C Programming Absolute Beginner's Guide / Edition 3

by Greg Perry, Dean Miller

Overview

Updated for C11

Write powerful C programs…without becoming a technical expert! This book is the fastest way to get comfortable with C, one incredibly clear and easy step at a time. You’ll learn all the basics: how to organize programs, store and display data, work with variables, operators, I/O, pointers, arrays, functions, and much more. C programming has neverbeen this simple!

Who knew how simple C programming could be?

This is today’s best beginner’s guide to writing C programs–and to learning skills you can use with practically any language. Its simple, practical instructions will help you start creating useful, reliable C code, from games to mobile apps. Plus, it’s fully updated for the new C11 standard and today’s free, open source tools! Here’s a small sample of what you’ll learn:

• Discover free C programming tools for Windows, OS X, or Linux

• Understand the parts of a C program and how they fit together

• Generate output and display it on the screen

• Interact with users and respond to their input

• Make the most of variables by using assignments and expressions

• Control programs by testing data and using logical operators

• Save time and effort by using loops and other techniques

• Build powerful data-entry routines with simple built-in functions

• Manipulate text with strings

• Store information, so it’s easy to access and use

• Manage your data with arrays, pointers, and data structures

• Use functions to make programs easier to write and maintain

• Let C handle all your program’s math for you

• Handle your computer’s memory as efficiently as possible

• Make programs more powerful with preprocessing directives

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780789751980
Publisher:	Que
Publication date:	08/21/2013
Series:	Absolute Beginner's Guide Series
Pages:	337
Sales rank:	133,153
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Greg Perry is a speaker and writer in both the programming and applications sides of computing. He is known for bringing programming topics down to the beginner’s level. Perry has been a programmer and trainer for two decades. He received his first degree in computer science and then earned a Master’s degree in corporate finance. Besides writing, he consults and lectures across the country, including at the acclaimed Software Development programming conferences. Perry is the author of more than 75 other computer books. In his spare time, he gives lectures on traveling in Italy, his second favorite place to be.

Dean Miller is a writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience in both the publishing and licensed consumer product businesses. Over the years, he has created or helped shape a number of bestselling books and series, including Teach Yourself in 21 Days, Teach Yourself in 24 Hours, and the Unleashed series, all from Sams Publishing.

Table of Contents

• PART I: JUMPING RIGHT IN
• 1 What Is C Programming, and Why Should I Care?
• 2 Writing Your First C Program
• 3 What Does This Do? Clarifying Your Code with Comments
• 4 Your World Premiere—Putting Your Program’s Results
• 5 Adding Variables to Your Programs
• 6 Adding Words to Your Programs
• 7 Making Your Programs More Powerful with #include and #define
• 8 Interacting with Users
• PART II: PUTTING C TO WORK FOR YOU
• 9 Crunching the Numbers—Letting C Handle Math for You
• 10 Powering Up Your Variables with Assignments and Expressions
• 11 The Fork in the Road—Testing Data to Pick a Path
• 12 Juggling Several Choices with Logical Operators
• 13 A Bigger Bag of Tricks–Some More Operators for Your Programs
• PART III: FLESHING OUT YOUR PROGRAMS
• 14 Code Repeat—Using Loops to Save Time and Effort
• 15 Looking for Another Way to Create Loops
• 16 Breaking in and out of Looped Code
• 17 Making the case for the switch Statement
• 18 Increasing Your Program’s Output (and Input)
• 19 Getting More from Your Strings
• 20 Advanced Math (for the Computer, Not You!) .
• PART IV: MANAGING DATA WITH YOUR C PROGRAMS
• 21 Dealing with Arrays
• 22 Searching Arrays
• 23 Alphabetizing and Arranging Your Data
• 24 Solving the Mystery of Pointers
• 25 Arrays and Pointers
• 26 Maximizing Your Computer’s Memory
• 27 Setting Up Your Data with Structures
• PART V: FILES AND FUNCTIONS
• 28 Saving Sequential Files to Your Computer
• 29 Saving Random Files to Your Computer
• 30 Organizing Your Programs with Functions
• 31 Passing Variables to Your Functions
• 32 Returning Data from Your Functions
• APPENDIXES
• A The ASCII Table
• B The Draw Poker Program