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API knowlege.

Started by Jason2Jason Jan 14, 2003 at 5:02 PM 4 replies 250+ views

Original Post

Jan 14, 2003 at 5:02 PM

Hey, i was just think about this as i''m trying to grasp the win 32 api. I''m finding it fiarly hard. The open GL API is way easier to remember (except for setting up) I know you all say that most programmers use reference all the time to do your jobs, but is it crucial to know all parts of the win 32 api mostly by heart to get a programming job, or just trying to keep it? I find it quite hard to, well, remember things. For some reason i picked up C++ quite quickly, in a snap of relisation after a while struggling. That was quite a few years ago now, but i cant seem to remember complicated api set up code. Like setting up a window in the win32 api, or openGL setup. Am i too stupid? Does any one have any memory tips? I''m working on a project, that involves me making container classes for both win32 api, and open GL, so maybe that will help. Any tips aprecieated though. I think I''ve just typed a load of nonsence crap, but if you can make sence of what i mean... -J

vtwin

Jan 14, 2003 at 5:08 PM

I wouldn''t be able to write the entire code block of Win32 API to initialize and create a window from memory..

But I can still remember many other parts of it. You remember things out of necessity. When you''re trying to write an application in Win32 API, you''ll find yourself memorizing things without realizing it.

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Teodric

Jan 14, 2003 at 5:20 PM

You grow into it. Most of all, remember: it''s a LOT more important to know how to find an answer, than to know an answer. After a while, you''ll find you do know a lot of answers by heart but that''s not really important.

LilBudyWizer

145

LilBudyWizer

Jan 15, 2003 at 1:10 AM

The most important attribute for a programmer is flat out laziness. A computer is leverage. Less and less human effort accomplishing more and more. The point being that memorizing a bunch of manuals is not making effective use of a computer. The programmer that effectively uses the computer to make his job easier will blow the programmer that fails to do so completely out of the water. Memorization ranks pretty low when it comes to where you could put your time so that you could turn out a Windows program to specification in a timely manner.

Look around you at your peers. That is what you are going to be competing against when you get out of school. Particularly look at what they actually produce rather than how good a tale they tell. Many people sound impressive until you actually start getting your hands dirty. You then often find that people are great at quoting a manual but really have little clue what it actually means.

Tac-Tics

Jan 15, 2003 at 1:25 AM

I was wondering the same sort of things too.

One day I decided I would at least try to memorize the parameter lists for some of the more useful functions, but now I just hate Microsoft more. Example:

CreateWindowEx(
Extra Soup (ES, extended style)
Can Never (CN, class name)
Win (W, window name)
Style (S, style)

...
then I remember you put in the dimensions of the window,
x,
y,
width,
height

and then on to a 2nd mnemonic:
Parents (parents -> parent window)
Must (M, menu handle)
Help (H, hinstance)
Parents (parents, param, lparam)

And what did I learn from trying to memorize this ONE function call? 1) VC++ will provide it for you and 2) NEVER try to make up mnemonics to memorize MS function calls! Gawd!

=-)

"You TK''ed my chicken!"

MatrixCubed

Jan 15, 2003 at 1:30 AM

I think for a lot of the work that is done with APIs, you need to have good reference material and a strong understanding of the concepts involved with the API, but more importantly you have to know how to find the answer using the materials you have access to.

MatrixCubed
http://MatrixCubed.cjb.net

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