Thread: Looking for an easy to understand C/C++ Programming book.

  1. #1
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    Looking for an easy to understand C/C++ Programming book.

    I am a newbie pretty much, to the C languages. I'm looking for a really easy to understand C/C++ Programming book. I have gone through a few very bad books 2 or 3 years ago and it didn't teach me more than hello world and left me with a very bad taste about C in general, so I decided to put it down for a while. about 1 year ago I showed it to a fellow of whom I know for a fact is an excellent programmer in many languages including C/C++, Ada, and 20 or 30 plus languages. He looked over my book I had used and confirmed that it was indeed a very bad book. He also went forth to inform me that finding bad or worse programming books for C would likely be the norm and that I should ask around to see if I could find anybody that did know of any actual good books for learning this language. When he learned C/C++ he already knew many languages. He told me he didn't know of any himself because he had learned with bad programming books. He didn't want to recommend any of the books he used when he learned the language for this reason. So here I am again looking to learn this beast again, so I ask: can somebody recommend an easy to learn and understand from C/C++ book? If so why do you recommend this book's ease of reading, what are it's crudentials that made or make it a choice that you would recommend to a beginner? Any help would be much appreciated.

    Thanks: Austin Greene

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    While it may not be a book, it's atleast something to go by for questions asked alot around here.
    You can review these sample programs I have lying around under a folder called \Examples for quick reference.
    If a certain source file isn't meant to be a program by itself, then it's a function you can implmient into another program.
    Regardless, if you use the code in the source file the right way, in either scenario, with a windows compiler, you should get them all to work.

    The attached zip file Progs.zip contains 13 example source files.

    Menu.c -
    Demonstrates simple menuing : program

    TextScroll.c -
    Demonstrates a straight forward way to make text scroll : program

    AnimText.c -
    Demonstrates how to make text flash : program

    AutoText.c -
    Demonstrates how to make text "type itself" : program

    CmdLine.c -
    Demonstrates how to use some command line parameters : program

    Printer.c -
    Function for using printer
    Pwd.c -
    Function for hiding password with asteriks.
    Wait.c -
    A function to provide a pause, in seconds, predetermined by you.
    Zip.c -
    A function to help you work with zip files in your program.
    File.c -
    A function to let you do some file copying.
    Cursor.c -
    God, that annoying cursor. This function will KILL that blinking.
    Color.c -
    A function to let you add background and foreground colors.
    FullScrn.c -
    This function will force your program full-screen without .pif files.
    The world is waiting. I must leave you now.

  3. #3
    Registered User speedster's Avatar
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    Nice one shadow,,great to see that help can be given to the newbies,,not quips about not doing homework.
    A lot of people learn by seeing programs wrote by others.
    To me its nort cheating but a learning curve..
    Well done shadow.

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    Yeah speedster,
    Half those programs demonstrate questions asked very frequently around here, it gets sickening.
    No matter how you look at it, a true newbie won't understand those files.

    You can use the files, sure...copy n paste away!
    Can you ask me questions about them and expect me to answer them.....no.

    If you understand them, then they were meant for you.
    If you don't, then they weren't.
    Ya know? ...

    [edit]
    I think it's insulting when an unkolwedgable person dumps
    their lazyness on a very knolwedgable person commanding
    them to give them the asnwers...btw.
    [/edit]

    Later on down the road you will need to understand them.
    Last edited by Shadow; 05-23-2002 at 01:24 PM.
    The world is waiting. I must leave you now.

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    I think you need a succession of books. Start with something simple and work your way up.

  6. #6
    Registered User speedster's Avatar
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    Yes I agree shadow,,I'm one of those who learns by being given a guide to progress.
    But some people enjoy writting programs and like to help too if I can,,,I know because I have done this in the past and it helped me in the past to become a average C programmer still learning by seeing programs that others need help with.
    It does harm if people think that you won't learn by asking someone to help you write a program for homework or not.
    reading code is learning.

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    I recommend you start with a textbook of some kind..that will certainly help you..once you feel confident I would branch and get some other books..
    The book my college uses is:
    "A structured Programming Approach Using C" - Behrouz A. Forouzan and Richard F. Gilberg..ISBN: 0-534-37482-4
    Its a good book to start off especially since it does a relatively good job of explaining the basics..if you have questions you should post them on this board..
    I've looked at some other books..books ppl on this board have called programming bibles..but unfortunately it wasn't good enough for me..I needed something that explained the basics well..thats why I recommend this book
    A

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    Wink

    I agree with "aspand". The F & G is a good book. We use the text for all our C classes. The C++ text could be a little better.

    Mr. C

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    Registered User stautze's Avatar
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    I think K&R is the best book to learn from. It is without a doubt the most popular C book with experienced programmers. The book covers most aspects of C with good examples by the guys who wrote the language.
    'During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet.' - Al Gore, March 9, 1999: On CNN's Late Edition

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    Shadow, I found a bug in your example for the SetColor.
    Here's the debbuged code:
    Code:
    // "BOOL" stands for "int"
    // "WORD" stands for "unsigned short"
    BOOL SetColor (WORD Color)
    {
    	HANDLE h;
    
      	h= GetStdHandle (STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE); 
      	return SetConsoleTextAttribute (h, Color);
    }
    Current projects:
    1) User Interface Development Kit (C++)
    2) HTML SDK (C++)
    3) Classes (C++)
    4) INI Editor (Delphi)

  11. #11
    Registered User hk_mp5kpdw's Avatar
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    Go here for a list of highly recommended books on Beginning C, or here for some highly recommended Beginner's C++ books, or just here for an organized list of subjects containing highly recommended titles.
    Last edited by hk_mp5kpdw; 05-24-2002 at 06:44 AM.
    "Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods."
    -Christopher Hitchens

  12. #12
    Registered User alpha561's Avatar
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    Get yourself a copy of "C: How to Program" by Deitel & Deitel. It's the ONLY book you'll ever need to learn C.
    alpha561

    "You don't want to sell me death sticks"

  13. #13
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    >Looking for an easy to understand C/C++ Programming book.

    Is "C: How to Program" by Deitel & Deitel easy to understand?

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    > Shadow, I found a bug in your example for the SetColor.
    They all work fine for me.
    The world is waiting. I must leave you now.

  15. #15
    Registered User bljonk's Avatar
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    Liberty~

    get books written by "Jesse Liberty" they're simple, and yet help full
    Ünicode¬>world = 10.0£

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