   "Simple" IDE for C++
  I couldn't find the best way to title this article, but here goes. Basically what I am curious about is if there is an IDE for C++ that is much more simple and requiring less steps when I write, build, and run programs. I've currently tried both Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 and Bloodshed C++ IDE, one coming with a book I own. The "problem" I am having is that the required steps just to test my program as I develop it seems like too much of a hassle. I spent a semester in AP Computer Science (high school senior) learning Java and working with Eclipse. Regardless of the fact that I don't know what half the features in Eclipse do, it was very easy to get a project started and running it was a matter of clicking a single button. Is this simply just how simple it is with Java, or is it that simple because of the IDE? I'm comparing that experience to Bloodshed mainly because that would require me to save it, create a batch file, then run the batch, EVERY time I modified and wanted to test my program. I'm assuming I may be missing some tricks with those IDE's, but that's whats putting me off. I'm curious if there is an IDE like Eclipse that will let me write, build, and run my program with such ease and speed, or if Eclipse is on its own there. Thanks for any suggestions!Justin   
  Visual Studio shouldn't need much to compile and run your program.  Setting up a project takes quite a few steps, but that must only be done once.  As you develop your project, you can just click Build and then Start w/o Debugging to compile and run it.  Bloodshed should be similar as well but is deficient in other areas - what kind of batch file were you writing??There is also an Eclipse plugin for C++, so you can actually use that if you wish.   ;  I don't know about Dev C++, but running a program in MSVC is simple as just hitting a single button. Just hit the button that looks like a play button (triangle pointed to the right). By default it's the first button on the debug toolbar. You can also just press F5.   ;  What is the batch file for?In either IDE, I never had to do more then:- Create new project (admittedly, this is slight complicated to the new user in VS)- Write code- Hit keyboard shortcut to build- Hit keyboard shortcut to run   ;  You may have to set up what libraries you want to link to and other options but you will only have to do that once too (per project).Most IDEs will create a project folder with all the necessary files, including (if necessary) a batch file to run the program. The IDE will update the files when you compile so you don't need to create it EVERY time.   ;Quote:I'm curious if there is an IDE like Eclipse that will let me write, build, and run my program with such ease and speed, or if Eclipse is on its own there.There is - Eclipse CDT.But given the complex C++ compilation and linking process it will continue to remain a slow process.   ;  Actually, I've used Eclipse with Java before and IMO it's actually about as much work using it as MSVC++ 2008. You have to select a project type,write code and hit the run button in both so I really don't see your point. I also used this IDE called drjava or something like that I believe and that was definitely simpler than Eclipse to use.And just like Java you can run it from the command line if you don't want to mess with the IDE at all by typing cl. Also, you won't have to insert an unnecessary pause this way. But really pause is not really necessary at all even if you use the IDE since in that case you can just use what I use:"Run without debugging" (Ctrl+F5)If you are really lost you can just watch the Microsoft video here that should clear things up:Create a Console Application from an Empty Project in Visual C++ Express (4 Minutes - 3.4 MB)[Edited by - daviangel on April 28, 2009 12:18:24 AM];  I must have been doing something wrong with Visual C++ then because it was not letting me do practically anything after I had written code I had written earlier with Bloodshed. For those of you who are asking, I had to create a batch file within the same folder as my programs .cpp and .exe files, then within the batch I simply typed:Name_of_program.exepauseThen save it as a batch and run that file so that way my program wouldn't exit immediately. I'm going to guess there is some quick trick within the program to prevent this, but I'm not entirely sure how to do that in C++. I think I'll try and work with Visual a bit more to try and figure out what I was doing wrong, because something simply didn't feel right earlier.;  In Visual Studio you can "Run without debugging" (Ctrl+F5) to prevent the window from closing when your application has exited. An alternative is to set a breakpoint on the return statement in your main function (or closing brace if you have no return).An alternative, but messy, trick is to simply include system("pause") at the end of your program, but as console applications are meant to be run within the console you shouldn't really use this trick (not to mention this trick relies on the operating system having a pause command that hasn't been replaced by a custom pause.exe at some point).   ;Quote:Original post by benryvesAn alternative, but messy, trick is to simply include system("pause") at the end of your programI tend to use std::cin.get() instead; I tend to find it less hassle than breakpoints or non-debug mode, but YMMV especially if you're program makes use of std::cin and you don't know about the ignore() function.   