ok. i have DEV C++4 and when i start an new project, it gives me a few choices, windows and console being the main ones. i have no idea whether to make my project a windows program or a console/DOS program.
what is the difference.
i know if i use windows the program will not run.
so anyone know what windows is used for?

This post has been edited by ProjectSNS: 21 Aug, 2008 - 04:17 AM

It's been a while since I worked with Dev-C++ but all that those are are templates. I never bothered using the DOS option, in fact, I never even bothered using the Windows option, since I moved on to Code::Blocks before I started anything other than console apps.

However, your Windows option should load a template with some generic code to create a basic window using the Win32 API.

Basically there are two basic sorts of programs you make in windows. Windows GUI programs and Console programs. GUI programs have to worry about windows and messages and handle this and handle that... i.e. there is an inherit complexity.

Console programs are, on the other hand much much more simple. Which allows a beginning student to focus on what the program does and how the program is constructed. There are no cool graphics, but there is less headache over some GUI API.

What I generally do in Dev-C++ is choose "new source file" and then code away. This works great if you have 1 file you are working with. If you are going to code multiple files for the same program it helps to make a project... but after you get used to working with the simple "new source" method, you will eventually just choose the "empty project" rather than those stupid templates. (course then you learn to create your own templates... )

(note that there are other kinds of windows programs (COM, ATL, DLL, etc.)-- but these are not really "basic types").

Create a new project.
A "project" can be considered as a container that is used to store all the elements that are required to compile a program.

* Go to the "File" menu and select "New", "Project...".
* Choose "Empty Project" and make sure "C++ project" is selected.
Here you will also give your project a name. You can give your project any valid filename, but keep in mind that the name of your project will also be the name of your final executable.
* Once you have entered a name for your project, click "OK".
* Dev-C++ will now ask you where to save your project.

Create/add source file(s).
You can add empty source files one of two ways:

* Go to the "File" menu and select "New Source File"
* Go to the "Project" menu and select "New File".
Note that Dev-C++ will not ask for a filename for any new source file until you attempt to:
1. Compile
2. Save the project
3. Save the source file
4. Exit Dev-C++