Follow these links to C/C++ mastery
By Mark Baard
Are you ready to plunge into C/C++ but are too experienced for the script kiddie pool? Search400.com has found a few spots on the Web where you can get started in object-oriented programming (OOP), an area that offers greater opportunities and increased compensation for experienced AS/400 pros.
For the shortest route from RPG to C, check out two books by IBM programmer Jennifer Hamilton at the Web site for midrange computer book publisher 29th Street Press. In C for RPG
Programmers (29th Street Press, April 1997), Hamilton places RPG and C side-by-side in her sample code, compares RPG opcodes with their C equivalents and outlines the C/400 language.
Hamilton also shortens the learning C ++ learning curve for RPG programmers in Object-Oriented Programming for AS/400: An Introduction With Examples in C++ (29th Street Press, April 1997). By basing her instruction on the OS/400 object model, she explains classes, inheritance and other OOP concepts in a language that is clear to RPG programmers. C for RPG Programmers costs $69; Object-Oriented Programming for AS/400 costs $44.
If you're seeking total immersion in the C/C++ world, head for http://devcentral.iftech.com and http://www.cplus-zone.com. Both sites boast copious links to online tutorials, tips and technical articles. DevCentral offers its members free downloads, expert advice and technical support. (Membership is free.) The site also provides three introductory C/C++ tutorials. C++ Zone posts free articles from Visual C++ Developers Journal � programmers can learn how to integrate COM components into C++ applications, troubleshoot memory leaks and solve other programming glitches.
Baard is a freelance writer in Milton, Mass.
