Should I learn Visual C++?

[danish.umer.k]

Hello,
I have completed BS in Electrical Engineering. I few days ago a former teacher of mine suggested that I learn programming in Visual C++. I did not have enough time then to discuss it in detail with him. I am good at programming microcontroller with C. Can somebody in here explain how Visual C++ can be useful for me as an Electrical Engineer?

 

[spudboy488]

It sounds like you are a recent graduate and may not have a job yet. My advice would be to go through the engineering job boards and look to see what various employers are looking for. If Visual C++ is on top of the list, then that would be a good choice. You want to learn (and become proficient in) whatever would make you more marketable. Some years back, I was looking for a job and LabVIEW was one of the requirements for 2 of them. I downloaded the 30 day demo and picked up enough to (at least) sound like I knew what I was talking about to get the job.

 

[danish.umer.k]

Thanks for your advice. I am actually doing Masters in Electrical Engineering with specialization in Control Engineering now so I am not looking for job yet. I asked this question because I want to do something interesting and useful in the free time I have. Can you think of any examples of how Visual C++ can be useful to an Electrical Engineer.

 

[Dan Mills]

Better surely to learn C++ (As in the standard language) which can then be applied in any remotely suitable environment.
Learn the language not the tool.

Other things that might be very worthwhile, VHDL, Verilog, Matlab/Simulink (Especially for a controls guy), at least a passing familiarity with one of the serious EDA tools (Orcad, Altium, whatever), mechanical cad (Solidworks, pro-E whatever), scripting languages are never time wasted (Even really pony ones like writing macros in Excel)...

73 Dan.