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As stated in another thread of mine, I'll be starting programming this fall. I have no experience at all and I'm wondering how difficult it really is? Could somebody post a short program (IE: Hello World!) and show what each line means? Also an exe of the program would be great too so I know what it looks like when finished. Thanks for any replies!
-Fool
Simple C Hello World:
The first 2 lines tell the compiler to include header files so functions can be carried out. stdio.h is needed for printf. conio.h is needed for getch.Code:#include <stdio.h>
#include <conio.h>
/* This is a comment */
int main(void)
{
printf("Hello World!");
getch();
return 0;
}
The next line is a comment - anything in between /* */ is ignored by the compiler and can be used to make code easier to maintain, or just give information.
int main(void) is the first function that is started whenever the program is run. The thing after it says everything between { } is part of the main function.
printf("Hello World!"); prints Hello World! to the console window. Note the semicolon after the statement.
getch(); pauses the program until the user presses enter.
return 0; gives the main function a value of 0 after it's run. You need this line because main is declared as an integer. Some of this is probably confusing, but it'll make sense soon, I promise.
Thanks so much for that. It wasn't hard to follow at all. Funny thing is, some of that is kind of like programming into calc (TI-85 to be exact). I got kind of bored in math classes in high school so I starting playing around with it.
Anybody have any working exes of Hello World? You could just email it to me if you'd like. [email protected]. Thanks!
-Fool
Yeah, once you get past syntax, most programming languages are quite similar. TI-85 programming is closer to BASIC, actually.
The hardest part of learning to program is thinking logically. Once you get past that, you're golden!
That's the only way I can think:D. This should be easier for me than I thought.Quote:
Originally posted by Govtcheez
The hardest part of learning to program is thinking logically.
-Fool
Logic and syntax are really going to be your biggest obstacles - working out what is being done, and how to read your code and understand what it means.
Here's a tip - never be afraid to ask for help - even if you think it is a stupid question, just ask - its the only way you'll learn.
Best of luck :)
For some reason I can't get the Zip file to work. Maybe it's the crap PC I'm on at work. I'll try it when I get home.
-Fool
Oh don't you worry, I'm sure this board will be my new best friend come second semester :DQuote:
Originally posted by [stealth]
Here's a tip - never be afraid to ask for help - even if you think it is a stupid question, just ask - its the only way you'll learn.
-Fool
You're right - the zip file appears to be empty...
Let's try again, then.
For the record, the zip's not empty on my computer - just when I download it from the site.
Nope, nothin'... Little help, somebody?
See if this zip works...
Hmmm...same problem...the file is here on my HD, but when I d/l it, it's empty.
Maybe a board problem.
-Fool
Must be - other people have been having the same problem...Quote:
Maybe a board problem.
On the other hand, empty files are so much quicker to d/l! :)
Could you just email it to me?
-Fool
how easy or hard is programming?
lol how long is a piece of string?
programming varies from reasonably simple to downright almost impossible depending on exactly what you are trying to achieve.
One more word of advice for you.... NEVER EVER ask for .exe files to be emailed to you unless you are absolutely sure of what they are. You would be better asking for the .cpp files instead and compiling it yourself.
for instance someone could send you something very nasty under a totally inocuous filename and if you were to open the attatchment your name would be very true...lol
What do you think I did, s_c?
MUWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Never mind, j/k of course. <insert standard disclaimer saying I don't condone illegal stuff here>
Fool, s_c is right, of course - asking for exes is being, well, a fool. :p
Well you know :D
I would ask for the .cpp files but I don't have my Visual C++ 6.0 yet.
-Fool
There are free compilers around that you can use while waiting for MSVC.
I had Borland but couldn't figure that thing out. So I just deleted it and should be getting VC++ very soon.
-Fool
I'm downloading the Dev C++ now. I'll post back here in a bit after I play with it some. Thanks for the link!
-Fool
Well I did it. I wrote *cough* stole *cough* and compiled my first program. Thanks for the code and the link to the compiler. Will MSVC be better than this one? I may hold off until the teacher shows us the program he/she will be using before I buy one. This program seems to do what I need.
-Fool
MSVC can be better, depending on what you wanna do...
However, i'm not the best person to ask about what it can or can't do - I don't use it much.
Oh yeah, and I expect royalties for you using Hello World. I was, of course, the first person to write it. :rolleyes:
LOL :D
I think I'll try some tutorials now. See what else I can figure out.
-Fool
how easy or hard is programming - it largely depends on what you want to do, how efficient your code needs tgo be and what o/s. In Uni/college they tend to teach you 'usless' programming. When i first went to uni we used consoles to print *'s - i mean !!!! why! theres learning the basics and theres taking the ........!
i strongly advise learning as much C/CPP as you can before going - you ll have a head start on on other studnets - and maybe your lectureres
>>> how long is a piece of string?
twice the length from middle to end!!
University CIS is not useless. This could not be further from the truth. Graduates are the pool that corporations recruit from although the competence of the instructors can vary, in most circumstances the curriculum is very similar across the population of University/College CIS courses.
The only thing that they do not tend to do at College/University is to teach you API's. Instruction focusus on the definitons of 'C' and 'C++', which are best taught in a Win32 console.
When you get out of College/University you will have the knowledge to understand the API of your choice. You can specialize in any area.
But CIS is much more than just programming. An education combines skills that you will need in order to understand how to develop information systems technology. Try not to be too narrow in your judgement.
Dev C++ is good enough IMO. I am using it now. It's not til you start writing sizable projects (where you don't just remember all the functions arguments that you have written, and you have more than 10 or so classes, so browsing for classes via the files gets to be a pain) that MSVC has a real advantage. But by the time you start writing sizable projects, you will probably be in class. It would probably be best to use the same compiler as your teachers.
That is a very intelligent answer to the statement from above. I agree with you. I do understand that someone can teach themselves C++ or any other lang for that matter just as well as someone who obtains they're knowledge at a University. But the fact of the matter is the University graduate will have a much greater overall knowledge and a better chance at obtaining that desired job.Quote:
Originally posted by Witch_King
University CIS is not useless. This could not be further from the truth. Graduates are the pool that corporations recruit from although the competence of the instructors can vary, in most circumstances the curriculum is very similar across the population of University/College CIS courses.
The only thing that they do not tend to do at College/University is to teach you API's. Instruction focusus on the definitons of 'C' and 'C++', which are best taught in a Win32 console.
When you get out of College/University you will have the knowledge to understand the API of your choice. You can specialize in any area.
But CIS is much more than just programming. An education combines skills that you will need in order to understand how to develop information systems technology. Try not to be too narrow in your judgement.
-Fool
At my University we have to learn C for two semesters, then teach ourselves J++ (nooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!).
I never thought I'd say this, but Witch_King is 100% right here.Quote:
But CIS is much more than just programming. An education combines skills that you will need in order to understand how to develop information systems technology. Try not to be too narrow in your judgement.
i never said it was all useless - i meant the beginning tutorials are pretty useless - as most people (maybe all) starting a cs course have programmed in at least one langauge. If you read the post - i am talking about how they teach the basics - not the entire lang!
Mosta the classes aren't trying to teach you how to program commercial apps, they're just tryin' to teach you how to think.
Also, I think you overestimate how many people actually teach themselves to program. Lots of people entering programming classes have never actually programmed before.
Here is something that all of us programmers can relate to:
Programming starts off as something you want to do, not because it is easy or because it is hard but because we say something like "whoa! I wonder if I could do this..." I started programming to make games, while others started programming to hack. Whatever you motivation is will make you learn to stop using the words "hard" and "programming" in the same sentence. With that said, enjoy learning to program.
Okay this is true for some people in the class. When I started programming 2 years ago even the simple stuff was very confusing. I was totally dumbified by "Hello World" written in 'C' for example.Quote:
i never said it was all useless - i meant the beginning tutorials are pretty useless - as most people (maybe all) starting a cs course have programmed in at least one langauge. If you read the post - i am talking about how they teach the basics - not the entire lang!
I never took classes for C++! I read off of net tutorials. I am already in Win32 API programming and have been programming for only a few months. And I'm just 14 years old!!
So what are some of your projects?
-Fool
Learning a language compared to program something *real* is a walk in the park.
If you're very intrested in programming a game for instance it'll also be a lot easier to keep the motivation up when learning the language.
I never had any C++ Classes either. I'm just 12 years old, and I just learned how to make a dialog box in windows. I'm happy now. When you hit cancel, a message box appears and says "Whoop! it's me! Barney! You hit Cancel!" And then when you hit OK The program swears at you and exits. I'm proud of myself. I deserve a milkshake. bye.
I just got me milkshake. I'm going to throw corn at the house.