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The ANSI-C++ standard has both standardized and extended the C++ language. The extension resulted in a change of setup of the C/C++ lectures since the academic year 1998-1999. The course changed its organization again in the academic year 2003-2004, and another minor modification was introduced in 2005-2006. The new C++0x standard started to find its way in the 2009-2010 edition of this course. More changes are expected as compilers implement more and more elements of the new standard.

The original `introductory and advanced courses on the C/C++ language' have been integrated into one single set of lectures, divided over three organizational units (the C++ course parts I, II and III). Attending only the first part is like walking on one leg. It hardly gets you where you want to be. Part II is strongly advised, and part III is for those who are really interested in the language. To paraphrase Colin Fletcher (the Complete Walker, Knopf, 1978): it turns you from an insecure biped to a confident triped (p. 49).

Below you'll find an overview of the setup of the lectures. All in, about 25 lectures are organized.

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The C++ language is an elaborate language, consisting of seven main facets. Only two of these facets were already present in the C programming language, and then only partially.

C++ is also a beautiful language. It also shows features not commonly encountered in other languages:

• It's very well standardized (by an official ANSI/ISO standard), and the upcoming new (C++-0x) standard is now gradually implemented by compilers;
• it's available on a wide range of platforms;
• it offers direct access to low-level (hardware) features;
• it offers a great implementation of modern views on object based and oriented programming (do you know the difference?);
• it's a direct descendant of the C programming language, which was used in the past (and is still being extensively used) to construct virtually all professional-level software.

Because of all this C++ is the language of choice for a large number of major software engineering projects. It may very well become your language of choice too.

Having learned C++ opens an easy road to an wide range of C-like languages (including C itself). Since C++ is a direct descendant of C, it is very well suited as a primary computer language, not requiring novices to plunge immediately into complex object oriented programming concepts, which are usually well beyond a novice's level of com- and apprehension.

The C++ course covers all seven facets of the C++ computer language. These facets are:

1. The primary grammar: statements, expressions and operators which were (for the greater part) already available in C (but not all; some of C++'s additions are l- and r-value references; several new data types; strict use of const; and range-based for loops;
2. The procedural part: the tools the language has to offer for top-down programming: functions etc.. But again there are extensions: C++ offering overloaded functions, default function arguments, fine-grained scoping-rules and the ability to reducing life-times to sensible blocks;
3. The exception handling mechanism, obliterating the need for (local and non-local) goto's and unsafe exit() calls;
4. Object-based programming: Classes, Operator overloading, Function objects: tools to construct objects helping us to solve programming problems in a far more natural way offered by the (now traditional) top-down decomposition methods (without loosing all the benefits of those methods);
5. Generic Algorithms: Generic Algorithms, implemented using templates, offer implementations of a wide range of commonly occuring programming problems, idependently of the actual data types on which the algorithms operate.
   Related to the generic algorithms: the Standard Template Library and the so-called Abstract Container Types are also covered.
6. Object oriented programming: inheritance, polymorfism, virtual functions, classe-hierarchies: methods to develop reusable software: software that can easily be extended, modified and reused in various situations in ways completely different from and vastly more powerful than offered by earlier paradigms. One of the more amazing features of object oriented programming being that software developed earlier in time may use characteristics of software developed later in time. Object oriented programming has shown its value in developing a standard set of design patterns when developing reusable software. These design patterns will also be introduced and (partially) covered by the C++ course.
7. The template mechanism itself: developing abstract `recipes' for both functions and classes which may then be used by the compiler to actually create new functions and classes based on these recipes. The compiler will be able to do so without requiring the programmer to implement the concrete implementations of these functions and classes. Templates are very important in current-day C++ programming, as all abstract containers and generic algorithms use templates. During the C++ course participants will learn to develop their own templates, as well as a `feel' for the situations in which they may be used profitably.
   Templates not only allow the compiler to create code on-the-spot from recipes we've presented the compiler with, but it turns out that the template mechanism has allowed programmers to do things compile-time that were heretofore impossible to do. The aphorism never do run-time what you can do compile-time has left the level of a hollow phrase in C++ where it is possible to take full control of the compiler by actually programming it. This has resulted in remarkable results, like having the compiler generate series of prime numbers or completely changing memory allocation schemes in 10 seconds. Many of the extensions to standard C++ offered by the upcoming C++-0x standard were only possible because of the features offered by the template mechanism.

The three parts of the C++ course will cover the various facets of the C++ in (loosely) the order mentioned above. In addition to the topics that are `purely' C++ several meta topics, like the use of tools for generating lexical scanner and parser classes are covered by the third part of the C++ course. These tools allow software engineers to design their own grammars and input languages. Also, the development of programs offering Graphical User Interfaces will be mentioned briefly.

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Part I:

During the first part of the C++ course the main focus of attention will be on the primary grammar: following the initial lectures, covering basic concepts like source code organization and layout; compilation vs. interpretation; using and designing software libraries, C++ expressions, statements and (free) functions will be discussed. This opens the road to `procedural (structured) programming'.

At this point we're ready to introduce `Object Based Programming', introducing classes, objects, construction, and composition.

C++ introduces, different from C's FILE-based input/output (I/O) stream-based I/O. Stream-based I/O is closely related to object oriented programming, but it can be em(used) before those latter concepts are well introduced. Having covered the basics of object based programming stream-based I/O will be introduced next.

C++ shares facilities for memory allocation with C (albeit that C++ adds many more features to those offered by C). By the end of part I arrays and pointers, including fundamental forms of memory allocation will have been covered.

Students having completed part I of the C++ course will be able to

• Develop and understand basic C++ programs, primarily using the `structured programming' methode of program development.
• Develop and use their own basic C++ classes,
• Use stream-based I/O
• Dynamically (and safely) allocate memory
• Use pointers, both to data and to code (functions)

This part's actual topics are listed in this part's schedule.

Part II:

In this part Object Based and Object Oriented programming are the main topics. Continuing where the first course ended, the ins and outs of classes are covered. This will eventually result in programs in which design patterns and other advanced methods to construct software may be used.

Many C++ programs heavily use templates: abstract containers, allowing the software engineer to construct complex data structures with little effort will be covered by this part as well. The actual use of generic algorithms and the construction of templates is not covered in this part of the course.

Students having completed part II of the C++ course will be able to

• Develop and understand advanced C++ programs in which inheritance and polymorphism are extensively used;
• Develop and use their own class hierarchies;
• Develop protocols using Abstract Base Classes, which may also be their own design;
• Apply certain design patterns and recognize arguments for applying them;
• Overload operators and recognize arguments for overloading operators;
• Avoid goto's and exit() calls, using exceptions instead. Arguments for using exceptions (i.e., recognizing exceptional circumstances) will have develped as well.

This part's actual topics are listed in this part's schedule.

Part III:

This part of the course aims at advanced (but important and frequently used, make no mistakes about this) topics of the C++ programming language. Also, tools for generating lexical scanner and parser classes will be introduced and used. By the end of this part some attention will be devoted to the design of programs using Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs).

Students having completed part III of the C++ course will be able to

• Design and understand complex C++ programs. By the end of this course students have had exposure to and hands-on experience with practically all elements of the C++ programming language. Students having completed the full (rhather than lightweight (see below) course may consider themselves highly experienced C++ programmers;
• Use advanced tools like lexical scanner and parser class generators to design their own artificial (input) languages;
• Apply (and recognize arguments for doing so) generic algorithms, including advanced context wrappers to enlarge the applicability of generic algorithms even further;
• Design their own template functions and classes;

This part's actual topics are listed in this part's schedule.

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For all three parts ample means will be offered to gain mastery of the C++ language. There will be an electronic mailing list, the lecturer may be contacted (even outside standard office hours), and many exercises will be offered, which must be completed within a limited period of time. This ensures a constant exposure to the language, which has beneficial learning effects.

Starting the academic year 2005-2006 The C++ course is not only offered in its standard (15 ECTS points) form, but also various lightweight variants are offered for each of the three parts of the C++ course. All lectures and all literature offered for the standard course is also offered for the various lightweight variants, but the amount of practice varies over the various lightweight variants. The lightweight variants are (for each of the three parts) rewarded by 2, 3 or 4 ECTS points.

It is possible to select a different light-weight variant for each of the three parts of the course, and it is possible to modify the (lightweight) level while a course is actually being attended.

If you're interested in the C/C++ language you're more than welcome to join and attend the C++ course. Contact the lecturer if you have any further questions (email or telephone (+31 50 363 9281)).

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