[Tutor] Can any one recommend a good C++ referernce manual

[alan.gauld@bt.com]

> I just want some thing where I can look up what I want to do 
> and it will give me a brief description of what it is, 
> what it does, how to use it 

Thats hard in C++ because of the intrinsic complexity of the language.
Once you get beyond basics C++ is very powerful and very complicated!

I'd recommend one of the following two books as references:
Bjarne Stroustrup "The C++ Programming Language" 3rd edition
Dewhurst and Stark , can't remember the title tho'...

> the options.  I've already got a book teaching generally how 
> to use C++ (didnt teach me much that I didnt already know 

In that case it didn't teach you enough! The differences at a 
conceptual level are not grweat but to effectively use C++ the 
differences are vast.

> doesn't give many functions, I cant even seem to find how to 
> write to a file.

The functions are, like in python, contained in libraries. You need 
documentation for the standard C++ library. For file handling 
look at the streams library(obviously! :-) or use the old C stdio library.

Beware of dragons,

Alan G.