The Art of C Programming

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xiii

   PDF

2. Compilers and Interpreters

   • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

   Pages 1-4

3. The Skeleton of a C Program

   • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

   Pages 5-14

4. Loops and Control Constructs

   • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

   Pages 15-25

5. Arithmetic and Logic

   • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

   Pages 26-34

6. Strings, Arrays, and Pointers

   • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

   Pages 35-44

7. Floats and Other Types

   • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

   Pages 45-56

8. Input

   • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

   Pages 57-65

9. Output

   • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

   Pages 66-69

10. More About Control Constructs

    • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

    Pages 70-74

11. Recursion

    • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

    Pages 75-83

12. Structures

    • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

    Pages 84-92

13. File-handling

    • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

    Pages 93-105

14. Debugging

    • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

    Pages 106-116

15. Rational Arithmetic

    • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

    Pages 117-131

16. Implementing Turtle Graphics...

    • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

    Pages 132-144

17. ... and Using Them

    • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

    Pages 145-156

18. Random Thoughts

    • Robin Jones, Ian Stewart

    Pages 157-168

19. Back Matter

    Pages 169-186

    PDF

The programming language C occupies an unusual position midway between conventional high-level and assembly languages, allowing the programmer to combine the best features of both. This book is an introduction to the language itself, and to the special style of thinking that goes with it. Anyone wishing to learn C is likely to have some experience in a high-level language such as BASIC or Pascal, and it seems sensible to make use of that experience. We therefore assume some facility with conventional notation for computer arith­ metic, and simple notions (such as looping and branching) common to most high-level languages. However, that cannot be the whole story. One cannot learn to speak colloquial French by thinking in English and performing a routine translation. No more can one learn to program in colloquial C by thinking in BASIC and performing a routine translation. However, when learning French it is normal to assume familiarity with English, building on that in the early stages, thereby creating the confidence necessary to provide that mot juste to which nothing corresponding exists in English. Our approach to C is similar. In particular we do not introduce at the very beginning some of the features of C which eventually lead to more efficient and elegant code-for example, the ability to do several things, apparently at once. Initially, such constructs can be confusing. Once the reader has acquired some facility with the language it then becomes possible to bring these features into play in a natural manner.

• BASIC
• Debugging
• Factor
• Go
• Natural
• Pascal
• PostScript
• Strings
• compiler
• functions
• programming
• programming language

• Computer Unit, South Kent College of Technology, Folkestone, England

  Robin Jones

• Mathematics Institute, University of Warwick, Coventry, England

  Ian Stewart

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