Principles of Programming

Chapter 3

Fundamental of C Programming Language and Basic Input/Output Function

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Principles of Programming

Chapter 3: Fundamental of C and Input/Output

In this chapter you will learn about:

C Development Environment C Program Structure Basic Data Types Input/Output function Common Programming Error

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Entering, translating, and running a High-Level Language Program

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C Program Structure
An example of simple program in C
#include <stdio.h>
int main(void) { printf(I love programming\n); printf(You will love it too once ); printf(you know the trick\n); return(0); }

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The output
The previous program will produce the following output on your screen I love programming You will love it too once you know the trick

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Preprocessor directives
a C program line begins with # provides an instruction to the C preprocessor It is executed before the actual compilation is done. Two most common directives :
#include #define

In our example (#include<stdio.h>) identifies the header file for standard input and output needed by the printf().

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Function main
Identify the start of the program Every C program has a main ( ) 'main' is a C keyword. We must not use it for any other variable. Using Visual Studio 2005, C program skeleton looks like this:
int main(void) { return (0);

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The curly braces { }

Identify a segment / body of a program
The start and end of a function The start and end of the selection or repetition block.

Since the opening brace indicates the start of a segment with the closing brace indicating the end of a segment, there must be just as many opening braces as closing braces (this is a common mistake of beginners)

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Statement
A specification of an action to be taken by the computer as the program executes. Each statement in C needs to be terminated with semicolon (;) Example:
#include <stdio.h>

int main(void) { printf(I love programming\n); printf(You will love it too once ); printf(you know the trick\n); return (0); }

statement statement statement

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Statement cont
Statement has two parts :
Declaration
The part of the program that tells the compiler the names of memory cells in a program

Executable statements
Program lines that are converted to machine language instructions and executed by the computer

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C program skeleton
In short, the basic skeleton of a C program looks like this:
#include <stdio.h> int main(void) { Start of segment statement(s); return(0);
Preprocessor directives Function main

End of segment

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Input/Output Operations
Input operation
an instruction that copies data from an input device into memory

Output operation
an instruction that displays information stored in memory to the output devices (such as the monitor screen)

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Input/Output Functions
A C function that performs an input or output operation A few functions that are pre-defined in the header file <stdio.h> such as :
printf() scanf() getchar() & putchar()

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The printf function

Used to send data to the standard output (usually the monitor) to be printed according to specific format. General format:
printf(string literal);
A sequence of any number of characters surrounded by double quotation marks.

printf(format string, variables);

Format string is a combination of text, conversion specifier and escape sequence.

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The printf function cont

Example:
Thank printf(Thank you\n); Press you any key to continue

printf (Total sum is: %d\n, sum);

Total sum is: 50 Press any key to continue Assuming that the value of sum is 50

%d is a placeholder (conversion specifier)

marks the display position for a type integer variable Common Conversion Identifier used in printf function.

\n is an escape sequence
moves the cursor to the new line
int float double char string

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printf %d %f %f %c %s

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Escape Sequence
Escape Sequence \a \b \f \n \r \t \v \\ \ \o \x \O Effect Beep sound Backspace Formfeed (for printing) New line Carriage return Tab Vertical tab Backslash sign Octal decimal Hexadecimal NULL

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Placeholder / Conversion Specifier

No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Conversion Specifier %d %i %o %u %x %X %f %e %E %g %G %c %s Output Type Signed decimal integer Signed decimal integer Unsigned octal integer Unsigned decimal integer Unsigned hexadecimal (small letter) Unsigned hexadecimal (capital letter) Integer including decimal point Signed floating point (using e notation) Signed floating point (using E notation) The shorter between %f and %e The shorter between %f and %E Character String Output Example 76 76 134 76 9c 9C 76.0000 7.6000e+01 7.6000E+01 76 76 7 76'

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The scanf function

Read data from the standard input device (usually keyboard) and store it in a variable. General format:
scanf(format string, &variable);

Notice ampersand (&) operator :

C address of operator it passes the address of the variable instead of the variable itself tells the scanf() where to find the variable to store the new value

Format string is a combination of conversion specifier and escape sequence (if any).

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The scanf function cont

Common Conversion Identifier used in printf and scanf functions.
int float double char string printf %d %f %f %c %s scanf %d %f %lf %c %s

Example :
int age; printf(Enter your age:); scanf(%d, &age);
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The scanf function cont

If you want the user to enter more than one value, you serialise the inputs.
Example:
float height, weight;
printf(Please enter your height and weight:); scanf(%f%f, &height, &weight);

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getchar() and putchar()

getchar() - read a character from standard input putchar() - write a character to standard output Please type a character: h You have typed this character: Example: Press any key to continue

#include <stdio.h> int main(void) { char my_char; printf(Please type a character:); my_char = getchar(); printf(\nYou have typed this character: ); putchar(my_char); return (0); } 21

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getchar() and putchar() cont

Alternatively, you can write the previous code using normal printf / scanf and %c placeholder. Example
#include <stdio.h> int main(void) { char my_char; printf(Please type a character: ); scanf(%c,&my_char); printf(\nYou have typed this character: %c, my_char); return(0); }
Please type a character: h You have typed this character: h Press any key to continue
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Few notes on C program

C is case-sensitive
Word, word, WorD, WORD, WOrD, worD, etc are all different variables / expressions
Eg. sum = 23 + 7 What is the value of Sum after this addition ?

Comments (remember 'Documentation'; Chapter 2)

are inserted into the code using /* to start and */ to end a comment Some compiler support comments starting with // Provides supplementary information but is ignored by the preprocessor and compiler
/* This is a comment */ // This program was written by Hanly Koffman

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C Token
Tokens are a series of continuous characters that compilers treat as separate entities. Tokens can be classified into:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Reserved words (also known as keywords) Identifiers Constants String Literal Punctuators Operators

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Reserved Words
Keywords that identify language entities such as statements, data types, language attributes, etc. Have special meaning to the compiler, cannot be used as identifiers (variable, function name) in our program. Should be typed in lowercase. Example: const, double, int, main, void, printf, while, for, else (etc..)

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Identifiers
Words used to represent certain program entities (variables, function names, etc). Example:
int my_name;
my_name is an identifier used as a program variable

void CalculateTotal(int value)

CalculateTotal is an identifier used as a function name

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Rules for naming identifiers

Rules
Can contain a mix of characters and numbers. However it cannot start with a number First character must be a letter or underscore Can be of mixed cases including underscore character Cannot contain any arithmetic operators or any other punctuation marks Cannot be a C keyword/reserved word

Example
H2o Number1; _area XsquAre my_num R*S+T #@x%!! struct; printf;

Cannot contain a space identifiers are case sensitive

My height Tax != tax

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Variables
Variable a name associated with a memory cell whose value can change Variable Declaration: specifies the type of a variable
Example: int num;

Variable Definition: assigning a value to the declared variable

Example: num = 5;

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Basic Data Types

There are 4 basic data types :
int float double char

int
used to declare numeric program variables of integer type whole numbers, positive and negative keyword: int
int number; number = 12;

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Basic Data Types cont

float fractional parts, positive and negative keyword: float
float height; height = 1.72;

double used to declare floating point variable of higher precision or higher range of numbers exponential numbers, positive and negative keyword: double double valuebig; valuebig = 12E-3;

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Basic Data Types cont

char
equivalent to letters in English language Example of characters:
Numeric digits: 0 - 9 Lowercase/uppercase letters: a - z and A - Z Space (blank) Special characters: , . ; ? / ( ) [ ] { } * & % ^ < > etc

single character keyword: char

char my_letter; my_letter = 'U';
The declared character must be enclosed within a single quote!

In addition, there are void, short, long, etc.

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Constants
Entities that appear in the program code as fixed values. Any attempt to modify a CONSTANT will result in error. 4 types of constants:
Integer constants
Positive or negative whole numbers with no fractional part Example:

const int MAX_NUM = 10; const int MIN_NUM = -90;

Floating-point constants (float or double)
Positive or negative decimal numbers with an integer part, a decimal point and a fractional part Example:

const double VAL = 0.5877e2; (stands for 0.5877 x 102)

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Constants cont
Character constants
A character enclosed in a single quotation mark Example:

const char letter = n; const char number = 1; printf(%c, S); Output would be: S Enumeration
Values are given as a list Example: enum Language { Malay, English, Arabic
};

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Constant example volume of a cone

#include <stdio.h>

int main(void) { const double pi = 3.412; double height, radius, base, volume; printf(Enter the height and radius of the cone:); scanf(%lf %lf, &height, &radius);
base = pi * radius * radius; volume = (1.0/3.0) * base * height; printf(\nThe volume of a cone is %f , volume); return (0); }
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#define
You may also associate constant using #define preprocessor directive #include <stdio.h> #define pi 3.142 int main(void) { double height, radius, base, volume; printf(Enter the height and radius of the cone:); scanf(%lf %lf, &height, &radius);

base = pi * radius * radius; volume = (1.0/3.0) * base * height;

printf(\nThe volume of a cone is %f , volume); return (0);

}
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String Literal
A sequence of any number of characters surrounded by double quotation marks . Example of usage in C program:
printf(What a beautiful day.\n);
What a beautiful day. Press any key to continue

To have double quotation marks as part of the sentence, precede the quote with backslash
printf(He shouted \stop!\ to the thief.\n); He shouted stop! to the thief. Press any key to continue

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Punctuators (separators)
Symbols used to separate different parts of the C program. These punctuators include:
[ ] ( ) { } , ; : * #

Example:
#include <stdio.h> int main (void) { int num = 10; printf(%d,num); return (0); }
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Operators
Tokens that result in some kind of computation or action when applied to variables or other elements in an expression. Example of operators: * + = - / < > Usage example:
result = total1 + total2;

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Common Programming Errors

Debugging Process removing errors from a program Three (3) kinds of errors :
Syntax Error
a violation of the C grammar rules, detected during program translation (compilation). statement cannot be translated and program cannot be executed

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Common Programming Errors cont Run-time errors

An attempt to perform an invalid operation, detected during program execution. Occurs when the program directs the computer to perform an illegal operation, such as dividing a number by zero. The computer will stop executing the program, and displays a diagnostic message indicates the line where the error was detected

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Common Programming Errors cont Logic Error/Design Error

An error caused by following an incorrect algorithm Very difficult to detect - it does not cause run-time error and does not display message errors. The only sign of logic error incorrect program output Can be detected by testing the program thoroughly, comparing its output to calculated results To prevent carefully desk checking the algorithm and written program before you actually type it

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Summary
In this chapter, you have learned the following items:
environment of C language and C programming C language elements
Preprocessor directives, curly braces, main (), semicolon, comments, double quotes

4 basics data type and brief explanation on variable 6 tokens : reserved word, identifier, constant, string literal, punctuators / separators and operators. printf, scanf, getchar and putchar Usage of modifiers : placeholder & escape sequence Common programming errors : syntax error, run-time error and logic error

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