I'm looking for a book focusing on non-syntax related C++ problems. IMHO majority of C++ books are covering syntax or small "horizon" problems (like: the best way to assign values to the std::vector).
I currently know one such book: Large Scale C++ Design (John Lakos). What do you think about this book?
Please include other books matching the description.
effective c++, deals with non-syntax problems, and is a very valuable source of knowledge imo. http://books.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/06/07/1531214&from=rss http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Specific-Addison-Wesley-Professional-Computing/dp/0201924889
James O. Coplien's
http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-C-Programming-Styles-Idioms/dp/0201548550
Personally, I don't like the Latkos book because it focuses on what is to me a non-problem: how to build very large systems using C++. My solution is simple: I don't build large systems, I build lots of small ones that I then join together. But my opinion is probably in a minority here.
As for other books, presumably you've already looked at clasics like Meyers' "Effective" series, the GOF Patterns book and Alexandrescu's "Modern C++ Design"?
Though I haven't read Large Scale C++ Design yet, it comes off as referenced and well-recommended by various authors of other books that I've read. If you haven't read Scott Meyers' Effective C++ yet, I think it covers non-syntax related problems too. Modern C++ Design by Andrei Alexandrescu is another book that you could check out. Its focus on design patterns can help solve common problems at a higher, more abstract level.
I learned a lot from the Lakos book, but it pre-dates the C++ standard (book: 1996, standard: 1998), so it feels dated now when I look at it. I've never seen anything that covers physical design so well. A lot of C++ books seem to neglect this, covering only the logical design of classes.
I can second the votes for the Effective C++ books, and for Modern C++ design. 2 others from the Addison Wesley C++ in depth series that I like are Essential C++ by Lippman, and C++ Common Knowledge by Dewhurst. In fact, I have not found a bad book in this whole series (not that I have read them all). I would recommend scanning the list of titles at the publisher's web site, or you book vendor of choice, and picking out the ones that suit you best.
A lot (not all, obviously) of the non-syntax-related problems end up being non-language-specific problems. Start with the classics like Code Complete, The Pragmatic Programmer, and GoF Design Patterns.