Visual C++ IDE feature leave much to desire

Question

Why is the IDE so different in terms of features as compared to what was built into Visual C# IDE?  Intellisense,  object changes (Refactoring) features are greatly different between the two. Will this improve in 2010?

Why does the all the code go in the header file by default?  I know I can change that. I just wondered why is was meant that way.

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Jer 29:11

Answer 1

I like the code going into the include file...it eliminates the implementation file, reduces the footprint, and keeps me from making changes in one without updating the other. Also, it makes it very easy to produce entirely portable and resueable code that way. I think it is simply a different approach to allow more resue.

C# is not as much like C++ as you might think, and I don't believe that there is a big push at MS to provide the same sort of functionality as the other .NET languages, because...[I think] VC++ is not really a .NET language, and it already supports some nonstandard C++ APIs, as well as the standard ones. (ATL and STL, for example.)

Answer 2

I like the code going into the include file...it eliminates the implementation file, reduces the footprint, and keeps me from making changes in one without updating the other. Also, it makes it very easy to produce entirely portable and resueable code that way. I think it is simply a different approach to allow more resue.

C# is not as much like C++ as you might think, and I don't believe that there is a big push at MS to provide the same sort of functionality as the other .NET languages, because...[I think] VC++ is not really a .NET language, and it already supports some nonstandard C++ APIs, as well as the standard ones. (ATL and STL, for example.)

As far as preference where code goes, I accept your opinion as such.  I personally am used to the modularity of code declaration and definition  in seperate files as may be lots of other folks.

When you mention C# not being as much like C++, I'm not sure what you mean.  I know VC++ is not a .NET language.  I was just lamenting the difference is features between the two IDEs.

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Jer 29:11

Answer 3

Hello Al,

I agree with Jinzai and I think what Jinzai means is that features for C# and C++(native) is different. As a result, the festure for the two IDEs is diffirent.

It is appreciated that you can submit a feature request and add your supplements into our Connect Portal.

https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio

As we strive to capture any and all product feedback so as to ensure that we are continuously developing Microsoft products to meet customer needs, feedback such as yours is always taken very seriously. It will help us to make our products easier and more powerful to use.

Thanks
Rong-Chun Zhang
MSDN Subscriber Support in Forum
If you have any feedback on our support, please contact [e-mail]

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Answer 4

Hi Rong-Chun Zhang,

To be clear, I started the question based on IDE features only.  I wasn't trying to get into a language discussion.  It is obvious to many that the features included in creating an application in the Visual C# IDE far outweighs those in the Visual C++ IDE.

I will post a request to the Connect Portal and see what becomes of it.  Intuitively, I think what you see is what you get - hopefully I'm wrong.

Al

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Jer 29:11

Answer 5

It's just way harder to implement those features for the for unmanaged C++ language than it is for the C# language.  There are more ambiguities and difficulties.  Intellisense has always been barely adequate for C++.  Of course you can expect improvements, but refactoring and intellisense require an innate understanding of the code by the compiler, and it's just not easy to do with all the template complexities of C++.

Answer 6

It's just way harder to implement those features for the for unmanaged C++ language than it is for the C# language.  There are more ambiguities and difficulties.  Intellisense has always been barely adequate for C++.  Of course you can expect improvements, but refactoring and intellisense require an innate understanding of the code by the compiler, and it's just not easy to do with all the template complexities of C++.

I am referring to the IDE for Visual Studio 2008 that supports C++/CLI - not unmanaged.

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Jer 29:11

Answer 7

Visual C++ has a large customer base that mainly write native code. To support everything in other managed language IDEs would not be the best interest of the customers.

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Answer 8

Visual C++ has a large customer base that mainly write native code. To support everything in other managed language IDEs would not be the best interest of the customers.

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Please help me understand what you're saying.

You're saying that people who use Visual C++ 2008 do so to develop and maintain native code?  Also, having those IDE features which are part of Visual C#, VB.NET are not in the interest of customers?

Is there information that supports this?  Looking around, it seems "most" people do in fact want the IDE features.

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Jer 29:11

Answer 9

I feel no need to improve Notepad, I think most Notepad users would agree. If I need more features I would switch to WordPad or Word. If there are some improvement from the underline edit control, fine with me. But I don't expect Notepad copy every feature from Word.

Same thing can be said in the case of Visual C++. It has many industrial customers that has projects as large as Microsoft Office and SQL Server. I am not saying most people do not want IDE improvement for managed programming. If there are some improvement in the Windows Form Designer or class diagram editor that a C++ project would benefit from, fine with me. I am saying most people want features that other IDEs can not support, like native programming or managed-native interop. 

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