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Taming C++ by Jiri Soukup Recommended

ISBN: 0-201-52826-6       Publisher: Addison-Wesley       Pages: 416pp       Price: £36-95

Categories:   advanced c++

Reviewed by Francis Glassborow in C Vu 7-1 (Nov 1994)

One problem with objects is managing persistent storage. That is storing your objects in a file so that they can be recovered. This problem is particularly severe when your objects include either pointers or references.

Another problem is that of mutual dependence between objects. Experienced programmers know that you need to develop incrementally. When two objects can only be tested in the context of each other warning lights start to flash. But in the real world these kind of mutual dependencies are the norm. Patterns is a method to try to get to grips with this kind of problem. I am not going to try to give you a hundred word tutorial on Patterns, they are still too new to me.

These two topics (Persistence and Patterns) and some approaches to them are the main subject of this book.

You need to be a confident C++ programmer willing to work at understanding a complex subject if you are to reap full benefit from this book. However the author's writing style is one that many other technical writers could learn from. He has done all that he can to make a complex subject approachable.

Serious programmers who want to add to the range of their techniques should certainly read this book. If you think you are a good C++ programmer you might give yourself a shock by reading 'Taming C++'. If you think your self- esteem can stand it, go for it.

I'm not going to claim that I understand Patterns, but after Jim Coplien's excellent presentation at Object Expo Europe and reading 'Taming C++' I think I can claim to see the next mountain to be climbed.

By the way, there isn't a disc with this book but all the code is available by ftp. I am sure that ACCU could help you access such code if you buy the book but do not have a suitable connection to the Internet.