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- Path: nntp-xfer-2.csn.net!yuma!steffend
- From: steffend@lamar.colostate.edu (Dave Steffen)
- Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
- Subject: Re: First Big One
- Date: 13 Mar 1996 00:03:59 GMT
- Organization: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523
- Message-ID: <4i53df$ndm@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU>
- References: <4i4oa4$ga9@nova.umuc.edu>
- NNTP-Posting-Host: glitch.physics.colostate.edu
- X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2]
-
- Steve Russell (srussell@nova.umuc.edu) wrote:
- [snip]
- > Im finnishing up the second of a 2 semester intro to c++ and
- > programming. I have a rudimentry knowledge of classes. Im confident
- > I can write the number crunching, but as a lowly student I don't
- > if it is practical for me to try to solve the following problems.
- > Are the following things in reach, Im willing to do some reading
- > ( so please direct me:))
-
-
- > 1. Putting the program on disk and having it store data on
- > another disk. The program has to run without the user
- > having to compile and link it, the way a prof application would.
-
- No problem. On DOS machines (dunno about Macs, I avoid them on
- general principles) your linker spits out .EXE files, which run just
- like any other executable. Data input/output should be via the fstream
- library, which will read/write files anywhere you want them to be.
-
- > 2. making special colors/graphics to give the program a special
- > look.
-
- Easy, depending on your compiler. Borland C++ has a nice
- library called 'constream' that does good text-based stuff. I had to
- write a few classes to make it really slick, but that's why you're
- doing this, right?
-
- BTW, this will probably be as much, or more, work than the
- entire rest of the project put together.
-
- Also BTW, Borland C++ comes with a variety of libraries that
- will do this for you; does it take less time to learn their fancy
- library or build your own simple one? That's up to you.
-
- > 3. having the data stored in a data base. Should I wait until I
- > have a data base class? Can I build the crunching now in c++
- > and hook up the program to a database program in another language?
- > I just don't know how these things are done.
-
- Don't know about data bases; there are probably some database
- classes out there somewhere, but (depending on how much data you're
- dealing with) it may be just as easy to write it from scratch.
-
- > 4. having that data printable and deliminated by page so reports
- > can be printed out.
-
- This is just a matter of putting in the time to make things
- look nice. I'd have the program generate reports to disk and then
- print them via a system call - much easier than dealing with the
- printer directly.
-
- > 5. an error control mechanism that would allow the user to reenter
- > faulty data. Right now, all I can do is shut the program down.
-
- That's a part of your user interface - usually the hard part.
-
- > Anything else a starting student might not be aware of trying to
- > write a serious program.
-
- Good luck
-
- /\
- \/
-
- Dave Steffen No, his mind is not for rent
- Dept. of Physics To any God or Government
- Colorado State University Always hopeful, yet discontent
- steffend@lamar.colostate edu He knows changes aren't permanent-
- But change is...
- "Speak softly...
- ... and carry a black belt!" -Neal Peart / RUSH
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