INTRODUCTION TO C

PROGRAMMING
J Kamiri
What is C programming Language?
• C is a powerful computer programming language that is appropriate
for technically oriented people with little or no programming
experience
• C evolved from two previous languages, BCPL and B.
• BCPL was developed in 1967 by Martin Richards as a language for
writing operating-systems software and compilers.
• B was developed by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Laboratories
• Different versions of C programming were develop as the language
evolved. This brought challenges and necessitated the creation of C
standard library
What is the C standard Library
• It is a collection of built-in functions that a C programmer can use to
perform certain functions.
• These functions make it easy for the programmer to develop a programmer
with few lines of code.
• Also, the functions contained in this library are numerous, therefore, a
developer only interacts with the functions they need to solve the task at
hand.
• Commonly used functions include
• Printf()- for outputting
• Scanf()- for inputing
• Every C program must start by including the standard library using this line
of code (#include<stdio.h>)
Cont.
• Every programming language is composed of elements that
contribute to the language’s syntax and semantics.
• These elements include:
• Datatypes
• Identifiers
• Functions
• Arrays
• Operators Etc
• A thorough understanding of these elements helps a programmer to
easily understand the logic of a program.
Data Types in C Programming
Data Types in C programming
Datatype is a classification that defines the type of data that a variable
holds. It tells the compiler or interpreter how the computer intends to
use the data.
Data types can also be broadly classified into:
• Numeric data types: Contain numeric values i.e numbers
• Non-numeric datatypes: contain non-numeric values i.e alphabets
The data types in C can be further classified as follows
• Basic Types: They are arithmetic types and consists of the two types:
(a) integer (b) float (c) Double (d) character
Basic datatypes
Basic datatypes are the most commonly used datatypes in C programming
• char: The most basic data type in C. It stores a single character and requires
a single byte of memory in almost all compilers. E.g ‘A’ , ‘B’
• int: As the name suggests, an int variable is used to store an integer. i.e
whole numbers e.g 1, 2, 10
• float: It is used to store decimal numbers (numbers with floating point
value) with single precision (occupies 32 bits of memory). E.g 1.1
• double: It is used to store decimal numbers (numbers with floating point
value) with double precision (occupies 64 bits of memory). E.g 4.5
• Boolean: It is a binary datatype i.e true/ false or 1/0
Data Types
• Enumerated types: They are again arithmetic types and they are used
to define variables that can only be assigned certain discrete integer
values throughout the program. E.g enum datatype
• The type void: The type specifier void indicates that no value is
available. E.g (void)
• Derived types: They include (a) Pointer types, (b) Array types, (c)
Structure types, (d) Union types and (e) Function types.
Each datatype has its own range
See the attached list of datatypes in C programming and their ranges.
Note that basic datatypes are the most commonly used datatypes.
Expressions
• An expression is a sequence of operands and operators. Operands are
values reacted upon.
• Operators are symbols that tell the computer to perform certain
mathematical or logical operations.
• For example (x+y=z).
• X, y, and Z are operands while + and = are an operator.
• Operators can be grouped into the following categories/ types
• Arithmetic
• Logical
• Assignment
• Comparison
Arithmetic operators
• Arithmetic operators-they carry out mathematical operations
• C follows BODMAS in executing an equation
Symbol Meaning
* Multiplication
/ Division
% Modulus or Remainder
+ Addition
^ Exponential (e.g x^2)
- Subtraction
Comparison/ Relational Operators
• Used to show the relationship between operands
Operator Description
== Equal to
> Greater than
< Less than
>= Greater than or equal to
<= Less than or equal to
!= Not equal to
Assignment Operators

Operator Example Equivalent

+= bonus+=500 bonus=bonus+500

-= Budget budget=budget-50

*= salary*=1.2 salary=salary*1.2

/= factor/=.50 factor=factor/.50

%= daynum%=7 daynum%7

X=0 Means the value of x is 0

=
Logical operators
• They are used to test more than one condition and make a decision.
They always perform true or false results.
Operator Meaning
&& AND

|| OR

! NOT
Special Operators
Operator Example Description Equivalent
Statements

++ i++ Postfix i=i+1;i+=1;

incrementing
++ ++I Prefix i=i+1;i+=1
incrementing
__
i- - Postfix i=i-1;i-=1;
decrementing
__
- -i Prefix i=i-1;i-=1;
decrementing
Program Writing
IDE Setup
• IDE stands for Integrated development Environment
• It is as software the is used to write and execute programs
• A good IDE should have the following:
✓An Editor- to write your code
✓A debugger- to debug your codes. Real time debuggers detect syntax errors
when you are writing your code.
✓A complier- Translates source code to machine code
✓Libraries- collection of files, programs, routines, scripts, or functions that can
be referenced in the programming code
• Some of the suitable IDE for C programming include: Netbeans,
DevC++, Codeblocks, Visual Studio
PROGRAMMING ERRORS/BUGS
• Syntax error-it results as a violation of rules and procedures of writing
a program e.g omission of a semicolon
• Semantic errors-It is the violation of the meaning inscribed in a
particular term.
• Logical error-program is running properly but giving undesired results
or doesn’t make sense.
• Compilation/Run-time/Execution time error-This error happens
when compiling a program e.g division by zero i.e 5/0
Phases of a C program
C program goes through six phases
Editing-This is accomplished with an editor program e.g Ms Visual studio,
Borland, C++ builder e.t.c
• The Programmer types a c-program with the editor, makes correction if
necessary, then stores programs on a secondary storage device such as a
disk. C-program file names should end with the .c extension
Pre-Process-The processor program executes automatically before the
compiler translation phase begins.
• The C-preprocessor directives which indicate that certain manipulations
are to be performed on the program before compilation.
Compilation phase-
• A computer only understands the machine language, therefore, every
program written in any other language needs to be translated to the
machine language.
• Different programming languages use different tools. These tools include:
• Translator
• Compiler
• Assembler
• This is the phase where source code is converted to machine code.
• The programmer gives the command to compile the program. The compiler
translates the high level language (source code) into machine language
(object code).
Cont.
• An interpreter translates a source program word by word or line by
line. This allows the CPU to execute one line at a time.
• The Interpreter takes one line of the source program, translates it into
a machine instruction, and then it is immediately executed by the
CPU.
• A compiler translates the entire/whole source program into object
code at once, and then executes it in machine language code. These
machine code instructions can then be run on the computer to
perform the particular task as specified in the high-level program.
• An assembler translates programs written in Assembly language into
machine language that the computer can understand and execute.
Cont.
• Linking-C-programs typically contain differences to functions defined
elsewhere such as in the standard library or in private libraries groups
of programmers working on a particular project.
• Linker-Links the object code with the source code to ensure no
missing functions to produce an executable program(no missing
pieces)
• Loading phase-Before the program can be executed the program
must first be placed in the memory, this is done by the loader.
• Loader takes the executable program from the disk and transfers it to
the memory. Additional components from shared libraries that
support the program are also loaded.
Executing phase-The compiler under the control of its control
processing unit, executes the program/instructions at a time.

NB: Programs don’t always work on first try. Each of preceding phases
can fail due to various errors.
STRUCTURE OF A C PROGRAM
#include<stdio.h>//pre-processor directive
Int main ()// main function
{
Printf(“My first program\n”);
Return 0;/*program end successfully*/
}
Parts of a Program
• Documentation section-it consists of comments giving the title of the
program, the author, the date of creation, the aim or objectives of the
program.
• The compile directive-It provides instructions to the compiler to link
the functions to its system library e.g
#include<stdio.h>,#include<math.h>.#include<stdlib.h>
• Main function-It indicates the start of execution or the program
statement. The main function is used to call any other program in the
body of a program and is executable in a sequential manner. A
function is a small program that carries out a specific task when called
Parts of a Program Cont.
• Body of the program-It consists of opening and closing braces.
• Declaration of variables-All variables must be declared before use.
• Return 0-This means terminating a function, it puts an end to
execution of a program. It returns the control to the operating system
GOOD PROGRAMMING PRACTICES
Braces({ })-The opening and closing braces. All braces must be
opened and must be closed
Whitespace-it refers to character in programming tabs, newlines etc.
Indenting-It refers to moving away from the margin
Good programming practices
Use of comments-comments are non-executable statements in a
program that tries to tell what part of the program is doing or give the
name(author of the program, date of creation or explain a block,a
single statement, a function or intended purpose)
Advantages of using comments
• It makes a program understandable (readability)
• It makes the modification of a program more easier in future
Two types of comments
• Single line comment (//)-its used when commenting using one line
e.g //My first program in C
Multiple line comment/*--------------------------------
*/
• Its used when commenting on multiple or many lines also known as
block comment
e.g/*Program to calculate the total, and average of 5 units*/
Use Escape sequence-These are programming shortcuts that are used
when writing codes and they perform a certain task. Its represented by
a backslash followed by an escape character
Escape Sequence
Escape Sequence Description
\’ (single quote) Outputs the single quote character
\”(double quote) Outputs the double quote character
\? (Question mark) Outputs the question mark character
\\(backslash) Outputs the backslash character
\a (alert or bell) Cause an audible bell or visual alert
\b (backspace) It moves the cursor back on position on
the current line
Cont.
It moves the cursor to the start of the next
\f (new page or form feed)
logical page
It moves the cursor to the beginning of the
\n(new line)
next line
It moves the cursor to the beginning of the
\r (carriage return)
current line
It moves the cursor to the next horizontal tab
\t (horizontal tab)
position
It moves the cursor to the next vertical tab
\v (vertical tab)
position
 Writing a Simple C program to output
Welcome to MUT
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
printf("Welcome to MUT");

return 0;
}
Example 2
#include <stdio.h> • The program here shows how to
int main() { output in two lines using a single
output statement.
printf("Welcome to MUT\n I am
happy about it"); • The output here is expected to
be
Welcome to MUT
return 0; I am happy about it
}
Example 2. Cont.
• The same program in Example 2 #include <stdio.h>
(previous page) can be written int main() {
as shown here.
printf("Welcome to MUT\n");
• Note that in this case we have
used two output statements printf("I am happy about it");
rather than a single output return 0;
statement. }
• This is a redundant way of
outputting which complicates a
program
 Writing a Simple C program to output Hello
World
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
printf(" Hello World \n");
return 0;
}
Task
• Write a C program to output your name and your home county as
shown below.
My Name is ……..
I am from ……. County
The End