Borland C++Builder 5

The C++ Builder environment is graphically based and much of your programming tasks can be done with "click and drag". It is possible to create a functional program without any programming.

C++ Builder handles virtually all of the underlying code that was traditionally done by hand. Adding a dialog box or button to a control is as simple as clicking with the mouse. If you need the control to perform some action, simply select the desired event and type in the code. All the base code is added automatically, you just add your custom code.

As C++ Builder is ANSI compliant, creating C/C++ programs that will run on many platforms is easy. Creating a Dynamic Link Library (DLL) is easy as the compiler generates the base code and all you have to do is add your own code.

For those of you who have had problems making the transition to Windows from DOS, C++ Builder 5 can be a big help. As Windows is a graphical environment, the screen displays will have to be redone from scratch, but you should be able to save much of the processing code. What I recommend is to load your DOS source code in your previous development environment and then run the old application in a DOS box. Then start a new project in C++Builder. You can use the old DOS application as a reference when you design your new form(s).

I've used this method to convert several DOS applications to Windows, with good success. Once you have the basic layout done, you can cut and paste as much of the old code as you can.

I found the compiler easy to use and it eliminated much of the burden of Windows programming. All of the standard code was created by the compiler and it is easy to add my code to component events.

Error messages were relatively easy to interpret and made correcting mistakes easy. Sometimes the error messages were obtuse but nothing beyond what is normally expected with a C/C++ compiler. This is common to all types of C or C++ compilers, and with a little experience, a programmer can properly interpret the error messages.

Borland's C++ Builder 5  shares the same basic interface as Borland's Delphi and JBuilder compilers. So unlike many systems where you have to learn a different interface for each language, most of your knowledge can be transferred to the other compilers. While I haven't looked at the new Kylix compiler for Linux, I would expect that it is also similar in operation.

C++ Builder 5 is available in 3 versions, Standard, Professional, and Enterprise. The Standard version lists for $99.95 and is a good starting point for the beginning programmer. Most opt for the Professional version at a list price of $799.00. The Enterprise version is suitable for programmers working in a corporate environment and lists for $2,499.00. Street prices are somewhat lower and you can often get a competitive upgrade if you own a completive product. To determine which version is right for you, click here.

As someone who has used the C and C++ language for a number of years, I felt very comfortable with the Borland C++ Builder 5 compiler and was able to use it right away. Most Windows computers today should run the compiler fine. While I haven't tried it on a older, say Pentium 200, I would expect that it would work ok.

To visit Borland's C++ Builder 5 web site, click here. Borland's home page is at www.Borland.com.