Win32 API vs MFC vs SDK

[aquafatz]

Hello everyone!
I'm learning win32 api and have a few questions which I can't find any easy answers to. It would be great if someone could explain them!

So what I've understood so far is that Win32 uses C, wherein I have to write my own code to deisgn the window, i.e. the old fashioned way.

And MFC are C++ classes, like a wrapper around Win32. It makes designing easier by the drag and drop functionality.

But what is SDK?

And is there a difference between MFC functions/objects and MFC CObject API?

My concepts are all over the place right now....so it would be really awesome if someone could help me understand.
Thanks a lot for the help!! I really appreciate it!

[Igor Vartanov]

Sorry, but you are wrong in your concepts. Plain Win32 API can be used in almost any language but not only C, and surely one of those languages is C++. I'm not quite sure of your understanding of "design by drag and drop" but I have bad news for you: you can't just drag and drop when programming MFC, though admittedly a certain level of help (wizards) really exists in VS IDE. On the other hand, resource editor remains the same functional in Win32 projects when it's about designing dialog windows in C or C++.

SDK stands for Software Development Kit, a very general term. And Windows Platform SDK in fact is the kit that allows you to access Win32 API in C/C++ projects for Windows desktop and server programs.

And sorry, I did not get your other question about MFC CObject.

[aquafatz]

Thanks Igor!! You are correct....my concepts are messed up! :P But I'm trying to understand and learn.

I have previously designed basic GUI's using Java swings and there have been many wizards available to do so. But I did not find any for win32. But since posting the question, I have tried out a few tutorials in plain win32 as well as using mfc.

About the mfc cobject....I read it somewhere in a tutorial that, "the application is built using plain win32, no mfc objects or functions". But a few lines down, the person wrote that "the application supports some MFC CObject API GetClientRect(), InvalidateRect(), GetParent(), etc."
So the two statements seemed contradictory to me. Or is it possible to build a plain win32 application and use a limited or selected set of mfc objects?

Thanks!!

[Igor Vartanov]

Sorry, but I would recommend to avoid tutorials of this kind. What you need is a solid book that would teach you MFC programming, and after that you find yourself able to tell bullshit from real things. It's very important to adopt proper vocabulary, as terminology really makes a good deal of your way of thinking.

[2kaud]

if you already know c++, then for WIN32 programming I would suggest
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Programming-...9761597&sr=1-4

and for MFC
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Programming-...ref=pd_sim_b_2