++ == C++. VC++ merely encompasses the "Microsoft up sell" of C++, e.g. the best IDE in the business, a crappy framework called MFC and a whole bunch of documentation. VC++ is the best for Windows platform development, there's no doubt about that.
 
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thank you all for your replies(UK-AL05, robotcocks,NathanE,Garee).

UK-AL05,

at least one doubt has been cleared. This is what my impression has been. I wanted to confirm from the more experienced.

As far as I believe C++ is mainly C with same syntax and may be just a bit different but the programming is done completely with Object oriented concepts.

I have learnt C++ too long back, but never got to do any projects.


RobotCocks....

"it's not all "VC++"..... This is what I have my doubts on, if it's not all VC++, then what is it? I know it's all C++, I guess MFC will be there too. You have been working in VC++ for a long time, could you tell me what a VC++ programmer would be coding? would they be working on MFC? Would they be developing database driven programmes in VC++ as well. B'se there are other more new programming languages to develop database driven applications, then why vC++? I think using C/C++/VC++ one can access the Windows interiors more easily (or am I wrong?) .

"industry no-one in their right mind uses the wizards to generate code " .....


This is what I thought in the first. And exactly why, I bought a book titled "Practical VC++". But, in that book, atleast the first few chapters, the template of the project is being generated by the VC++ wizards. When I learnt VC++ I was taught to write windows programs just using MFC, no wizards. But they were simple programs, like displaying a "Hello" program. Generating a notepad and edit it and save the contents as a file etc. a bit of generating a paint brush program. I also remember we used SDK too.

"a long, long way to go before anyone in industry would consider you for a role"....

This is what I'd like to know. How far do i need to go. pls give me some rough idea. What should one be capable of doing in VC++ before he/she is even considered for a role?

the moment I started learning C and then C++, I thought these could be used very effectively for any scientific programming something I haven't come across VB(yet). and moreover I just want to delve into C flavoured programming with more opportunities and a bit more modern, and I thought of VC++(I know it's not 2020 type). I thought one can write some nice programs like reading the binary data received from a satellite and correct the data, classify it and put it in a more visually understandable form to a user etc etc..

NathanE....

"Nowadays most greenfield projects involving C++ only use it for the absolute specific areas that need it. Whilst the rest of the project is developed in, for example, C# or Java." =====does it mean VC++ programmers need to have proficiency in Java or C# too?

"Windows platform development, there's no doubt about that"---I had this impression too.

Please all, I keep seeing vacancies for VC++ programmers. I have learnt it some time back, and it is something I really want to settle into. I want to know what level of proficiency should I be having before I apply for any job, so that I can apply and attend the interviews confidently? At the moment I'm brushing up my skills and also am trying to learn new things.
 
Also keep in mind that the vast majority of work you will be doing will be modifying or fixing existing code. Even if you are working on a brand new project then you will probably be adding code to an existing codebase created by another team member. The number of times you start a project from nothing will be very small.

The majority of times when I've created something from scratch in work is little helper applications for my own personal use, or when I want to try out something very specific before merging it into the main build.
 
NathanE said:
C++ is very much a last generation language now. I would say "legacy" except that would imply it has been replaced. It hasn't of course. It will always exist as it will always serve a purpose in the computer programming stack of languages.
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Really? I thought it was still today a massively used language? Specifically areas like game development and finanical companies?
 
Garee said:
Do you have a relevant degree or any industry experience with C++ at all? I think you will find it almost impossible to find a position without the above.
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I don't have industry experience with C++, but I have Degree in science and masters in Remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems(GIS), would that be enough? or does it need some more specific degree?
Thanks
 
Based on your qualifications, I think your best bet would be to try and find a Junior/Graduate Developer role in a GIS company. Your knowledge of GIS systems would make your CV stand out over a normal person trying to get their first programming job.
 
It all depends on the area of development. Generally, you are going to find C/C++ in embedded/middleware programming and games development. C#/VB.Net for Windows programming and javascript for web development.

If we are talking about the future, I personally think the growth areas in the next year are going to be in Javascript/jQuery and HTML5. This will be driven by the expanding area of mobile development and Windows 8. MS has hinted that javascript/HTML5 is going to play a part in the future of windows development, but nobody knows how much until their planned statement in the next few months.
 
Chris you're living in a bubble if you think C++ is still being adopted like hot cakes. It's used through necessity (DTV embedded ware is a decent example).
 
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