Purpose

In this lab, you will become familiar with the Build procedures for Microsoft Visual C++ 5.0.

Overview

You will:

• Writing a program to convert from degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius (we'll do this together in lab).
• Type the program into the computer.
• Compile, build, and test the program.
• Modify the program to convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit.
• Compile, build, and test the modified program.
• Report on your results.

Procedures

1. Start the Microsoft Developer Studio; the procedure may be a little different depending on the computer you are using, but it often involves the Start menu in the lower-left corner of your screen.
2. Create a new project called tempconv. On the warp network, you will typically create a directory on the f: drive. For this lab, use the subdirectory f:\tempconv.
   • Select New... from the File menu.
   • In the New dialog box, select the Projects tab (it may be selected already).
   • In the list on the left, select Win32 Console Application.
   • Enter f:\ in the Location field. Do this first, before entering a name in the Project name field.
   • Enter tempconv in the Project name field. (Note: there is no requirement that the project name be the same as the main source file name, but many programmers like to do it this way.) Note that the Project name field changes to become f:\tempconv, the directory in which your project will be created.
   • Make sure the Create new workspace choice is selected.
   • Under Platforms, Win32 should be checked (it will likely be the only choice).
   • Click the OK button.

   This will create a new project called tempconv in the directory f:\tempconv. If you look in this directory, you will see several files with names that begin with the project name (here, tempconv), but don't worry too much about them at this point.

3. Create a new source file and type in your program.
   • Select New from the File menu.
   • In the New dialog box, select the Files tab (it may be selected already).
   • Select C++ Source File (or C/C++ Header File, if you are creating a ".h" file) in the Type list.
   • Make sure the Add to project: box is checked, and that your project name is listed below it.
   • Type the name of your file in the File name box, making sure that the Location field is correct (e.g., f:\tempconv).
   • Click the OK button.
   • In the resulting text window, type your source code and then select Save.
   For future reference, if you already had an existing source file, you should:
   • On the Project menu, select Add to project->Files ...; in the Insert Files into Project dialog, select the tempconv.cpp source file from the list (it should be the only file listed) and then click on the OK button.
   • To view or edit your source file, select Open on the File menu, select your source file again, and click on the Open button. (Another way to open your file is to double-click on its name in the FileView list on the left side of the screen, but that's a little more complicated.)

   There are several other ways to do this, so ask the instructor if you are having any difficulty.

   In the future, when you modify your program, be sure to open the existing project by selecting Open Workspace ... from the File menu.

4. Next build the project. On the Build menu, select Rebuild All. If you get errors you don't understand, it is possible that your compiler options (e.g., file directories and library selection) are not set properly. Consult the instructor for assistance.
5. Select the Execute program icon or press Ctrl+F5. (If you want to debug, select the Go icon or press F5). Your program should run. The console window may close at the end of the program before you can see the output. (Usually this happens if you selected Go instead of Execute program.) There are at least two ways to work around this:
   • Add an extra input statement (e.g., "cin >> intVar") at the end of the program and then enter a dummy value after viewing the output.
   • Run the program from an MS-DOS window.
6. Test the program by running it to see if it produces accurate conversions (32 Deg F = 0 Deg C, 212 Deg F = 100 Deg C).
7. Modify the program to convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit.
8. Compile, build, and test the modified program.
9. Answer the following questions:
• Are there any temperatures that are the same in both Fahrenheit and Celsius? (X Deg F = X Deg C)
• If so, how many? List it/them.
10. Submit the lab report (details below).

Lab report

The lab report should consist of the following:

• An overview of the lab (purpose, procedure, etc...). This should be in your own words.
• A description of the approach you used to answer the questions in step 9 (along with the answers).
• A brief description of any problems you encountered or questions you have regarding the lab.
• A copy of the source code for the original and modified programs. (Be sure to follow the documentation standards that I have set for all programs you write for this class.)
• Example input/output combinations for the two programs you wrote.

As with any report you submit, correct spelling and grammar are required. In addition, your report should be submitted electronically following the Electronic submission guidelines. (You may wish to consult the sample report before submitting your report.) Be sure to keep copies of all your files, in case something gets lost. It may be wise to keep a diskette backup as well.

The lab report is due at 4:00pm the day prior to the following lab period (4:00pm, Monday, Dec. 8, 1998), though you are encouraged to submit it sooner if you can. If you have any questions, consult the instructor.

This page was created by Dr. Christopher C. Taylor and is based heavily on material developed by Dr. Mark J. Sebern.