Novice Programmer, having trouble. Netbeans/Cygwin

Hi, I'm new around here. Novice programmer, done a lot with Mathematica and a little with Java. Recently been trying to teach myself C.

Anyway, the issue is basically summed up in the picture. I don't know what is missing. Well, I know what is missing, but I don't know how to fix it.

I have Netbeans and I installed Cygwin's C/C++ compiler. In Cygwin, there are an absurd number of packages for you to chose from, and I think I got all the ones I needed to program in C. I've done a few basic things (e.g. "Hello, world!") that worked fine. But I get this error saying that something is missing.

<conio.h> is a non-standard header file and you may not need it.

Originally Posted by laserlight

<conio.h> is a non-standard header file and you may not need it.

I was trying to create a list and set all of its elements to 0, and a website directed me to this. Should I just do it manually?

What is your current program? We may be able to help you fix it.

Originally Posted by oninchowder

Hi, I'm new around here. Novice programmer, done a lot with Mathematica and a little with Java. Recently been trying to teach myself C.
...
I have Netbeans and I installed Cygwin's C/C++ compiler.

cygwin is a very non-standard environment. It's for advanced programmers who want a Linux like c++ environment on Windows. I'm going to suggest it's not your best learning tool if you are interested in actually learning C.

I would recommend Pelles C instead. It's a C-99 standards driven compiler with a much simpler IDE and the best documentation (in the help file) I've seen. And it's free.

Trust me on this, as a novice programmer you don't want to be struggling with a quirky, non-standard environment.

I second CommonTater's assessment that "cygwin is a very non-standard environment". On the other hand, you managed to get the C compiler setup to compile C programs using Netbeans. Especially if you are comfortable with using Netbeans, I would say stick with the setup that you have now. Pelles C would have been good to avoid the hurdle of the setup, but now that you are past that, the C compiler available from Cygwin is reasonably standard compliant and suitable for learning C.

Originally Posted by laserlight

I second CommonTater's assessment that "cygwin is a very non-standard environment". On the other hand, you managed to get the C compiler setup to compile C programs using Netbeans. Especially if you are comfortable with using Netbeans, I would say stick with the setup that you have now. Pelles C would have been good to avoid the hurdle of the setup, but now that you are past that, the C compiler available from Cygwin is reasonably standard compliant and suitable for learning C.

Ok... lets see if we can't get past this... One of the big reasons I recommend Pelles C (for beginner and otherwise) is not "easy setup"... although setup is pretty easy. The main reasons are 1) C-99 standard compliance, 2) Lots of extra C libraries, 3) No C++ muppingsnarf to get in the way, 4) Unquestionably the best documentation of any compiler out there, and 5) a full set of resource tools including icon and image editors for GUI development.

#4 wants special mention... How many compilers can you find where you have 100% library documentation supplied as an integral part of the IDE? Think about how many times I enjoin people to "look it up in your C Library Documentation"... think how often MinGW, Cygwin, LCC etc. users end up with a blank stare on their faces: "What C Library Documentation?". They ignore the suggestion because they don't have the first Idea what I'm talking about. In Pelles C it's as easy as pressing F1 ... it's right there. This is both a powerful learning aid and a helpful tool in every project. There are even help files available from their forums that will integrate Windows API help into the IDE so documentation on windows calls can be that easily available...

As you well know, Lase, I've tried other compilers and even other languages... I always end up back on Pelles C... and always for the reasons I've just given. For example: My attempts to learn C++ were flat out destroyed by one simple thing: A near total lack of *accurate* and *compiler specific* documentation. Similarly the whole D escapade ended when I discovered the libraries were open sourced, barely documented and dripping full of crap nobody will ever use, and nobody had successfully created windows libraries for it... Always there is a reason behind where I keep ending up...

And don't mistake Pelles C for some beginner's learning aide. It's a plenty serious optimizing compiler that procuces both 32 and 64 bit native executables for windows console and windows GUI.

Trust me on this... If I found a better compiler, I'd be recommending it... but I haven't.

Back to the original question....

Originally Posted by oninchowder

I was trying to create a list and set all of its elements to 0, and a website directed me to this. Should I just do it manually?

I am not sure what website you are using to study C, however if it mentions using conio.h then find a different one. We have a good set of tutorials here. Additionally, you could take a look at Teach yourself C in 21 days for another good "starter" tutorial.