sorry, but i didn't know where else to post it. i am very new to programming. how new you ask? well so new that you can still smell breastmilk on my breath new. i have taken up learning c++ as a hobby. not that i'm not serious about learning how to do this, but between work and family i can only spend short times reading. the book is teach yourself c++ in 21 days by sams. they said i needn't need a compiler to learn how to program, but i thought while my programming is still in the remedial stages i would go without a compiler for now. they had me do the hello world program. i did it in notepad. but i can't seem to figure out how to execute it. what am i doing wrong? SOS seriously.

Well, that's not how I learned to program, but whatever works for you...
You will need the compiler to run your code.
Learning how to code without a compiler is about like learning how to drive just by reading the owner's manual.

Very true. While you can get some good ideas reading the Kama Sutra, you can't really learn anything without the ability to try things "hands on" to see how it works in the real world. You can get all of the concepts down pretty well by reading and writing code, but you don't really know how to program until you can run the silly stuff to see if it does what you thought it would!

-PatP

meh, i was afraid of that. could you drop a few names of good yet reasonably priced compilers please?

I'm sorta fond of free myself, so I'd suggest gcc. This isn't some variety of cut-down wanna-be compiler either... While it might lack the panache of Visual Studio and its kin, this one is the real McCoy.

-PatP

i like your thinking pat, and please forgive me for asking you to hold my hand through this.....but i don't know what to click on to download. it would really mean the world to me.

What OS are you using, and what C++ features do you need? GCC comes in MANY flavors (as you've probably noticed).

I'd recommend that you do some basic reading first, but if you want the basic Cygwin setup for running on most variants of Microsoft Windows, click here to actually start the install program.

-PatP

i'm running off XP and as for what i'm wanting to do. i am not exagerating when i say i am in the VERY remedial stages. i really appreciate your time in this, but i have this sinking sensation that i'm wayyyyy over my head. am i putting the cart in front of the horse here? where should i be starting?

Feeling a bit like the dog that caught the car are we?

Don't feel bad. Its a bit disconcerting at first, but it gets better fairly quickly.

The problem is that you're trying to tackle one of the biggest hurdles there is as far as learing to use a computer, on your own, with only a wiseacre on the Internet (aka me) to help you. Most people would have already turned tail and run saying this was too complex, so you're already ahead of the game in my book.

If you're running Windows XP and are just getting started in this process, then the link I posted ought to be fine. Just take a few deep breaths, read the questions that the setup program posts carefully (and take a minute or three to think about them), and you ought to be fine.

-PatP

lololol...oh how right you are. i will do what you suggest and believe me will have tons of questions for you in the future. i just hope that you won't consider me lazy for asking you and others instead of finding the answers for myself. thanks again.

Well, we like you to TRY to find the answers yourself. You'll remember the answer better, and you'll likely learn more things in the process as well. But if you get stumped on something then go ahead and start a thread in the appropriate section of the forum.

No experience at all?

Any reason you picked c++


Why not try BASIC

http://www.thefreecountry.com/compilers/basic.shtml

why basic over another? why c++? i don't know. i didn't know where to start i suppose.

you should start with C.