C tutorial for Java programmer

I'm a fairly experienced Java programmer and I now doing C in one of my subjects at university. It's only for one semester, and is very basic at the moment. However, I'd like to find a nice internet tutorial so that I can get to grips with the main 'features' of C so that I'm fine when it gets to harder stuff in the course.

Basically, the reason that I'm writing this here, is that I thought there might be a tutorial that will nicely suit someone coming from Java. I basically just want to quickly get a grasp of the main differences in terms of objects, method use and such stuff, to make sure I'll be fine for the stuff coming this semester. For stuff like this, I find little internet tutorials are much more time efficient than lecturers...

Thanks in advance

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Originally Posted by carderne

For stuff like this, I find little internet tutorials are much more time efficient than lecturers...

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Hitting your head against the wall and guessing on test questions is more efficient than lecturers; in my opinion anyway. University never was a happy place.

Anyway! C for Java Programmers that should get you started, at least. Best of luck!

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Originally Posted by Zack

Hitting your head against the wall and guessing on test questions is more efficient than lecturers; in my opinion anyway. University never was a happy place.

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Of course not, University is the best place ever for me in many aspect, from my education background to the social aspect it could be described. ;) Everyone could try to make it a better place.

@OP, in my experience move from Java to C(or C++) bit of confusing. Specially with how memory management has be done and so on. Vise verse is much much effective. Anyway I'll suggest you the following, it's not explain anything directly related to the Java. But all the concepts are clearly explained with examples.

C Tutorial

And following for the C++

C++ Language Tutorial

Those are few of my starting points to explore the C/C++

I'm trying to do the same but I keep telling myself I'm not done with Java yet. When is a good time to venture out to other programming languages? When can I tell myself I'm an Intermediate Java Programmer?

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Originally Posted by Lil_Aziz1

I'm trying to do the same but I keep telling myself I'm not done with Java yet. When is a good time to venture out to other programming languages? When can I tell myself I'm an Intermediate Java Programmer?

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It never hurts to study another language; I suggest you simply get "The C Programming Language, ANSI-C" edition by Kernigan and Ritchie and start reading; it's considered to be the 'bible' of C after all. The 'when' question is difficult too answer: intermediate is subject to a lot of interpretation, e.g. I am less than mediocre when it comes to all the html and xml crap but I can (more or less) find my way in there (although I'd like to avoid is as the plague).

kind regards,

Jos

Thanks Zack and Eranga, I'll have a look through those.

Haha, while in some cases I share your opinion about lectures, University and I get along very well in general. As to the question of leaving Java, I'd kind of stopped completely anyway. I just now need to pass one semester of C, so I'll have a look through these tutorials to make sure that I don't have to go to any more lectures than absolutely possible.

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Originally Posted by Lil_Aziz1

I'm trying to do the same but I keep telling myself I'm not done with Java yet. When is a good time to venture out to other programming languages? When can I tell myself I'm an Intermediate Java Programmer?

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I'm not blaming that studding more than one language at a time. I'm doing several actually. If you get the concept in better way, this it's not a difficult task.

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Originally Posted by Lil_Aziz1

I'm trying to do the same but I keep telling myself I'm not done with Java yet. When is a good time to venture out to other programming languages? When can I tell myself I'm an Intermediate Java Programmer?

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There are three guidelines I follow when deciding whether or not to learn a new language:

1. Will I use it, or could it come in handy? (Example: I will 99% chance never use Unreal Script.)
2. Does it serve some purpose that no other language I know does? (Example: C++ can not be used to design a web page.)
3. Is the language actually worth learning? That is, will its outcome surpass the potential headaches? (Example: Perl does not satisfy this rule, IMO.)

If the answer is no to any of those, I avoid it in general unless absolutely necessary. But sometimes it's neat to just learn a new language for fun--in which case the guidelines are moot. ;)

Not bad idea actually. In some cases it's worth to try out the same things using a new language. If I feel like that then I'll try to learn the language. Any time it could be useful.

1. Yes it will definitely come in handy for school. I'm pretty sure C/C++ will come up in few if not several classes. Knowing the language at an intermediate level or even basic will give me a very good reason for not showing up to class lol.
2. I don't know yet.
3. I'm pretty sure it is. C/C++ seems extremely prevalent because I hear a lot about it.

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Originally Posted by Lil_Aziz1

C/C++ seems extremely prevalent because I hear a lot about it.

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C++, as a matter of fact C, as a matter of fact BCPL, as a matter of fact CPL, as a matter of fact Algol/60 is the mother of all procedural programming language and is worth studying. All that object oriented hulla baloo was added in C++ and it stole it from quite some other languages, quite older ...

kind regards,

Jos

lol in that case, I'll get right on it. (after I complete some goals in Java first). To prepare for C++, I first need a few 'best friends'. For Java, I have 3: The Java™ Tutorials, Barron's AP Computer Science 2007 Levels A & AB (not anymore), and Java Software Solutions for AP* Computer Science (not anymore). And of course, Google which does not count.

For C++, I think this will be my best friend: C++ Language Tutorial

I would like to have more though.

Also JosAH, is this the book you were talking about? It's not the ANSI version of it. Couldn't find that one at the library. :(

Here it is: CountyCat /Book

Finally, the IDE I will be using is Bloodshed Dev-C++

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Originally Posted by Lil_Aziz1

Also JosAH, is this the book you were talking about? It's not the ANSI version of it. Couldn't find that one at the library. :(

Here it is: CountyCat /Book

Finally, the IDE I will be using is Bloodshed Dev-C++

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Yep, that's the one and on the picture it does show the ANSI version (it has that red stamp on it). For C++ I suggest Bjarne Stroustrup's book "The C++ Programming Language"; Bjarne is the creator of the C++ language; the first edition of his book started off as thin as the K&R C Programming Language book but the third edition is as thick as a brick ...

kind regards,

Jos

This is the one I found on C++:

CountyCat /Book

That's the third edition I believe. :(

Are you sure it's not anachronistic? That book was released in 1997

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Originally Posted by Lil_Aziz1

This is the one I found on C++:

CountyCat /Book

That's the third edition I believe. :(

Are you sure it's not anachronistic? That book was released in 1997

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Yep, that's the one; it is the latest release I believe because there's a C++ 20X version but of course it isn't ready yet (it's a huuuuuge language nowadays) so there isn't a later release of the book yet.

kind regards,

Jos

But didn't you say it's 'thick as a brick' meaning it's difficult to comprehend or did you mean that it's comprehensive?

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Originally Posted by Lil_Aziz1

But didn't you say it's 'thick as a brick' meaning it's difficult to comprehend or did you mean that it's comprehensive?

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It has the size of a brick, it took me a year or so to get through it all. Bjarne's style of writing is quite ok.

kind regards,

Jos

This is the one I learned it all on...for C++ anyway.

Doesn't feel like 480 pages, though...must be thin paper.

Oh, and K&R somewhere, for an insight into C. Not that I ever had to use C in anger.

JosAH, this book is more of a reference than anything. I'm on chapter 5 and I hate this book so far.

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Originally Posted by Lil_Aziz1

JosAH, this book is more of a reference than anything. I'm on chapter 5 and I hate this book so far.

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Which one? The C one or the C++ one? I told you it took me more than a year to read (and understand) the C++ book. You only read it for about a week or so ... patience grasshopper, patience ;-)

kind regards,

Jos