Computer Science Canada

What are some good books on C?
Author:  php111 [ Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:54 am ]
Post subject:  What are some good books on C?
What are some good books on the pure C language? What I mean by pure C, not C++, or C#, or both. Just C alone so I call it by pure C.

I do have The C Programming Language but it's not for me. I had went over to cboard.cprogramming because when I do main() the forums corrected it by saying int main(). That is why that book is no good for me. I didn't know I had to do int. How am I suppose to do? I am relying on the book to tell me instead of letting my complier fail. I have also asked would C for Dummies be a good book. Someone said in their mind that For Dummies are really books going from one field to another, such as Python to C++. In my case I am going from no experience to C. For a while I reading tutorials. I rather a book now.

I do have Visual Studio C++ complier.

I am asking this forum what would be a good book? Would The Complete Reference of C be a good book? I can never spell the name but the write would be Sch or something. I understand K&R would be the last book to pick up, right?
Author:  Tony [ Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:57 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are some good books on C?
php111 @ Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:54 am wrote:
In my case I am going from no experience to C.

if you are going from no experience, then C is likely not the language for you.

Though if you insist, then you will need a book beyond a reference -- something that would actually introduce you to the basics (so that you'd have an idea of what to look up in a reference book). That being said, C is not the best choice for learning the basics.
Author:  php111 [ Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are some good books on C?
Tony @ Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:57 am wrote:
php111 @ Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:54 am wrote:
In my case I am going from no experience to C.

if you are going from no experience, then C is likely not the language for you.

Though if you insist, then you will need a book beyond a reference -- something that would actually introduce you to the basics (so that you'd have an idea of what to look up in a reference book). That being said, C is not the best choice for learning the basics.



Thank you, Tony. What would be a good language to learn C but before C? What did you learn before C?
Author:  php111 [ Thu Oct 02, 2008 2:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What are some good books on C?
Does anyone knows what programming before I can start with that comes before C? I was more thinking of Python, am I right or wrong?
Author:  Dan [ Thu Oct 02, 2008 4:50 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:What are some good books on C?
I like C Primer Plus my self but in first year we used the text book C How to Program, but i did not like it that much and it seems to be a mix of C, C++ and Java.
Author:  php111 [ Thu Oct 02, 2008 5:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:What are some good books on C?
Dan @ Thu Oct 02, 2008 4:50 pm wrote:
I like C Primer Plus my self but in first year we used the text book C How to Program, but i did not like it that much and it seems to be a mix of C, C++ and Java.



Dan,

Would you start with C as your first programming language? If not, what would you start with?
Author:  OneOffDriveByPoster [ Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What are some good books on C?
If you want to start with C, I would suggest that you go with a C compiler and not a C++ compiler (like MSVC++).
I would also suggest getting a book that uses the latest revision of the C standard (C99 plus some corrigenda).
Draft copies of the standard are available from open-std.org.
Author:  Dan [ Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:11 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:What are some good books on C?
Well i think there is some value in starting with C and going to more high level langues. That way you understand more of the low level consepcts with out going as deep as ASM (asembely) and then go up to things like OOP when you get to high level langues.

However if you are looking for somthing that you can easly implment algorthims and conscepts you will be learning when first starting programing Ruby and Python might be your best bet. Also as much as part of me hates Turing it is one of the easyest langues to jump in to graphics and making simple games as long as you don't excpet it to scale or become profshenonal at all.

When it comes down to it learning programming is more about learning the consepcts then the syntax, so what langue you start with does not matter as long as it allows you to learn the concepsts and get you excicted about progamming.

Also i have to adgree with OneOffDriveByPoster about using a C complier (like gcc if you are on *nix or cygwin) and not VC++ (MSVC++) if you are going to start with pure C.
Author:  php111 [ Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are some good books on C?
I understand. I will try that C Primer Plus a try. What would be a good pure C compiler?
Author:  Dan [ Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:45 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:What are some good books on C?
I like GCC but it is made for *nix based operating systems like linux and unix (and is noramly included in most distros). It can also be run on windows threw cygwin (how to: http://www.eecg.utoronto.ca/~aamodt/ece242/cygwin.html).

I have a fealing tho you are more looking for a IDE that comes with an complier, in witch case you might like Dev-C++ witch can be set to complie as C if Visual Studio is not your thing.

Personaly i think it is best to start with a comand line complier and then to move to an IDE but behond gcc threw cygwin i am not sure of many good C comand line compliers for windows.
Author:  php111 [ Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:What are some good books on C?
Dan @ Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:45 pm wrote:
I like GCC but it is made for *nix based operating systems like linux and unix (and is noramly included in most distros). It can also be run on windows threw cygwin (how to: http://www.eecg.utoronto.ca/~aamodt/ece242/cygwin.html).

I have a fealing tho you are more looking for a IDE that comes with an complier, in witch case you might like Dev-C++ witch can be set to complie as C if Visual Studio is not your thing.

Personaly i think it is best to start with a comand line complier and then to move to an IDE but behond gcc threw cygwin i am not sure of many good C comand line compliers for windows.



Thank you. I don't do much command line, only in a few cases. When it comes down to KillDisk, format C: /sys. Or with XP, I use Lame or ipconfig /relase follow by ipconfig /renew, or when I reset both the TCP/IP and Winsock catalog.

As for apps, I prefer GUI.
Author:  [Gandalf] [ Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:What are some good books on C?
Dan @ 2008-10-03, 6:45 pm wrote:
but behond gcc threw cygwin i am not sure of many good C comand line compliers for windows.

MinGW is quite decent, however last I checked it was a bit outdated.
Author:  btiffin [ Fri Oct 03, 2008 8:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What are some good books on C?
For C, go with Ch. C with an interactive console. Wicked for learning.

http://www.softintegration.com/
http://www.softintegration.com/products/chstandard/

For non C, perhaps a List Processor. DrScheme has a nice interface.
http://www.drscheme.org/

For a different way of looking at things

REBOL
http://rebol.com
http://www.rebol.com/view-platforms.html
http://www.rebol.com/docs/core23/rebolcore.html

But to stay on the path you have started, I'd recommend Ch. Good stuff. Lets you try shell programming as well.

Cheers
Author:  php111 [ Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What are some good books on C?
I am not sure which free product to download. I am uploading an attachment with a drop down list of CH options.










btiffin @ Fri Oct 03, 2008 8:23 pm wrote:
For C, go with Ch. C with an interactive console. Wicked for learning.

http://www.softintegration.com/
http://www.softintegration.com/products/chstandard/

For non C, perhaps a List Processor. DrScheme has a nice interface.
http://www.drscheme.org/

For a different way of looking at things

REBOL
http://rebol.com
http://www.rebol.com/view-platforms.html
http://www.rebol.com/docs/core23/rebolcore.html

But to stay on the path you have started, I'd recommend Ch. Good stuff. Lets you try shell programming as well.

Cheers
Author:  btiffin [ Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:46 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:What are some good books on C?
I always go with Standard Edition;

http://www.softintegration.com/products/chstandard/download/

And for docs to get going with the console;
http://www.softintegration.com/docs/ch/gettingstart/

If you like what you see, and you have a Student Id number, the free Student Edition ships with a few more goodies. But I'd try Standard Ed, see if it suits your tastes at all.

Cheers
Author:  php111 [ Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What are some good books on C?
Thank you. I am not a student. I am not a graduate either. Yes, I did graduate from high school. I didn't start college. Sorry to say. I now have to install CH. It's done downloading.
Author:  php111 [ Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:What are some good books on C?
btiffin @ Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:46 pm wrote:
I always go with Standard Edition;

http://www.softintegration.com/products/chstandard/download/

And for docs to get going with the console;
http://www.softintegration.com/docs/ch/gettingstart/

If you like what you see, and you have a Student Id number, the free Student Edition ships with a few more goodies. But I'd try Standard Ed, see if it suits your tastes at all.

Cheers


Sorry, I don't know my command line well. I noticed CH was command. If you read cboard.cprogramming, it took 83 posts to write Hello,World with GUI. If anything, I think GUI is easier for me then command.
Author:  btiffin [ Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:06 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:What are some good books on C?
Well, Ch is C kinda, C++ kinda, and Shell kinda. All the kinda's may get in the way if you are following more mainstream books. Try the Ch documents. The docs dir comes with a chguide.pdf and chref.pdf. Start with the Guide and work through some of the examples.

I recommend Ch as it is interactive. I find interactive a much faster way of learning but Ch is also interactive C ... so if you

> int *i;
> i = 10;
> *i = 5;

well, expect it to crash your interpreter. Wink

By the way, that sequence says define a pointer to an integer (32 bit on my PC).

Then set the pointer to the value 10 (that would be address 10, probably a dangerous region of Operating System space).

The last line says to stuff the value 5 into the address pointed at. Randomly stuffing 5's into address 10 will usually cause a crash of some strange and exotic nature.

Why did I mention this? Ch is an interpreter but it does nothing to protect you from you or me from me. So...

Cheers
Author:  btiffin [ Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:14 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:What are some good books on C?
Re GUI;

Then I'd suggest any of the free Microsoft Visual Studio Express editions.

Umm, http://www.microsoft.com/Express/
But I can't help much after that ... MS pages always break on my Debian boxes. ALWAYS. Wink

I can't dig down deep enough to know is Visual C++ 2005 Express still supports good old C.

And to be honest, for a quick learn (and I may get some flakk from the big dogs for this one), Visual Basic is a fairly powerful and well supported language. And the B in BASIC is for Beginner...

Cheers
Author:  php111 [ Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:What are some good books on C?
huh? I pass. I rather GUI. I try MinGW that was said. I don't think, I am pretty sure that MinGW is GUI. I will be really more guides one after another instead of reading the C book. I hate command lines. I use very little. I try to stay away from it.



I just seen your second reply. How is MinGW? Will it support C?





btiffin @ Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:06 pm wrote:
Well, Ch is C kinda, C++ kinda, and Shell kinda. All the kinda's may get in the way if you are following more mainstream books. Try the Ch documents. The docs dir comes with a chguide.pdf and chref.pdf. Start with the Guide and work through some of the examples.

I recommend Ch as it is interactive. I find interactive a much faster way of learning but Ch is also interactive C ... so if you

> int *i;
> i = 10;
> *i = 5;

well, expect it to crash your interpreter. Wink

By the way, that sequence says define a pointer to an integer (32 bit on my PC).

Then set the pointer to the value 10 (that would be address 10, probably a dangerous region of Operating System space).

The last line says to stuff the value 5 into the address pointed at. Randomly stuffing 5's into address 10 will usually cause a crash of some strange and exotic nature.

Why did I mention this? Ch is an interpreter but it does nothing to protect you from you or me from me. So...

Cheers
Author:  btiffin [ Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are some good books on C?
php11; More in the MinGW thread. But for now ... check out the Microsoft offerings. There are four or five complete development environments ... Visual C++ (with C I'm sure), Visual Basic, C#, Web Dev ... and others, but I can't view MS pages from Konqueror.

Cheers
Author:  ClayWall [ Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What are some good books on C?
Sorry for bringing back a somewhat old topic but I have a recommendation for php111, as I know how you feel, online tutorials are good, but it's so much easier start from the very beginning and then go on, but still having a reference.

I have been out of school for a couple years and there was not enough interest in Grade 12 computer science class, so all I left with was Turing.

The other day I bought a book at Cole's Book Store called "C Programming in easy steps". Maybe it's the fact that I know some Turing, but I think it's a great book, as in a day I have been able to make the Dos Prompt output "Hello World" Cool Hahaha! It takes you each step with a description, how-to then an example. It reminds me of a school textbook or how the lessons were shown in computer science class. Best of all this book series comes in other languages too, such as C++, C#, Java, Visual Basic, PHP, PERL ... and others. Sadly I haven't found one on Turing yet. Confused Hahaha!

Do any of the Members have any experience with this book or this series?
Author:  hac [ Thu May 14, 2009 8:03 am ]
Post subject:  RE:What are some good books on C?
I realise that this is an old thread but a very good book for learning (plain) C is "The C Programming Language" by Brian W. Kernighan and Dennis M. Ritchie.
Author:  kendricktamis [ Wed Mar 03, 2010 7:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are some good books on C?
php111 @ Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:54 am wrote:
What are some good books on the pure C language? What I mean by pure C, not C++, or C#, or both. Just C alone so I call it by pure C.


If you really want to learn programming in C then just go to help option in c, Copied it and paste in your C editor. Then try to run it and make some own changes. This is a best way to learn C language but if you want to theory knowledge then you should use "Let us C" by Yashwant Kanitkar. I got this book from my friend who is from India and he is a good programmer. This book usually for Beginner and it contains a small program which helps you to learn c very easy.
Author:  Turing_Gamer [ Wed Mar 03, 2010 8:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are some good books on C?
@ hac: Lol have it right in front of me.
@ Everyone: Was using this for Vex Robotics Programing before I was introduced to C.

:


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