C Programming Absolute Beginner's Guide, Third Edition Updated for C11 Write powerful C programs…without becoming a technical expert! This book is the fastest way to get comfortable with C, one incredibly clear and easy step at a time. You’ll learn all the basics: how to organize programs, store and display data, work with variables, operators, I/O, pointers, arrays, functions, and much more. C programming has neverbeen this simple! Who knew how simple C programming could be? This is today’s best beginner’s guide to writing C programs—and to learning skills you can use with practically any language. Its simple, practical instructions will help you start creating useful, reliable C code, from games to mobile apps. Plus, it’s fully updated for the new C11 standard and today’s free, open source tools! Here’s a small sample of what you’ll learn: • Discover free C programming tools for Windows, OS X, or Linux • Understand the parts of a C program and how they fit together • Generate output and display it on the screen • Interact with users and respond to their input • Make the most of variables by using assignments and expressions • Control programs by testing data and using logical operators • Save time and effort by using loops and other techniques • Build powerful data-entry routines with simple built-in functions • Manipulate text with strings • Store information, so it’s easy to access and use • Manage your data with arrays, pointers, and data structures • Use functions to make programs easier to write and maintain • Let C handle all your program’s math for you • Handle your computer’s memory as efficiently as possible • Make programs more powerful with preprocessing directives Contents at a Glance PART I: JUMPING RIGHT IN 1 What Is C Programming, and Why Should I Care? 2 Writing Your First C Program 3 What Does This Do? Clarifying Your Code with Comments 4 Your World Premiere—Putting Your Program’s Results5 Adding Variables to Your Programs 6 Adding Words to Your Programs7 Making Your Programs More Powerful with #include and #define 8 Interacting with Users PART II: PUTTING C TO WORK FOR YOU 9 Crunching the Numbers—Letting C Handle Math for You10 Powering Up Your Variables with Assignments and Expressions 11 The Fork in the Road—Testing Data to Pick a Path12 Juggling Several Choices with Logical Operators 13 A Bigger Bag of Tricks–Some More Operators for Your Programs PART III: FLESHING OUT YOUR PROGRAMS 14 Code Repeat—Using Loops to Save Time and Effort15 Looking for Another Way to Create Loops 16 Breaking in and out of Looped Code 17 Making the case for the switch Statement 18 Increasing Your Program’s Output (and Input)19 Getting More from Your Strings 20 Advanced Math (for the Computer, Not You!) . PART IV: MANAGING DATA WITH YOUR C PROGRAMS 21 Dealing with Arrays22 Searching Arrays 23 Alphabetizing and Arranging Your Data 24 Solving the Mystery of Pointers 25 Arrays and Pointers 26 Maximizing Your Computer’s Memory 27 Setting Up Your Data with Structures PART V: FILES AND FUNCTIONS 28 Saving Sequential Files to Your Computer29 Saving Random Files to Your Computer 30 Organizing Your Programs with Functions 31 Passing Variables to Your Functions 32 Returning Data from Your Functions APPENDIXES A The ASCII Table B The Draw Poker Program