C for Dummies

Description

while (dead_horse) beat (): If you're like most people, the above seems like nonsense. Actually, it's computer sense--C programming. After digesting C For Dummies, 2nd Edition, you'll understand it. C programs are fast, concise and versatile. They let you boss your computer around for a change. So turn on your computer, get a free compiler and editor (the book tells you where), pull up a chair, and get going. You won't have to go far (page 13) to find your first program example. You'll do short, totally manageable, hands-on exercises to help you make sense of: All 32 keywords in the C language (that's right--just 32 words) The functions--several dozen of them Terms like printf(), scanf(), gets (), and puts () String variables, numeric variables, and constants Looping and implementation Floating-point values In case those terms are almost as intimidating as the idea of programming, be reassured that C For Dummies was written by Dan Gookin, bestselling author of DOS For Dummies, the book that started the whole library. So instead of using expletives and getting headaches, you'll be using newly acquired skills and getting occasional chuckles as you discover how to: Design and develop programs Add comments (like post-it-notes to yourself) as you go Link code to create executable programs Debug and deploy your programs Use lint, a common tool to examine and optimize your code A helpful, tear-out cheat sheet is a quick reference for comparison symbols, conversion characters, mathematical doodads, C numeric data types, and more. C For Dummies takes the mystery out of programming and gets you into it quickly and painlessly. C For Dummies, 2nd Edition About the Author Contents at a Glance Table of Contents Introduction “ What Will Understanding C Do for Me?” About This Here Dummies Approach How to Work the Examples in This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book What’s New with This Edition? Final Thots Part I: Introduction to C Programming Chapter 1: Up from the Primordial C An Extremely Short and Cheap History of the C Language The C Development Cycle From Text File to Program Save It! Compile and Link It! Run It! Chapter 2: C of Sorrow, C of Woe The Required Woes of Editing and Recompiling Dealing with the Heartbreak of Errors Chapter 3: C Straight The Big Picture C Language Pieces’ Parts The C Language Itself — the Keywords Other C Language Components Pop Quiz! The Helpful RULES Program Chapter 4: C What I/O Introduce Yourself to Mr. Computer More on Is Pronounced “ Scan-Eff” Chapter 5: To C or Not to C Adding Comments Comment Styles of the Nerdy and Not-Quite-Yet-Nerdy Using Comments to Disable The Perils of “ Nested” Comments Chapter 6: C More I/O with gets ( ) and puts ( ) The More I Want, the More I gets ( ) The Virtues of puts ( ) Part II: Run and Scream from Variables and Math Chapter 7: A + B = C The Ever-Changing Variable Welcome to the Cold World of Numeric Variables A Wee Bit o’ Math Chapter 8: Charting Unknown Cs with Variables Cussing, Discussing, and Declaring Variables Constants and Variables Chapter 9: How to C Numbers There Are Numbers, and Then There Are Numbers How to Make a Number Float Bigger than the Float, It’s a Double! Formatting Your Zeroes and Decimal Places Chapter 10: Cook That C Variable Charred, Please The Other Kind of Variable Type, the Reading and Writing Single Characters Character Variables As Values Part III: Giving Your Programs the Ability to Run Amok Chapter 11: C More Math and the Sacred Order of Precedence An All-Too-Brief Review of the Basic C Mathematical Operators The Delicate Art of Incrementation ( Or, “ Just Add One to It”) The Sacred Order of Precedence Chapter 12: C the Mighty if Command If Only. . . . If It Isn’t True, What Else? Chapter 13: What If C==C? The World of if without Values Using the if Keyword to Compare Two Strings Chapter 14: Iffy C Logic Exposing Flaws in Logic If, And, Or, But Chapter 15: C You Again For Going Loopy I’m Bustin’ Outta Here! Chapter 16: C the Loop, C the Loop++ The Art of Incrementation The Mysterious Practice of Decrementation More Incrementation Madness Chapter 17: C You in a While Loop The Lowdown on while Loops Not to Beat a Dead Horse or Anything. . . . Chapter 18: Do C While You Sleep The Down-Low on Upside-Down do-while Loops Nested Loops and Other Bird-Brained Concepts Break the Brave and Continue the Fool Chapter 19: Switch Case, or, From ‘ C’ to Shining ‘ c’ The Sneaky switch-case Loops The switch-case Solution to the LOBBY Program The Old switch-case Trick The Special Relationship between while and switch-case Part IV: C Level Chapter 20: Writing That First Function Meet Mr. Function Prototyping Your Functions The Tao of Functions Chapter 21: Contending with Variables in Functions Bombs Away with the BOMBER Program! How We Can All Share and Love with Global Variables Chapter 22: Functions That Actually Funct Marching a Value Off to a Function Sending More than One Value to a Function Functions That Return Stuff No Need to Bother with This C Language Trivia If You’re in a Hurry Chapter 23: The Stuff That Comes First Please Don’t Leave Me Out! What the #defines Are Up To Avoiding the Topic of Macros Chapter 24: The printf( ) Chapter A Quick Review of printf( ) The Old Displaying-Text-with-printf( ) Routine The printf( ) Escape Sequences The Complex printf( ) Format The printf( )Conversion Characters Chapter 25: Math Madness! More on Math Strange Math? You Got It! Something Really Odd to End Your Day Chapter 26: The Old Random-Number Function On Being Random The Diabolical Dr. Modulus Rolling the Dice with the Final RANDOM Program Part V: The Part of Tens Chapter 27: Ten More Things You Need to Know about the C Language Arrays Strings Structures Pointers Linked Lists Binary Operators Interacting with the Command Line Disk Access Interacting with the Operating System Building Big Programs Chapter 28: Ten Tips for the Budding Programmer Use the Command-Line History Keep Your Editor Open in Another Window Use a Context-Colored Text Editor Know the Line-Number Commands in Your Editor Keep a Command Prompt Window Open If You’re Using the IDE Know a Few Handy Command-Prompt Commands Carefully Name Your Variables Know Your Post-and Pre-Incrementing and Decrementing Riddles Breaking Out of a Loop Chapter 29: Ten Ways to Solve Your Own Programming Problems Work on One Thing at a Time Break Up Your Code Simplify Talk through the Program Set Breakpoints Monitor Your Variables Document Your Work Use Debugging Tools Use a C Optimizer Read More Books! Appendix A: The Stuff You Need to Know before You Read All the Other Stuff in This Book Setting Things Up Making Programs Appendix B: ASCII Table Index