Help With C++

[chaos]

I have been trying my hand at Visual C++ Express 2005, and have found that althought the coding isn't too hard, the interface is a little complicated. A few answers to my questions will help alot!

1) What is the difference between "Compile", "Build Solution", and "Build"?
2) Why does my release version of the file include debug files?
3) Why doesn't my release version work on any other computer but the one
(The computers say that they lack DLL's)
4) Should I even be using Visual C++ as a beginner or should I find something
simpler (I began using Visual because I thought that the GUI would be
easier than dos prompt).

Thanks a lot for any help! (Please remember that I don't know hardly anything about this whole thing.)

[adil]

Dont choose visual environment for programming, if you are new to this world. Start with simple compiler that build only console applications like Turbo C, Borland C++ etc etc . Grab the concepts of programming.
I have to go somewhere so i would try to answer your other questions in my later posts .
regards
Adil

[adil]

Ok, so here are the answers of your other questions.

#1. Compile option basically compiles all the code through the compiler and look for the programming code errors .
There is not much difference between build and build solution. Build performs the compilation and loading over all the files associated with the current project,while Build Solution performs the compilation and loading on not only the files associated with the current project, but also other projects even with the file using.

#2. Simple one line answer of that question would be to debug the release version as well.

#3. It is because you have included functions in your code that are declared and defined in the other files. Unless you dint have the files in your computer on which you are running your release version, you would be having the errors like 'lack of DLLs', So, in order to make the release version work on other computers, usually installables (setup) are being made, which installs the whole folder that includes all the DLL files and executable file on the computer.

I have tried to answer these questions in a way a beginner like you can understand it. Please dont think that these are the complete answers of your questions. I just gave you the basic view. I hope you when you learn more, you would get all the concepts of how your program runs on a computer and then you would be able to understand the complete answers of these questions as well.

I hope this helps you abit.
Happy Programming :)

[chaos]

It was sort of over my head all that, but It's okay, because I took your recommendation and am now hooked on a compiler call Dev-C++! It is soo much simpler. Just code, a single compiler, and a simple set of options that even a beginner can understand. I will learn how to code in this program first, and like you said, then I will start thinking about complicated things like end user machines. Besides, the same program that I compiled in VCC that didn't work on my friends computer, I compile in Dev and it worked first try on my friends machine. Thanks!

[adil]

No problem, sooner your program compiled on VCC would run not only on your friends computer but may be on billions of computers around the globe.
And you are sitting in the office next to the Bill Gates building. :)

Regards
Adil