Description
This course provides programmers with a hands-on introduction to the C programming language. The course teaches both syntax and semantics of the C language. It also includes advice on good programming practices.

Audience
Systems and applications programmers who need a practical in-depth understanding of ANSI C.

Prerequisites
Participants should be familiar with one or more programming languages or have attended Arkoa’s Introduction to Programming course. This course is not suitable for people without programming experience.

Hardware and Software
An ANSI C compiler running on any platform. The systems should be able to load a 3.5” DOS-formatted solution disk.

Format

• Presentation
  
• Hands-on
  

Objectives
After completing this course, participants should be able to:

• Use the syntax, semantics, and scoping of ANSI C
• Write ANSI C programs using many features of the language
• Use some of the ANSI C libraries
• Describe the C compilation process
• Write programs using dynamic data structures and recursion
• Recognize the advantages of multi-file programs

An Introduction to C

• An Example
• The Compilation Process
• White Space and Comments
• Functions
• Constant Strings
• Libraries
• printf()
• Simple Statements
• Compound Statements
• Fundamental Types
• Defining Variables
• Identifiers
• Operators
  • Operators vs. Expressions
• The if Statement
• The while Statement
• The for Statement
• Character Handling
• The Preprocessor
• Standard Input/Output Library
• getchar() and putchar()

Data Types and Constants

• Data Types
  • Numeric and Character Types
  • Sizes of Data Types
  • Constant and Volatile Objects
• Constants
  • Integer Constants
  • Floating-point Constants
  • Character Constants

Functions

• What is a Function?
• Function Prototypes
• The exit function
• Function Parameters
• Call By Value
• Return Values
• The void Type
• Writing Functions in Pre-ANSI C

Declarations

• Declaring Variables
• Scope
  • Internal Variables
  • Parameters to Functions
  • External Variables
  • Masking
  • Scope of Functions
• Extent
  • Extent of Externals
  • Automatic Variables
  • Internal Static Variables
  • Internal Static Variables – Example
• Initialization

Recursion

• What is Recursion?
• Why Recursion? (What does it all mean?)
• Example

Evaluating Expressions

• Truth Values
  • Precedence
  • Associativity
  • Table of Operators
• Operand Evaluation
• Expression Types and Conversions
  • Compile-Time vs. Run-Time Precedence

More Operators

• Boolean Operators
  • Order of Evaluation
• The Comma Operator
• The Conditional Operator

Assignment

• The Simple Assignment Operator
• Compound Assignment Operators
• Use of Assignment in Expressions

Further Flow Control

• The do-while Loop
• The Null Statement
  • A Caution About do...while()
• Continue
• Break
• Goto
• Switch

Pointers

• Pointer Concepts
• Defining Pointers
• Pointer Operators
• Pointers As Function Parameters
• Pointers As Return Values

Arrays

• Defining Arrays
• Using Arrays
• Initializing Arrays
• Multidimensional Arrays
• Strings
  • Processing Strings
• Arrays and Pointers
• Arrays as Function Parameters
• String Handling
• Library Function: gets()
• Some Library String Functions
• Pointers to Constants

Pointers Revisited

• Pointer Arithmetic
• Incrementing And Decrementing Pointers
• String Handling
• Pointers To Functions
  • Pointers to Functions – Example
• Handling Complex Declarations
• Handling Complex Declarations
  • Declaration Procedure
  • The Right Left Rule

Structures

• Structure Declaration
  • Name Spaces
• Structure Members
• Structure Initialization
• Operations on Structures

Building New Data Types

• Data Abstraction – typedef
• Towards Complexity – One Step at a Time
• Typedef and Structures

Dynamic Data Structures

• Self Referential Structures
• Linked Lists
• Dynamic Memory Allocation

Multi File Programs

• Issues in Multi File Programs
• Variables — extern and static

Bit Twiddling

• Introduction
• Bit Twiddling Operations
  • Setting and Unsetting Bits
  • Bit Shifting
• Portable Bit Manipulation
• Printing Bit Representations
• Example — Bit Manipulation

Additional Data Types

• Enumerated Data Types
• Bit Fields
• Unions

The Preprocessor

• Introduction
• #define
• #ifdef and #ifndef
• #if

The Standard Libraries STDIO And Others

• The Concept of a FILE
• Character Handling Routines
• Line and Record Handling Routines
• Formatting Routines
• Positioning Routines
• The ANSI Libraries

Program Arguments

• Invoking Programs
• Parameters to main()
• Processing argc and argv

ANSI C Coding Guidelines

• Introduction
• Programming vs. Program Design
  • Specific Programming Features To Avoid
  • Suggestions Related To Overall Design
• Specific Coding Guidelines
  • Comments
  • Coding For Readability
  • Indentation
  • Brackets
  • Well-Chosen Identifier Names
  • Syntactical Forms To Be Avoided