[Qt-interest] Qt guide for MFC Programmers...

[K. Frank]

Hello Jason!

On Tue, Jan 18, 2011 at 12:22 PM, Jason H <scorp1us at yahoo.com> wrote:
> There is barely a comparison. MFC was C++ wrappers around the C WinAPI. Qt is
> object oriented from the ground up.

It's a little unfair just to call MFC C++ wrappers.  MFC is a fully
object-oriented gui framework, which does, of course, call down
into the C WinAPI.

It was, in part, microsoft's competitive response to Borland's
OWL (their object-oriented gui framework).

It's true that stylistically MFC is a bit old-fashioned (if anything
C++ can be called old-fashioned), but it was reasonably up to date
for its time.  MFC predates the C++98 standard, predates the
(C++) standard template library, and predates broad compiler
support for templates, as well as predating a lot of experience
with C++ and improved design concepts.

I'm not a big fan of MFC, but it got (and still gets) the job done
for a lot of people, so credit where credit is due.

> ...
> This was the biggest conversion for me as a
> former MFC developer. For core philosophy stuff, I'd probably recommend "Design
> Patterns in Qt". As for GUI stuff, the concepts in QtGUI are similar, except
> where they are different due to Qt making proper use of C++ concepts
> (inheritance and polymorphism).
> ...
> HTH
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: BRM <bm_witness at yahoo.com>
> ...
> Anyone know of a good reference (book, website) for helping MFC programmers
> convert to Qt? I'd like to recommend/provide it to a friend.

To answer Ben's original question, I honestly wouldn't try to use
MFC as a starting point to learn Qt, and try to set up a translation
or migration from MFC to Qt.  MFC and Qt are enough different
that I would recommend just jumping in and learning Qt on its own.

Obviously, prior gui experience will be helpful, and some Qt concepts
will be familiar from MFC, but I wouldn't try to leverage MFC experience
in a systematic way.

> ...
>
> TIA,
>
> Ben

Goof luck.


K. Frank