StartingC

startingC: Learning the C Programming Language

Introduction

svn co http://source.ggy.bris.ac.uk/subversion-open/startingC/trunk ./startingC

A Quintessential First Program

OK, now that we have the example code, let's get cracking and run our first C program. First of all, move into the example directory:

cd startingC/examples/example1

We'll use of a Makefile for each example, so as to make the build process painless (hopefully!). All we need do is run make (see the [make tutorial about make] if you're interested in this further):

make

Now, we can run the classic program:

./hello.exe

and you should get the friendly response:

hello, world!

Bingo! We've just surmounted the hardest step in way--running our first C program. Given this quantum leap, everything else will boil down to the consideration of details, really.

Types & Operations

int char float double

short & long

sizeof() casting

enumerated types

Now, it's very important that you muck around with these example programs as much as possible! Ideally, so much so that you break them! We never learn as much as when we make a mess of things, and since these are just toy programs, you may as well go for it! If you get in a pickle, you can get the original programs back with a quick waft of the Subversion wand:

svn revert *

Exercises

Now, it's very

Loops & Conditionals

if then else

(switch) case (default - fall through)

while and for

break & continue

Arrays & Pointers

address, dereference address arith 2d arrays binary trees and linked lists - just give examples

Structures

DAB again

watch out for padding

Further Reading

The bible is The C Programming Language by Kernighan & Ritchie.