Outline

Build on the basics from EMAT10007
Explore two new programming languages
Learn additional computing skills/knowledge

Lectures and times

Labs 1100-1400 Fridays in QB F.101
Dropin session 1600-1700 Tuesdays in MVB 1.07
You are expected to also work outside of those times!
9 weeks of C (three coursework deadlines)
3 weeks of Java (class test at the end)

Assessments

Assessment	Deadline	Weight
Basic C test	week 14	5%
Cpair	week 18	35%
Cind	week 21	35%
Java final	week 24	25%

C deadlines

Assessment	Deadline	Weight
	week 13
Basic C test	week 14	5%
	week 15
	week 16
	week 17
Cpair	reading week	35%
	week 19
	week 20
Cind	week 21	35%
	week 22
	Easter x3
	week 23
Java test	week 24	25%

C content

Using the shell/compiler
Elementary types
Loops and conditionals
Functions
Makefiles
Command line programs
Arrays and strings
Structs
Multifile programs

C assignment

You will complete the first C assignment individually. The second assignment will be done in pairs. Then the last will be done individually again.

I will randomly assign the pairs (within cohort) once you have submited the basic C test. If you don’t submit I won’t pair you up with anyone. I will also assign each pair to a TA who will be your supervisor for the rest of the unit.

Plagiarism

We had problems with plagiarism the year before last:

Fine to work together when not doing assignments
Obviously fine to work with your partner when doing the pair assignment.
Please do NOT work with other pairs.
Do not share your code with anyone.
(We will check for plagiarism)

Popular programming languages

(From tiobe.com)

Family tree

C

Old but still widely used.
Standard for working on any hardware.
Core components in your computer

Things written in C/C++

Windows/OSX/Linux (most operating systems)
Browsers: Chrome, Firefox etc.
High end computer games.
Python

Python is actually a C program!

When C is good

Fast programs
Embedded systems
Operating systems
Core lower-level applications
Program basic hardware (arduino etc)
Need to run on specific hardware/OS

When C is bad

Need to quickly make a program
Speed (of program) is unimportant
Simple high-level applications
Need to run on wide range of hardware/OS

Demo Python/C…

Compilers and interpreters

Python is interpreted and C is compiled but what does that mean?

Human readable code. This is the stuff that humans write and look at.
Machine code. This is what the computer can actually execute.

Compilation

A compiler converts human code to machine code e.g.:

Human code:

int multiply(int a, int b)
{
  int c = a * b;
  return c;
}

Machine code (and assembly):

   0: 55                    push   %rbp
   1: 48 89 e5              mov    %rsp,%rbp
   4: 89 7d ec              mov    %edi,-0x14(%rbp)
   7: 89 75 e8              mov    %esi,-0x18(%rbp)
   a: 8b 45 ec              mov    -0x14(%rbp),%eax
   d: 0f af 45 e8           imul   -0x18(%rbp),%eax
  11: 89 45 fc              mov    %eax,-0x4(%rbp)
  14: 8b 45 fc              mov    -0x4(%rbp),%eax
  17: 5d                    pop    %rbp
  18: c3                    retq

Compilation in C

Running C code is a two-step process:

Compile the C code to machine code
Run the compiled code

The computer can execute machine code directly (fast)

Python is interpreted

When you run your Python program it is not compiled to machine code. The interpreter reads the code and simulates executing it.

The interpreter itself is a C program that was compiled to machine code (by someone else).

How to learn C

Read the notes, and try out the examples. Do hte exercises and make sure that you know the answers to the questions.

Very important: you must actually try things. You can not learn to program simply by reading.

So go do it now…