Programming Techniques DT143G Lecture 1

Course Introduction

• Course title: Programmeringsteknik DT143G
• Lecture 1: Introduction
• Course responsible: Pascal Rebreyend
• Date: 4-11-2024
• Location: Örebro University
• Lectures: 15 lectures (2 * 45 minutes)
• Labs: 6 lab sessions, 2 students per group
• Lab software: Labs will be available on Blackboard soon.
• Course materials: BB Learn
• Course instructor office: T2232
• Course instructor email: [email protected]
• Number of assistants: 2

Course Contents

• Practical information
• Organization of the course
• First contact with programming
• The spirit of the subject
• Goals of the course

Course Materials

• Main textbook: C från Början by Jan Skansholm
• References:
  • Programmeringsmetodik C by Gunnar Joki
  • The C programming Language by Brian W. Kernighan and Dennis M Ritchie
• Other online materials available

Lectures and Labs

• Deadlines

Criteria to Pass the Course

• Approved written exam (some questions)
• 50% of points: grade 3, 70-75% grade 4, 85-90% grade 5
• Approved labs: Labs 3, 4, 5, and 6

Computers and Programs

• Computer components and functions are illustrated
• Calculations are done
• System diagram: Input/Output, CPU (Control Unit + Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)), Primary Memory (RAM, ROM), Secondary Memory (Hard Disk)

Primary Memory

• RAM (Random Access Memory): Stores data while the computer is running. Data is lost when the computer is switched off.
• ROM (Read-Only Memory): Holds instructions/data programmed by the manufacturer. Cannot be altered by the user.

Computers and Input-Output

• Input Entity: Used to enter data (e.g., keyboard, mouse, sensors)
• Output Entity: Used to display or output results (e.g., screen)

Secondary Memory

• Stores data when the computer is off.
• Higher capacity than primary memory.
• Slower than primary memory.

Computers and Data

• Data is stored in bits (0 or 1).
• 8 bits = 1 byte
• Conversions: Binary to decimal, decimal to hexadecimal
• ASCII codes represent characters.

Files

• Data on the hard drive is in the form of files.
• Each file is a sequence of bytes.
• Files are identified by a name (e.g. myfile.exe, anotherfile.docx).
• Folders (directories) are used to organize files.
• Folders contain files and other folders

Program

• Instructions that tell the computer what to do.
• Loaded into memory and executed one by one.
• Each instruction has a set of bytes representing it.

Programming Language

• Computers understand machine code (0s and 1s).
• Assembly language: one instruction per line.
• High-level languages (e.g., C, C++, Java): Closer to human language, contain rules/syntax, and use concepts similar to each other .

Developing a Program (Basic Way, C)

• Write the program in a text editor.
• Save it with the .c extension.
• Compile the program to generate an object file (helloworld.o / helloworld.obj).
• Link the object file with other programs to create the executable file (a.out (Linux) / helloworld.exe (Windows)).
• Run the executable program.
• Some languages are interpreted (translation line by line) vs compiled (into machine code).

C Language

• Developed by Dennis Ritchie in 1972.
• High-level language, closely related to hardware.
• Used to develop operating systems and embedded systems.
• Powerful but demands careful programming.
• Widely used language

Example: Hello World

• Code example* of a program that displays "Hello World" on the screen

Programming in C

• gcc (GNU Compiler Collection): Common compiler for C on Unix/Linux systems.
• Usage: Compilation and linking are often combined into one command.
• IDEs (Integrated Development Environments) exist but are not necessary to learn the language.

Explanations

• stdio.h file: Contains definitions for standard input/output functions.
• Predefined functions such as printf are already defined.

C Programming

• Character to jump to next line: (e.g., \n).
• Curly brackets: Group code statements into blocks (e.g., { code }).
• Semicolons: End each C code statement (e.g., a=5;).
• Whitespace (e.g., spaces, tabs): Ignored by the compiler.

Variables

• Programming involves computations on variables.
• Variables: Allocated spaces in memory to store values
• Variables must be declared with types (e.g., int, double, float, char).

Variables in C

• Variables must be declared before use.
• Data types ( int, double, etc. ) must be specified when declaring variables

A Simple Example

• Example code showing how to declare and use an integer variable ('x').

Conclusion

• C is an important programming language.
• Practice is necessary to become a proficient programmer.
• Learn the program syntax.
• Using software (gcc, emacs, Geany, Atom) for development
• Programming is a skillset applicable across fields

This quiz covers the introduction to the Programming Techniques course DT143G, presented by Pascal Rebreyend. It includes details about the course structure, materials, and initial goals of programming. It is designed for students to familiarize themselves with the course landscape and expectations.