Fundamental Programming Structures in C present a comprehensive (if not exhaustive) description of all the major components of the C language, with the assumption that the reader is familiar with at least one other equivalent language (such as Pascal).

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Fundamental Programming Structures in C

In this module you will be introduced to the fundamental structures used to build a C program. In the previous module (Module 812: Program Development in C) you discovered the general structure of a C program and identified the various components needed to compile the source code into an executable file. This module describes the essential program elements that are common to all C programs. Future modules will discuss specific concepts that are needed by some programs to deal with more complex problems.

The concepts presented in this module provide the basic elements needed to construct a working program. In completing this, and subsequent modules, you should make use of the knowledge gained in the modules of previous units. ASNS1101 (Introduction to Computing and Numerical Processes) provided a general introduction to computer systems and application software. ASCO1102 (Data Structures and Language Design) introduced the class of computer languages called third generation languages (3GL's), the concepts of data and file structures, and completed the study of the Pascal programming language. ASCO2202 (Language Design and Computer Hardware) developed an understanding of the architecture of machines and the compilation process. Finally, ASCO3301 (Software Engineering) developed some models of program design and construction, particularly for large projects..............more

It is a strong belief in computing that the best method for learning a new language is practice. Your previous studies have prepared you in terms of programming principles and program construction. In this, and future modules, you should attempt to write as many programs as possible to develop a good understanding of C. A requirement of at least one new program (designed, coded, compiled and debugged) each day should be a reasonable and attainable goal. The programs do not need to be complex. You should make sure that each program makes use of only one new concept. Over time you will develop a familiarity with the language constructs that will eventually lead to more complex programs. C is a 3GL and therefore has many constructs in common with other 3GLs such as Pascal. You will find that many programs can be converted into C quite easily. It is only a matter of identifying the differences in command syntax. There are times, however, when this conversion process is difficult, or it produces code which is more complex than the original. In these instances direct conversion is not possible and a redesign of the module is necessary.

These notes make use of a number of program examples. Each example is provided on a floppy disk which is part of the unit materials. You should load, compile and run these programs to discover how they work. You can also use these examples as prototypes for the design of your own programs. In order to conserve paper, the programs have been written with a minimum of documentation. Your programs would normally be developed with more substantial documentation.

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