Thread: C Book Recommendations

  1. #1
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    Question C Book Recommendations

    Hey Guys,
    I'm starting my own revision right now and was wondering if there's any good recommendation for C Programming books. I'm having trouble choosing either the books from the deitel deitel or SAMS publishing(e.g. by Steven Prata or Robert Lafoe). If anyone knows some other good books, by all means let me know. Basically I'm looking for a book that starts way from the beginning of C then proceeds to advanced material C++ (I'm also hoping that the recommended books will happen to explain EVERYTHING. e.g I was looking into two different books, for the main program with the "{}", some books start of with "int main" while others does not and they didn't explain whi it's like that plus hoped the books have exercises to practise!).And I also like to know whether books about programming games differ to much from the normal C books.
    Right then, thanks
    Ken

  2. #2
    and the hat of int overfl Salem's Avatar
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    Use the forum search for "books"
    It's been discussed many times already

    > for a book that starts way from the beginning of C then proceeds to advanced material C++
    No such book exists - and if it did, it would be like 5000 pages long.
    It's much better to get half a dozen books which are well positioned for the target audience.
    If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
    If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.

  3. #3
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    Books

    Yeah, that's what I actually meant, I'm not looking for one particular book. Anyway, I did what you adviced, to look the forums for "books". Turn out pretty good. Since I know there's no such thing as the very best book since it's also depends on the person. I concluded myself with these books which i found from one of the link accu.org.
    1. How to Program in C by Deitel Deitel
    2. K&R from prentice hall (Can't believe it's from the makers of C)
    3. I was thinking of this book "Absolute Beginner's guide to C by Greg Perry of Sams Pub". I even went outside to look at the book. It looks good but for the main program where i learnt it should be
    type function (parameters)

    but this book doesn't use type, it just use
    main()
    {....}
    why is that though?
    anyway, I'm choosing the first two books cause it looks appealing
    so thanks a lot

    Ken

  4. #4
    Ultraviolence Connoisseur
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    functions return int by default but thats just bad style, the proper declaration should be
    Code:
    int main(void)
    {
       ....
       ....
       return 0;
    }
    or int main(int argc, char **argv) (or int main(int argc, char *argv[]) argc and argv can be
    name anything.

  5. #5
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    Pointers on C by Kenneth Reek is a very good book. It's kind of pricey so you may want to just head down to the bookstore and flip through it one day to see if you like it.

    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books
    "...the results are undefined, and we all know what "undefined" means: it means it works during development, it works during testing, and it blows up in your most important customers' faces." --Scott Meyers

  6. #6
    ....
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    2. K&R from prentice hall (Can't believe it's from the makers of C)
    Well, actually it is from the designers of C. Here's a site about the book, it also contains links to the designers their sites, which contain a.o. interresting info on the history of C:
    http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/cbook/index.html

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