A Complete Guide to Programming in C++

This book was written for readers interested in learning the C++ programming language from scratch, and for both novice and advanced C++ programmers wishing to enhance their knowledge of C++. It was our goal from the beginning to design this text with the capabilities of serving dual markets, as a textbook for students and as a holistic reference manual for professionals. The C++ language definition is based on the American National Standards Institute ANSI Standard X3J16. This standard also complies with ISO norm 14882, which was ratified by the International Standardization Organization in 1998. The C++ programming language is thus platform-independent in the main with a majority of C++ compilers providing ANSI support. New elements of the C++ language, such as exception handling and templates, are supported by most of the major compilers. Visit the Jones and Bartlett web site at www.jbpub.com for a listing of compilers available for this text. The chapters in this book are organized to guide the reader from elementary language concepts to professional software development, with in-depth coverage of all the C++ language elements en route. The order in which these elements are discussed reflects our goal of helping the reader to create useful programs at every step of the way.