INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING

IN C

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OUTLINE

 Definitions of Terms
 Programming Paradigms
 Compiler Terminology
 Errors
 C Language
 Programming Character Set

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PROGRAMS

 What is the general meaning?

 Noun
 A program of actions or events is a series of actions or events that are
planned to be done.
 Verb
 When you program a machine or system, you set its controls so that it
will work in a particular way.

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FOCUS

 Programming a machine
 Giving it instructions that it understands word for word
 Speak to it in a particular language
 How does the machine know which language?
 The machine must have some kind of brain in it (residing in processor, hard
drive etc.)
 What kind of machines?
 Phones, computers, scanners, conveyor belts, electric jugs, factory
machines, microwaves, smart-watches
 Which machine for this course?
 Computer

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WHY THE COMPUTER?

 Can be connected to other machines to make them work

 Program can be translated so that other machines understand it
 Computer serves as platform to test the program and simulate it
before mounting it on big machines
 Most machines now computer controlled

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SO HOW DO WE PROGRAM?

 First determine steps required to achieve a particular functionality

or task
 Algorithm

 Then translate the steps into precise steps

 Program

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ARE ALL PROGRAMS WRITTEN THE SAME
WAY?

 NO
 Different languages (means different ways of translating hence different
translators)
 Different syntax (i.e. Grammar and punctuation)
 Different functionalities achievable
 Some more complex than others

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SO LET’S BEGIN!

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WHAT IS AN ALGORITHM?

 An algorithm is a
 Series of STEPS which when followed achieve a TASK

 It is much like a recipe

Transf
ingre
ormat result
dient
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steps
Tran
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PROGRAMMING

 Telling the computer what to do

 Giving instructions in a language understood by the computer
 Instructions follow the algorithm
 Instructions are a formal writing of the algorithm
 Program = Complete set of formal instructions

 For accurate, expected results, Instructions must be

 Precise
 Unambiguous

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ACHIEVING ACCURATE RESULTS

 Logical sequential algorithm

 Clearly defined data to be used
 Clearly defined form of the input data
 Clearly defined form of the expected results (i.e. Output as we call
it)

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DISCUSSION 1

 Give an algorithm to prepare two whole fried eggs, unscrambled (2

minutes)

? Which
Ingredients
? In what form
? What Process
? What Output
? In what form

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DISCUSSION 2 – COMMENT ON THE RICE
ALGORITHMS

 Points to note:
 Algorithms are NOT specific
 in measures of ingredients
 on where or how the ingredients are stored,
 on utensils to be used,
 on size of utensils to be used
 on time , time varies per group and per exposure

 Results
 Inaccurate (too much rice or too little rice)
 Inconsistent (raw rice or overcooked rice)

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DISCUSSION 3 – SO WHAT ARE REQUIRED
CHARACTERISTICS OF PROGRAMS

 Requirements of algorithms and programs

 Accurate measures of inputs
 Accurate measures of time
 Accurate results
 Consistent results

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SIMPLE PROGRAMMING MODEL
 Fry two whole eggs.

• What is required before we start actually

cooking the rice?

input
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REAL PROGRAMMING MODEL

Input

Computer
machine
has data
Program
steps
ming =
writing
code to
manipula
te data

output

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DISCUSSION 4 (3 MINUTES)

 Give an algorithm to do two things:

1. add two numbers, display the result, then
2. multiply the numbers and output the multiplication result. (2 minutes)

 Given our previous discussion:

1. Describe the input, and output.
2. List the processing steps that transform the input into desired output.
 Issues:
 all using different languages to write  no consistency  varied
interpretations

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DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO PROGRAMMING

 Programming Paradigm:
 way of conceptualising what it means to perform computation and how
tasks to be carried out on a computer should be structured and organised
1. Imperative:
 how-to, algorithm explicit, goal implicit, use of functions e.g. procedural
programming, Fotran, C, C++, functional programming (such as Haskell)
2. Declarative:
 what-is, goal explicit, algorithm implicit, use of logical expressions e.g.
Prolog
3. Object-oriented:
 which objects , who? e.g. Smalltalk, C++, Java

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HOW DOES PROGRAMMING WORK?

Program
(instructions written
for someone to use
someone=user)

Compiler
(translates and
interprets
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instructions)
MORE ABOUT THE COMPILER

Source 1. Compiler:
program file Check syntax
(.c) errors

Produce object file

not yet linked to
other invoked
libraries (.obj, .o)

2. Linker: Build final

combine all
object files with executable
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libraries file (.exe)

ERRORS ENCOUNTERED WHEN
PROGRAMMING

Syntax (i.e. compiling) errors Runtime errors

 Un-matching braces/ brackets  Wrong results
 Wrong language constructs  Unintended output
 Registers used not defined  Division by zero (usually
 Registers not initialised caused by not controlling
input or wrong calculations)
 Invalid way of defining data
(according to language rules)

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SKILLS REQUIRED FROM YOU IN
PROGRAMMING

 Attention to detail
 Specific
 Unambiguous

 Knowing the computer is stupid

 Until you give it instructions.
 It will do exactly as you tell it to.

 Good memory
 Of syntax, defined names, names of prewritten functions

 Ability to think on several levels

 Compartmentalise into little box processes which perform useful tasks

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NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT C LANGUAGE

 Compact language
 Powerful (especially for efficient machine-dependent programming)
 Not as heavy as industrial-type languages like Php, Java
 Syntax heavily influenced industrial-type languages
 One of the best teaching languages.

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C LANGUAGE SPECIFICS

 Case sensitivity (all these are different!)

Myname2 myName2 Myname2

my_name2 MYname2 MYNAME2

 Uses a specific alphabet

 ASCII character set
 Each letter has different numeric equivalent
 Each letter represented as a binary number

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ASCII CHARACTER SET EXAMPLES
CHAR CODE CHAR CODE CHAR CODE
, 44 a 97 ± 241
- 45 ‗ 242
b 98
. 46 ¾ 243
c 99
/ 47 ¶ 244
d 100
0 48 § 245
1 49 e 101
÷ 246
2 50 f 102
¸ 247
3 51 g 103 ° 248
4 52 A 65 ¨ 249
5 53 B 66 · 250
6 54 C 67
7 55
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RUNNING C PROGRAMS

 Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

 With built-in compiler, linker, executor
 Better if it supports later standards like C99(ISO/IEC 9899:1999) and
C11(ISO/IEC 9899:2011).
 https://www.thefreecountry.com/compilers/cpp.shtml contains a list of varied
IDEs that support C programming.
 E.g. Bloodshed Dev C++, CodeBlocks, Orange C, Microsoft Visual Studio
Community (Microsoft C)

 Without built-in compiler and linker

 Requires installation of the GNU Compiler Collection gcc 4.9 to gcc 6.3 (or later)
from https://gcc.gnu.org

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SUMMARY

 Definition of programming:
 steps in defined language to accomplish a particular task

 Important requirements of algorithms and programs

 Precise, singular meaning, clear.

 Important properties of C
 versatile, learnable.
 Uses ASCII character set
 Case-sensitive

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