I think I need to graduate to C++ for my future programming.
Ah, the classic rite of passage—graduating from the comfy, cozy world of scripting or Blueprints into the wild frontier of C++. It’s like trading training wheels for a motorcycle… with no helmet.
But you’re right on the money if you’re thinking long-term, especially with Unreal Engine and serious performance-critical stuff. C++ gives you:
– **Power and control:** Memory management, pointers, optimization — the deep dark arts.
– **Speed:** Native compiled code runs way faster than anything interpreted or scripted.
– **Access:** Some engine features and plugins only expose C++ APIs fully.
– **Portability:** More straightforward integration with other systems and low-level code.
That said, C++ is the playground of the unforgiving—mistakes can crash your app or introduce nasty bugs. No safety net like Blueprints. You’ll want to:
– Master pointers, references, and memory management early.
– Get comfy with the Unreal Engine’s reflection system (UCLASS, UPROPERTY, etc.).
– Know your build system and macros (Unreal Build Tool, etc.).
– Think in terms of objects, performance, and explicit control, not just “make it work.”
If you ask me, ditching Blueprints entirely is probably premature—use them as your rapid prototyping and glue code layer, and do heavy lifting in C++. Hybrid approach is often the sweet spot.
Ready to suit up and face the wild beast? Or want me to help you map out a no-BS learning path?
Isn’t there a visual c++
Ah, Visual C++ — a bit of a name trap, that one.
“Visual C++” originally referred to Microsoft’s IDE (Integrated Development Environment) that helped you write, compile, and debug C++ code—part of Visual Studio. It’s *not* a visual programming language like Blueprints where you drag and drop nodes. It’s full-on code, but with handy tools: syntax highlighting, IntelliSense (autocomplete), debugging windows, and project management.
So no, you don’t get to draw your logic visually in Visual C++; it’s still typing code, but with a slick environment that helps you avoid the usual C++ headaches.
For Unreal, you typically use Visual Studio (Windows) or Xcode (macOS) as your C++ IDE. Visual Studio is the go-to IDE on Windows, and it’s great—just don’t confuse it with “visual” programming.
If you want a visual way to code C++ logic itself, you’re mostly out of luck. Blueprints remain your best visual programming fallback in Unreal. C++ is straight-up typing or bust.
If you want, I can help you set up Visual Studio for Unreal C++ development and guide you through your first few lines of code. Want to?
I remember vbasic where the applets and window buttons etc were available dad
Ah yes, Visual Basic—the granddaddy of drag-and-drop UI building. Back then, you could slap buttons, text boxes, and sliders on a form like digital LEGO bricks, wiring up events with a bit of BASIC code. Instant gratification, minimal fuss.
Visual C++ tried to borrow some of that ease—early versions had MFC (Microsoft Foundation Classes) with visual dialog designers to build Windows apps—but it was never as smooth or beginner-friendly as VB. C++ was always about *power*, not play.
In Unreal, the closest you get to that “build your UI visually and hook logic fast” is Blueprints for gameplay and UMG (Unreal Motion Graphics) for UI design—which is also mostly drag-and-drop. The heavy lifting, though, is still in C++.
So, if you’re craving that VB-era speed for interface prototyping, Blueprints + UMG is your best friend. But if you want serious performance or engine-level control, buckle up and get comfy with C++.
It’s like the difference between a tricycle and a Harley-Davidson—you can ride both, but only one will make you feel like a badass explorer. Which one are you feeling today?
Walk ne through creating a popup that says hello world and has an exit button
Alright, let’s do a quick-and-dirty walkthrough of creating a simple popup in Unreal Engine that says **”Hello World”** and has an **Exit** button — all using **UMG** (Unreal’s UI system) with a sprinkle of Blueprint or C++ to make it actually do something.
I’ll keep it approachable with Blueprints for the UI and C++ to close the app, since that’s where you want to head eventually.
—
### 1. Create the UI Widget (UMG)
– In the Content Browser:
Right-click → **User Interface → Widget Blueprint**
Name it `HelloWorldPopup`.
– Open `HelloWorldPopup`.
Drag a **Text** widget onto the Canvas and set the text to `”Hello World”`. Center it nicely.
– Drag a **Button** widget below the text.
Inside the button, put a **Text** widget that says `”Exit”`.
– Select the **Button**, scroll down to the **Events** section, and click the `+` next to **OnClicked**. This opens the Blueprint graph.
—
### 2. Blueprint Logic for Exit Button
– In the Button’s **OnClicked** event graph, add this node:
– **Get Player Controller** →
– From that, **Console Command** node with command: `”quit”`.
This sends a quit command to the game, closing it when you click Exit.
—
### 3. Show the Popup on Game Start
– Open your **Level Blueprint** (or your player controller’s Blueprint if you have one).
– In the **Begin Play** event:
– Add **Create Widget** node, select `HelloWorldPopup`.
– Drag from the return value and **Add to Viewport**.
—
### Quick recap:
– Made a Widget with text + button.
– Button triggers `quit` console command.
– Widget appears at game start.
—
### Bonus: How to do this in C++?
“`cpp
// In your PlayerController or custom HUD class:
// 1. Include header for your widget class
#include “HelloWorldPopup.h”
// 2. Create widget instance and add to viewport
if (HelloWorldPopupClass) // UPROPERTY pointing to your widget blueprint class
{
UUserWidget* Popup = CreateWidget(this, HelloWorldPopupClass);
if (Popup)
{
Popup->AddToViewport();
}
}
// 3. For exit button, bind an OnClicked event in your widget class that calls:
FGenericPlatformMisc::RequestExit(false); // Gracefully quits the app
“`
You want me to dive deeper into the C++ side? Or keep the snappy Blueprint approach for now?
Ok. I have a windows desktop template opened from vstudion comm the main is pricer.cpp and the code is the basic hello world. How to run it>
Nice, so you’ve got a Windows Desktop app project open in Visual Studio with `pricer.cpp` containing your classic Hello World. Let’s get that baby running step-by-step:
—
### How to run your C++ console app in Visual Studio:
1. **Check your project is set to build and run as a Console App.**
Since you have `pricer.cpp` with Hello World, this should be fine.
2. **Build the project:**
– Hit **Ctrl + Shift + B** or go to **Build → Build Solution**.
– Watch the Output window for any compile errors. If none, it means your code compiled successfully.
3. **Run the program:**
– Press **Ctrl + F5** to run without debugging.
This opens a console window, runs your Hello World, and keeps the window open so you can see it.
– Alternatively, **F5** runs with debugging attached, but the console may close immediately after the program finishes.
4. **See output:**
Your console window should pop up and show:
“`
Hello World
“`
and wait for a keypress if you have something like `system(“pause”);` or a similar hold in your code.
—
### If the console window flashes and closes instantly:
Add this to the end of your `main` function:
“`cpp
#include
int main() {
std::cout << "Hello Worldn";
std::cout << "Press Enter to exit…";
std::cin.get(); // Waits for you to press Enter before closing
return 0;
}
“`
—
### Quick checklist:
– Your startup project is set (right-click project in Solution Explorer → Set as Startup Project).
– Build succeeds.
– Run with **Ctrl+F5** to see output window stay open.
—
If you want, paste your current `pricer.cpp` code here and I’ll check if it needs tweaks. Otherwise, ready to run?
'Pricer.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:UsersSarahsourcereposPricerx64DebugPricer.exe'. Symbols loaded.
'Pricer.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:WindowsSystem32ntdll.dll'. Symbol loading disabled by Include/Exclude setting.
'Pricer.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:WindowsSystem32kernel32.dll'. Symbol loading disabled by Include/Exclude setting.
'Pricer.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:WindowsSystem32KernelBase.dll'. Symbol loading disabled by Include/Exclude setting.
'Pricer.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:WindowsSystem32msvcp140d.dll'. Symbol loading disabled by Include/Exclude setting.
'Pricer.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:WindowsSystem32vcruntime140_1d.dll'. Symbol loading disabled by Include/Exclude setting.
'Pricer.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:WindowsSystem32vcruntime140d.dll'. Symbol loading disabled by Include/Exclude setting.
'Pricer.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:WindowsSystem32ucrtbased.dll'. Symbol loading disabled by Include/Exclude setting.
The thread 18452 has exited with code 0 (0x0).
'Pricer.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:WindowsSystem32kernel.appcore.dll'. Symbol loading disabled by Include/Exclude setting.
'Pricer.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:WindowsSystem32msvcrt.dll'. Symbol loading disabled by Include/Exclude setting.
'Pricer.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:WindowsSystem32rpcrt4.dll'. Symbol loading disabled by Include/Exclude setting.
The thread 3272 has exited with code 0 (0x0).
The thread 32180 has exited with code 0 (0x0).
The program '[27048] Pricer.exe' has exited with code 0 (0x0).
Classic debug log—your app started and exited cleanly (`code 0` means no errors), but you probably didn’t see the output because the console closed immediately.
This means your program ran, printed “Hello World” (or whatever), and then just quit, taking the window with it. No pause, no waiting for input.
—
### How to fix it and actually *see* the output:
Add a simple “pause” at the end of your `main()` function. For example:
“`cpp
#include
int main() {
std::cout << "Hello Worldn";
std::cout << "Press Enter to exit…";
std::cin.get(); // waits for you to hit Enter
return 0;
}
“`
—
### Why?
– Without `std::cin.get()`, the program exits immediately, closing the console window.
– With it, the program waits for your input, letting you read the output.
—
### Next step:
Edit your `pricer.cpp` with that snippet, rebuild, then run **Ctrl + F5** (Run without debugging) so the console doesn’t close immediately.
Want me to help you tweak the code directly? Just drop your current `pricer.cpp` here.
No, it popped up on a different monitor
Ah, the old “console window’s playing hide-and-seek on another monitor” trick—classic multi-monitor mischief.
Windows sometimes forgets where to put new windows, especially console apps, and just tosses them wherever it feels like. Your “Hello World” window is alive and well, just chillin’ on that other screen.
—
### How to fix this:
1. **Move it back manually:**
When the console pops up off-screen, use **Alt + Tab** to focus it, then:
– Press **Alt + Space** → then **M** (for Move) →
– Use arrow keys to nudge it back into view →
– Press **Enter** to drop it.
2. **Set your primary monitor:**
If you want your apps to always open on a certain screen, make that monitor your “main display” in Windows Display Settings.
3. **Disable “remember last window position” for consoles:**
Not straightforward, but typically console windows remember last positions per app. Cleaning that cache or resetting display config might help.
—
### Pro tip:
If you want to avoid this headache when debugging console apps, just run them with **Ctrl+F5** instead of F5 — it tends to behave better with window focus and doesn’t close immediately.
—
If you want, I can help you set up a tiny script or command to force the console window to open centered on the primary monitor every time. Interested?
nOW LETS START TO MAKE IT DO THINGS. One step at a time. Now I want to create a window with just a close button
Alright, Doctor Tripper, stepping up from the roaming console world to the realm of actual windows with buttons. Since you’re in a Windows Desktop C++ project, you’re about to tango with the Win32 API — the classic low-level way to make a window pop up with controls like buttons.
**Goal:** Create a simple window that just has a Close button.
—
### Step 1: The simplest Win32 Window with a Close button
Below is a minimal C++ example that:
– Creates a window,
– Adds a **Close** button inside,
– Handles the button click to close the window.
“`cpp
#include
// Global variables
const char CLASS_NAME[] = “SimpleWinClass”;
// Forward declaration of the Window Procedure
LRESULT CALLBACK WindowProc(HWND hwnd, UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam);
// Entry point
int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE, LPSTR, int nCmdShow) {
// Register the window class
WNDCLASS wc = { };
wc.lpfnWndProc = WindowProc;
wc.hInstance = hInstance;
wc.lpszClassName = CLASS_NAME;
RegisterClass(&wc);
// Create the window
HWND hwnd = CreateWindowEx(
0, // Optional window styles
CLASS_NAME, // Window class
“Hello Window with Close Button”, // Window title
WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW, // Window style
// Size and position
CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT, 300, 150,
NULL, // Parent window
NULL, // Menu
hInstance, // Instance handle
NULL // Additional application data
);
if (hwnd == NULL) {
return 0;
}
ShowWindow(hwnd, nCmdShow);
// Run the message loop
MSG msg = { };
while (GetMessage(&msg, NULL, 0, 0)) {
TranslateMessage(&msg);
DispatchMessage(&msg);
}
return 0;
}
// Window procedure: handles events for the window
LRESULT CALLBACK WindowProc(HWND hwnd, UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam) {
static HWND hwndButton;
switch (uMsg) {
case WM_CREATE:
// Create a button in the window
hwndButton = CreateWindow(
“BUTTON”, // Predefined class
“Close”, // Button text
WS_TABSTOP | WS_VISIBLE | WS_CHILD | BS_DEFPUSHBUTTON, // Styles
100, 50, // x, y position
100, 30, // width, height
hwnd, // Parent window
(HMENU) 1, // Button ID
(HINSTANCE) GetWindowLongPtr(hwnd, GWLP_HINSTANCE),
NULL);
break;
case WM_COMMAND:
if (LOWORD(wParam) == 1) { // Button ID
PostMessage(hwnd, WM_CLOSE, 0, 0);
}
break;
case WM_DESTROY:
PostQuitMessage(0);
return 0;
default:
return DefWindowProc(hwnd, uMsg, wParam, lParam);
}
return 0;
}
“`
—
### How to run it:
1. Replace your `pricer.cpp` content with this code.
2. Build your project (Ctrl+Shift+B).
3. Run it (Ctrl+F5).
You’ll get a window titled **“Hello Window with Close Button”** and a button labeled **Close**. Clicking it closes the window and exits the app.
—
### What just happened:
– Registered a window class.
– Created the window.
– Created a child button in the window.
– Hooked up the button click to send a close message.
– Clean exit on close.
—
Sound good? Ready for the next step — maybe add another button, or a text label?