Managed C++ / A Trip Down Memory Lane
I'm working with a client that has a large suite of desktop applications that we're converting to use web application front ends. The existing code is all written in C++/MFC, and this is the current language of choice for the client. Before I came onto the project he had already developed several interface bridges from the managed Framework into the unmanaged legacy business logic using Managed C++. My job has been writing C# XML Web Services to access his Managed (C++) business logic, and then the ASP.NET presentation layer that accesses the XML Web Services.
The client wants to continue with Managed C++, but is replacing more and more of the unmanaged business logic with managed code and would like to start using ADO.NET with ODBC to directly access the backend database. To this end, I wrote some sample code in Managed C++ that provided basic CRUD functionality to a few of the existing tables.
After writing in C# for over two years now, going back to C++ was a real trip down memory lane. In addition to learning the managed extensions (which aren't too difficult), some of the old pointer reference issues, with which I had become so familiar with in the past, seemed so foreign to me these days. I never thought that typing the asterisk so much would drudge up so many fond old memories.
But after reliving some of these programming joys of the past, I'm so happy to have left all those pointers where they belong--in the past. I sure do love C#.
Hmmm... I wonder if I should add Managed C++ to my resume?