Visual Studio is the only IDE (Interactive Development Environment) supported in this course. You are welcome to use other IDEs, but the TAs will not be able to help with questions regarding other IDEs.

Begin by opening Visual Studio 2015

Click "New Project..." as shown in the red outlined rectangle.

Screenshot showing Visual Studio, with New Project highlighted.

A pop-up box titled "New Project" should pop up.

Screenshot of the dialog box, with Visual C++, General, Empty Project, and filename textboxes highlighted.

Select "Visual C++" (red rectangle 1).
Select "General" (red rectangle 2).
Select "Empty Project" (red rectangle 3).
Set the name of your project in the text box marked "Name: " (red rectangle 4).
Set the location for your project in the text box marked "Location: " (red rectangle 4) (set it to somewhere within your F drive).
Lastly, select "OK" on the right bottom corner of the dialog.

Screenshot of a series of menus, with Source Files, Add, and New Item highlighted.

Find the box to the right that is titled "Solution Explorer" (if it is not there, go to "View" at the top of the window and select "Solution Explorer").

Right-click "Source Files," then select "Add," then select "New Item."

Screenshot of the Add New Item dialog box, with C++ File (app) and the filename highlighted.

Select "C++ File" from the pop-up box titled "Add New Item - [ProjectName]". You will use "Header File" on later projects as well.

Give your file a name in the text box titles "Name: " (Main.cpp or Source.cpp are common).

Select the "Add" button in the bottom right.

Screenshot of the NewProject window, with the Microsoft Visual Studio dialog box and the Yes button highlighted.

A white, empty, editable box will now be available. I have filled mine with some code. To run the program:

Select "Local Windows Debugger" preceded by a green arrow near to the top of the window.
When a box comes up asking you if you would like to build the project, select "Yes."

Screenshot of the dialog box with the No button highlighted.

(If a second pop-up window appears, select "No").

Screenshot of the code window.

The code should now run, with a terminal appearing in black.

Output will be displayed in the terminal and input will be accepted in the terminal for the duration of the run.

To end the program, either reach the end of your code's run in the terminal or click the red square that has appeared where "Local Windows Debugger" used to be.

For information about debugging, check Debugging Tools.