Windows API Programming The Same Thing?

We _have_ been answering your questions, but here I go again:
    #1    Winprog.org is a good place to start.
    #2    The Win32 API is what you use to make Windows Applications.
    #3    You need a good understanding of C++ before you even start making Win32 Applications.

"Finger to spiritual emptiness underlying everything." -- How a C manual referred to a "pointer to void." --Things People Said

http://druidgames.cjb.net/

I''m sorry, but it is CLEAR (after reading his bazillons posts that all look the same) that this guy do NOT want to learn anything by himself. I''m sure if you bought him the best book on programming, he would just sit on it to eat his kix cereals and wonder why he still can''t make shockmachines) ... so you can continue to feed him or stop... the choice is obvious

On a lighter note, rodneyldixon, you said:

" When I mean Windows Programming, I mean making Windows programs/applications. That''s all that I''m talking about. "

I have the final answer to your question. What you are looking for is Visual Basic. I AM NOT kidding, try it and I''m sure you''ll have a lot of fun with it. It''s easy, it makes windows program very easily, there is TONs of support for it. You can find plenty of tutorials on the web for it. TRY IT YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.


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HPOX

I think the problem here isn''t that WE don''t understand what you''re talking about, but that YOU don''t understand what YOU are talking about.

You''ve asked about making Windows Aplications, there have been countless replies to your post, suggesting you to go to WinProg.org, MSDN, etc. THAT is the way to write Windows Programs in C/C++.

You think we pull applications out of our arse? Mutter some arcane chant and a game appears? NO, we don''t. We spend hours planning, designing, coding, and sadly, debugging as well.

Now go finish your book on C++ and then go to those sites that were mentioned if you''re unwilling to buy a book on Windows Programming.

And if you''re wondering what book is good for Windows programming, so here''s a short list, ranked by usefulness.

1) Programming Windows by Charles Petzold.
2) Windows 2000 Programming From The Ground Up by Herb Schildt.

There are many other books out there, but I doubt you''ll be able to handle them just yet. So sit down, and read your C++ book first.

quote:

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Original post by NuffSaid

I think the problem here isn''t that WE don''t understand what you''re talking about, but that YOU don''t understand what YOU are talking about.

You''ve asked about making Windows Aplications, there have been countless replies to your post, suggesting you to go to WinProg.org, MSDN, etc. THAT is the way to write Windows Programs in C/C++.

You think we pull applications out of our arse? Mutter some arcane chant and a game appears? NO, we don''t. We spend hours planning, designing, coding, and sadly, debugging as well.

Now go finish your book on C++ and then go to those sites that were mentioned if you''re unwilling to buy a book on Windows Programming.

And if you''re wondering what book is good for Windows programming, so here''s a short list, ranked by usefulness.

1) Programming Windows by Charles Petzold.
2) Windows 2000 Programming From The Ground Up by Herb Schildt.

There are many other books out there, but I doubt you''ll be able to handle them just yet. So sit down, and read your C++ book first.

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The website for winprog.com is exactly what I am looking for, but
what is the exact website for the msdn tutorials?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp

the only reason i''m telling you this is that the sooner you shut up, the better

quote:

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You think we pull applications out of our arse? Mutter some arcane chant and a game appears?

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LOL!!
Doesn''t everyone do that?

Personally I find waving a rubber chicken helpful, during the arcane chant.

Rodney, we need to talk.

-fel

Thanks to all. Finally my question has been answered. Now after my 21 days are up in the Sam''s Teach Yourself C++ in 21 days, I''m gonna put my skills to the test. And after that I''m gonna go into Windows programming. So I will check yall cats on the flipside.

Oh yeah like kvk or whatever his/her name is, I''m now gonna shjut up and only ask REAL QUESTIONS!

Bye Now

Yeah, you said that before...

If you ask me, you don''t seem quite ready to program. You get way too ahead of yourself. Pay attention to your schoolwork (your can''t be much older than thirteen; least you don''t sound like it). THAT will benefit you in the long run.

You want to know how to make games because you grew up playing Sonic or Mario or whatever else, like many of us, but you don''t seem to understand the concepts of programming. You can''t sit through reading a 900-page book so there''s no reason to suggest it. You''re very "uppitty", never wanting to sit down and maybe a little insecure. Do you really thing sitting and typing code for hours at a time is the best solution for that?

A person like you, maybe C++ IS too complicated for you. Maybe Python or Visual BASIC is the way to go. Whatever the case, you need a plan that fits YOU, not us. You need to go one small, baby step at a time, and make accomplishments along the way. Before you know it, you''ll be ready. But you need to pursue scoolwork if you want to do it. Math, Science, History, Music, Art, and Lateral Thinking-- those are the ways to go.

You can tell a lot by what a person writes.

Ok some good points here but the guy is asking for help on Creating Win32 apps and what books/links he needs to know about..

#1 Get "Programming windows 5th edition." by Charles petzold... it has all and some advanced explainations/code for creating windows, buttons, menus... you know GUI stuff.

#2 If you wanna make games... there is very little Win32 programming involved.. Games are mostly Direct X ... and to learn Direct X you can download the DX SDK from www.microsoft.com/directx

From there... if you have specific questions like... How do I play a sound when my win32 app starts? Just do some searches at yahoo.com for articles that others have posted... after all the net is one HUGE library might as well use it...

You can also goto my www it has some Win32 articles I typed up on how to make a simple win32 window... and explains the barebones win32 crap. Also I have Direct Draw articles.

www16.brinkster.com/quasisoft

spacemadness

Heheh you guys are mean. I haven''t been keeping up with this person''s posts, but I don''t think you should ever be so pissed at him that you start insulting him. But then again, I''m a pretty morally stable guy. hehe And also lets us not forget, I''d rather be really gungho about C++, always wanting to experiment with it and test my skills than being like I am now. I could probably make a great 3D engine right now if I actually devoted some time to it and kept with it.

Good advice to keep up with the schoolwork. School''s alot more important right now. Mom and Dad won''t care if you make the next super game if you''re getting C''s D''s and the occaisional F. Be like me. Straight A''s hehe

C:\DOS\
C:\DOS\RUN\
RUN DOS\RUN

Too advanced for him. You think a person like Rodney L. Dixon can program with the Directx SDK? He didn''t even know what the Win32 API did.

Again I say, Rodney, take it slow. Windows programming is too advanced, as is Directx, so don''t even try it. You were having problems making a simple Hello World program for crying out loud. People like spacemadness don''t know what they''re talking about when they say that. At your level, you should stick to making console apps.

If you are going to use C++, and will continue to read Sams Teach Yourself..., then I suggest you go to

http://www.eastcoastgames.com

It''s the best place for people of your level.

Now stay away from Win32 and Directx, and don''t listen to people who suggest them to a person of your level. They''ll only paint you in a corner and you''ll have to tear your way out.

quote:

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Original post by Ronald Forbes

Heheh you guys are mean. I haven''t been keeping up with this person''s posts, but I don''t think you should ever be so pissed at him that you start insulting him. But then again, I''m a pretty morally stable guy. hehe And also lets us not forget, I''d rather be really gungho about C++, always wanting to experiment with it and test my skills than being like I am now. I could probably make a great 3D engine right now if I actually devoted some time to it and kept with it.

Good advice to keep up with the schoolwork. School''s alot more important right now. Mom and Dad won''t care if you make the next super game if you''re getting C''s D''s and the occaisional F. Be like me. Straight A''s hehe

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I''m not pissed at him. He''s a beginner like me. I''ve never programmed a game in my life, but I know what''s hard and what''s not. I AM pissed at people who would mislead him into Directx and Win32 when he obviously doesn''t have the skill to handle those. Many newbies don''t like this, though I''ve come to accept it: you have to crawl before you can walk. It actually goes further back than that: you have to drag yourself before you can crawl and you have to lay down before you can drag yourself.

In other words: You have to start at the beginning. The middle and end are never good places to start.

And don''t EVEN think DDraw is simple cuz it''s 2d... That''s a trap waiting to trigger.

Apparently there''s really nothing useful more to be gained by this thread so I''m going to close it as it''s degenerated into people who''ve been watching vs people who haven''t.

There''s nothing wrong with asking for help. There is something wrong refusing to listen and accept the answers given, however, and as moderator I will not tolerate people who post daily on the same general question, pretend they know things they don''t, and insult and belittle the people who have been here a while and have knowledge gained from hard work. I have started getting e-mail complaints, and I assure you that I have talked to rodney and I hope that he will take heed.

For those of you who don''t understand why some people are getting annoyed, if you care, feel free to read all the rodneyldixon posts for the past 3 weeks.

Thank you.

-fel