C++

A language in the CPL branch of the Algol family of programming languages, C++ is basically AT&T C with the object-oriented features of Simula. While you can compile and run C programs in a C++ environment and some C++ compilers are actually just C compilers with a pre-processor, C++ is in fact a very distinct language to C that by design uses mostly the same syntax.

History

C++ was first implemented as a rudimentary pre-processor for C in 1979 and was then known simply as C with Classes, the name was changed to C84 in 1983 and when people realised that it would clash with the naming convention for the ANSI C formal standard process that had already begun it was changed again to C++ in 1985.

• Oct 1985: Cfront 1.0
• 1998: C++98 (ISO/IEC 14882:1998)
• 2003: C++03 (ISO/IEC 14882:2003)
• 2011: C++11 (ISO/IEC 14882:2011)

OS/2 implementations

• Borland C++ for OS/2
• Glockenspiel C++
• GNU C++ (g++) - Open Source
• IBM C Set++ for OS/2
• IBM VisualAge C++
• Metaware High C/C++
• Microway NDP C/C++
• Open Watcom C/C++ - Open Source
• JPI TopSpeed C++
• Watcom C/C++
• Zortech C++

Interpreters

• Cint - Open source - Interpreter from CERN, intended for educational use

OS/2 C++ libraries and class libraries

If the compiler supports both C and C++, you can use C libraries with C++ programs and vice versa. However using C++ libraries from C can be a bit kludgey and require you to write bindings. While using C libraries from C++ is less problematic it can also require you to write some interfaces, take a look at the C page for available C libraries. Also see the Standard Template Library for STL support.

GUI class libraries

• Cubus OS/2 Class Library - Encapsulates PM and VIO API's - Open source
• Liant C++/Views - Multi-platform app framework/GUI library
• ObjectPM - Presentation Manager classes
• OpenZinc (formerly Zinc) - Multi-platform UI library - Originally commercial, now open source
• Qt - Multi-platform application and UI framework
• StarDivision StarView
• V C++ GUI Framework - Multi-platform - Open source

Database and file management

• C/Database Toolchest - Library for database creation and maintenance
• CdBFile - For reading/writing .dbf/xBase files - Open Source
• CSLIB - Database classes and generator
• CThrough - Graphics class library
• dbfLIB++ - A tool that allows you to work with xBase databases
• e_Comm - Communications and networking
• e_Db - Database engine
• e_Fs - Virtual file system
• Kroni's Classes - Class library with sundry PM functions - PostcardWare
• Lily - Embeddable LISP - Open Source
• Net.h++ - Networking and comms
• The Open Objects Library (OOL) - Originally freeware, now open source
• Socket++ - Networking library - Open Source
• Threads.h++ - Multi-threading
• Tools.h++ - Foundation classes
• WebM libvpx - VP8/VP9 streaming video - Open Source
• Xerces C++ - XML parser - Open Source
• ZGRAF - Graphing library

Data compression

Open source:

• LZ4 - Compression library -
• Snappy - Compression library
• Zipios++ - Compression class library

Signal processing

• Aquila - DSP library
• Simple SPL - DSP library - Freeware

GUI and application generators with C++ output

• Hockware VisPro/C++ - GUI Creator
• JBA Guidelines - GUI/Database/Application creator
• Professor Owl - Open Source - For Borland OWL only
• Vestronix Pro C - Database and spreadsheet application generator

Translators that generate C++ output

• Oracle Pro C - SQL > C++
• Tower Eiffel - Can optionally generate C++ instead of native output

Workframes and or IDE's

• CommonPoint
• Object WorkBench - Shareware

Code verifiers, beautifiers, visualisers and other C++ source code utilities

• CC-Rider C++ - Static analyser, beautifier and visualiser.
• DOC++ - Automatic document generator - Open source
• Ephedra - C/C++ to Java - Open source
• Exuberant ctags - Creates index files out of C++ source files - Open source
• PC-Lint
• SourceLink - Browser/Editor/Visualiser

C++ source code snippets, archives and collections

Small programs or routines that you can integrate into your own programs or study to learn from, but are not delivered in library form.

• Dave Briccetti's Programming Samples - Sundry C++ code example
• OS/2 Primecuts - OS/2 API Examples - Open source
• PostWhat WPS Class Example - WPS code and registration example - Open Source

Applications with a C++ programming interface

• PostgreSQL - SQL relational database system - Open source

DOS implementations

• Borland C++
• Borland Turbo C++
• Comeau C++
• Glockenspiel C++ (Guidelines C++, Oasys Designer C++)
• Intek C++
• Metaware High C/C++
• Microsoft C/C++ 7.0
• Watcom C/C++
• Orange C/C++ Compiler - Open Source
• Salford Software C++
• TopSpeed C++
• Digital Mars C/C++, Symantec C++, Zortech C++

Interpreter

• Cint - Open source - Current - Interpreter from CERN, intended for educational use

Class libraries

• C/Database Toolchest - Library for database creation and maintenance
• CdBFile - For reading/writing .dbf/xBase files - Open Source
• e_Db - Databse engine
• ZGRAF - Graphing library

Editors support

• Boxer - C++ support included by default
• BRIEF
• Elvis - C++ syntax support included by default - Open source
• FTE - Has support for syntax highlighting, code folding and syntax-aware autoindent.

Implementations that run under WinOS/2

• Microsoft C/C++ 7.0 - Commercial - Discontinued
• TopSpeed C++ - Commercial - Discontinued - Cross compilation from DOS or OS/2 only

WinOS/2 compatible libraries and class libraries

• C/Database Toolchest - Library for database creation and maintenance - Note that the correct library for Win16b development is called the DOS library (but contains Win 16b libs as well) and not the Windows one.
• Net.h++ - Networking and comms
• Tools.h++ - Foundation classes
• V C++ GUI Framework - Multi-platform - Open source

Publications

Note that product specific publications are listed on their relative product page.

OS/2 and C++ related articles, info & tips

• Björn Fahller: Encapsulating Extended Attributes
• Dave Briccetti: Use DosAllocMem for Boundary Overflow Protection
• Darrell Spice: STLport and VAC++ for OS/2
• Gordon Zeglinski: The STL (Standardized Template Library)
• Standard Template Library

Books

• Bjarne Stroustrup: The C++ Programming Language (4th edition) - 2013, ISBN 0321958322

More or less the standard text for learning C++, requires some prior programming knowledge, preferably C.

• Bjarne Stroustrup: The C++ Programming Language (2nd edition) - Addison-Wesley 1990, ISBN 0-201-53992-6

An older version of the same book, again not for beginners but at half the size of the current version this is in some ways a better read for those that are using vintage compilers such as VisualAge C++.

• Margaret A. Ellis & Bjarne Stroustrup: The Annotated C++ Reference Manual - Addison-Wesley 1990, ISBN 0-201-51459-1

In some ways better than the other Stroustrup works as a reference book, the explanations of some of the rules are much clearer. Not a tutorial, not for beginners.

• Taligent: Taligent's Guide to Designing Programs: Well Mannered Object-Oriented Design in C++ - Addison-Wesley 1994 - Available to read online form here - ISBN 0-201-40888-0

Although outdated, a really good introduction to object oriented C++, not a beginners book but suitable for intermediate and advanced users.

• Anthony S. Rudd: C++ Complete: A Reference and Tutorial to the Proposed C++ Standard - Wiley 1994, ISBN 0-471-06565-X
• Kris Jamsa: Jamsa's C/C++/C# Programmer's Bible: 2nd edition - Delmar Cengage Learning 2002, ISBN 0766846822

Articles

• David R. Tribble: Incompatibilities Between ISO C and ISO C++ - Old but highly useful document for those wanting to port C code to C++

Tutorials and other learning material

• EDM/2 has its own C++ tutorial written by Terry Norton:

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

• MIX Software has a number of video courses available that focus on teaching C++, both for the beginner and tackles more advanced topics as well, note that these are delivered in VHS cassette format.
• The author of C++, Bjarne Stroustrup has a lot of introductory material on his homepage

Links

• The A-Z of Programming Languages: C++ - An interview with Bjarne Stroustrup - From Computerworld.

USENET

• comp.lang.c++.moderated - Moderated C++ discussion group

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• C++ Super-FAQ - By Marshall Cline, Bjarne Stroustrup, Herb Sutter and Andrei Alexandresc.
• C++ FAQ Lite - By Marshall Cline (1991-2003).
• Available C++ Libraries FAQ - A huge list of C++ class libraries, for all platforms but a tad outdated.
• Alternative C++ FAQ - From Cprogramming.com.

Standards

Apart from the original AT&T documents there appear to be no sources of free C++ standards texts, not even pre-publication or beta editions.

• Initially all C++ compilers and/or pre-processors were based on the original Bjarne Stroustrup pamphlets published by AT&T as C++ Reference Manual, Data Abstraction in C and C++ Tutorial.
• ISO/IEC 14882:1998 - Aka C++98, the first formal standard, largely written by Stroustrup himself.
• ISO/IEC 14882:2003 - Aka C++03 - Also has a "C++ Technical Report 1" with clarifications and errata or ISO/IEC TR 19768:2007, that is sometimes referred to as C++07.
• ISO/IEC 14882:2011 - Aka C++11
• ISO/IEC 14882:2014 - Aka C++14 (2014-12)
• ISO/IEC 14882:2017 - C++17
• ISO/IEC 14882:2020 - C++20 (2020-12)
• ISO C++ Working group homepage