Topics in C Programming.
Topics in C Programming
Bob Hain
Introduction
This document is not intended to be a text on C programming. Because many of you may not have had the opportunity to use or practice C programming, we are attempting to provide a brief description of some of the elements of C which you will need in your laboratory work. We will leave out many topics but will try to provide simple, although sometimes incomplete, explanations of some of the basic elements of C.
Why C?
The computer industry is changing rapidly. Although changes in hardware are easier to observe, changes in the software environment are no less striking. The FORTRAN and BASIC programming languages have served the scientific community for many years. These language are highly optimized for numerical calculation and are still in wide-spread use. But with the introduction of small powerful computers, software needs began to change. These computers were applied to many tasks not solely based on numerical manipulation. Two examples of such applications are the acquisition of experimental data and control of the experimental process. The FORTRAN and BASIC languages were extended to address many of these changing needs, but modern languages such as C began to spring into use. The speed with which C has developed has made it impossible for the University to introduce it early in the curriculum and to build on it throughout your education. Because of C's acceptance in industry and research institutions, we feel that you should be exposed to it. We do not expect you to become an expert in C programming. In fact, we stress that this course is about experimental techniques for heat transfer studies. An introduction to C programming falls within the scope of such a course, but it is not its main objective. We hope that you will find this experience pleasant and rewarding.
A Simple C Program main() { }
It has no input, no output, and does nothing. I didn't
Bob Hain
Introduction
This document is not intended to be a text on C programming. Because many of you may not have had the opportunity to use or practice C programming, we are attempting to provide a brief description of some of the elements of C which you will need in your laboratory work. We will leave out many topics but will try to provide simple, although sometimes incomplete, explanations of some of the basic elements of C.
Why C?
The computer industry is changing rapidly. Although changes in hardware are easier to observe, changes in the software environment are no less striking. The FORTRAN and BASIC programming languages have served the scientific community for many years. These language are highly optimized for numerical calculation and are still in wide-spread use. But with the introduction of small powerful computers, software needs began to change. These computers were applied to many tasks not solely based on numerical manipulation. Two examples of such applications are the acquisition of experimental data and control of the experimental process. The FORTRAN and BASIC languages were extended to address many of these changing needs, but modern languages such as C began to spring into use. The speed with which C has developed has made it impossible for the University to introduce it early in the curriculum and to build on it throughout your education. Because of C's acceptance in industry and research institutions, we feel that you should be exposed to it. We do not expect you to become an expert in C programming. In fact, we stress that this course is about experimental techniques for heat transfer studies. An introduction to C programming falls within the scope of such a course, but it is not its main objective. We hope that you will find this experience pleasant and rewarding.
A Simple C Program main() { }
It has no input, no output, and does nothing. I didn't