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Windows Graphics Programming with Borland C++ by Loren Heiney Recommended

ISBN: 0-471-54891-X       Publisher: Wiley       Pages: 473pp       Price: £26-95

Categories:   MS Windows     borland     graphics

Reviewed by C.G. Macaskill in C Vu 5-1 (Nov 1992)

To get the best from this book you will need to be fairly familiar with C and understand the basics of C++. The book begins gently but soon accelerates into non-trivial programs. The author has a clear programming style and gives good explanation of Borland's GDI. Finally he introduces the concepts of OOP with a Paint program which develops a hierarchy of drawing tools.

There is a great deal of code in this book and teaching is always well supported with examples. If you really want to get the best from this book you will need to purchase the Windows Graphics Companion Disk for an additional $20. This disk contains all the source code used in the book plus further programs discussed but not listed. I find this highly annoying as some program examples can be 1-2000 lines long. If a book is heavily dependant upon the source code, as this one is, then purchasers should be given the option of a disk at purchase time. Surely this can't be beyond the publisher's ability?

Some of the examples are revamps from "Power Graphics Using Turbo C", perhaps some new ideas might have been more refreshing. However, even if you will not be writing a three dimensional CAD tool in the near future, there are a good few classes that you will certainly want to try. I'm sure that the presentation of your programs will be influenced by this book.

In summary, I found it well written, an enjoyable read with good content and have no trouble recommending this book.