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C++ GUI Library

Shutters

Shutters is a C++ library aimed at easing the task of Windows GUI programming. It is not a framework, so there is no classes such as Application, it also does not have the facilities such as serializing.

For using Shutters, you need not have to change the structure of your program. What is needed is just a message loop. So any program can use Shutters without any specific modifications.

Features:

• Does not use resources. Say Good-bye to ugly syntax of resource script and frustrating resources symbols.
• More intuitive than Java Swing, .NET windows form.
• Cease the need for using new and delete. Do you worry about the fairs of garbage collection any more?
• Want to get notification when a certain button pressed down? Yes! Event mechanism, the simplest event mechanism ever seen.
• No message map and macro magic, genuine C++ code.
• Similar name to .NET windows forms let you write Shutters program while consulting your msdn .NET document.
• Only aiming at GUI programming, no troublesome framework.
• Built on std, there is no yet another string class. Seamless integrated with standard library.

Trade-off:

• Designed for beginners.
• Simplicity is more important than efficiency. Do not worry about whether it is slow or big, only worry about whether it is easy to understand. Have you ever worried about Java running slowly? Did you worry about .NET big? Yes! But they have been invading the area of C++.
• Only aimed to GUI. While standard library can not include EVERY thing, how could Shutters? Let other libraries deal with other works.
• Use virtual function no message map. There is no crime with message map, except you should learn a new thing beside C++.
• Do not use a simulated GC, how could the false compete with the true one? C++ program should act as in C++! This is important. Shutter is not the C++ version of .NET windows forms or Java Swing.
• Try to keep consistence with .NET in naming convention, but do not let name affect design.
• Only valuable program need porting. Before considering the fair about cross platforms, the most important thing is to become a useful program. But try best to avoid use of some too special API functions. Perhaps some day, Shutter will not only be Shutters under Windows.
• Avoiding affecting by C style Windows API. That is C code, only can act that way.
• Do not let yourself stranded with ancient SDK, vb6 does not use resource, let alone .NET. C++ programmer is not resource script guy.