I've taken C++ courses before but never programmed any GUI applications. Well for this job I was asked to program a GUI for a solar hybrid project that displays information such as battery charge, temperature, etc...sort of like the thing you see in a Prius.

Can anyone give any recommendations on how to tackle this task? The easiest way... I've downloaded Microsoft Visual C++ Express Edition. I want a whole bunch of displays that shows the informations in real time and maybe (optional) include some sort of a bar graph to make it look better.

How hard would that be?

Thanks.

>>How hard would that be?
It may take anywhere from a couple days (for experienced programmers) to about a lifetime for beginners. For your compiler you might also want to download free wxWindows. Or if you want to use pure win32 api functions here's a tutorial.

I could be wrong, but to make a graphbar without using additional toolkits (like wxWidgets etc), you would need Visual Studio standard or pro, which aren't free.
But you can try the pro-version here (90 day-trial)

You are wrong. The Express edition can be used to write windows GUI using win32 api functions. You need the Standard or better $$$ editions to get MFC and the resource editor. I think there are also free resource editors on the net.

I just tried to copy and paste this code:

#include <windows.h>

INT WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance,
LPSTR lpCmdLine, int nCmdShow)
{
MessageBox(NULL, "Welcome to Win32 Application Development\n", NULL, NULL);

return 0;
}



from a tutorial and run it in Visual C++ Express, and it gave me this message

" error C2664: 'MessageBoxW' : cannot convert parameter 2 from 'const char [42]' to 'LPCWSTR'
Types pointed to are unrelated; conversion requires reinterpret_cast, C-style cast or function-style cast"

Why is that? I mean, it's going to make learning a lot harder for a beginner if I can't even run a tutorial code due to some mysterious reason that's way over my head now.

You are compiling your program for UNICODE. Turn that feature off. Go to menu Properties --> Project (at the bottom of the menu). Expand Configuration Properties, then click General.

1) Change the Configuration: at the top of the window to All Configurations

2) In the right pain near the bottom you will see Character Set. Select Not Set from the combo box.

I cant explain much cause i am very new to win32 programs and then try this,

MessageBox( NULL, TEXT("Welcome"), NULL, NULL ) ;

EDIT: I should not have talked about something which I don't know

>>MessageBox( NULL, TEXT("Welcome", NULL, NULL ) ;

You have a typo. There should be a closing parenthese ) after the word Welcome. like this:
MessageBox( NULL, TEXT("Welcome"), NULL, NULL ) ;

Ya I noticed it. You are not blaming me for anything else. Does that mean I am right?.

As I said before, I am new to win32. Till I registered in this forum the only world I knew was Turbo C.

>>You are not blaming me for anything else. Does that mean I am right?.
No, it just means that line had a typ. To check if you are right or wrong you have to compile and run the program.

>>ill I registered in this forum the only world I knew was Turbo C.
Great move I'm sure you won't regret the move.