Good refresher site

[gjrw68]

I used to code in C about 10 years ago but haven't done anything since
than. What's the best refresher site out there for someone who codes
daily and needs to get back into C?

Cheers,

TF

 

[bluejack]

I used to code in C about 10 years ago but haven't done anything since
than. What's the best refresher site out there for someone who codes
daily and needs to get back into C?

I usually just need a good reference book in order to answer questions
as they come up. K&R2 is generally thought to be good, but online I
also use:

A reasonably useful C library reference:
http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/webmonkeys/book/c_guide/

And the comp.lang.c FAQ:
http://c-faq.com/

 

[Flash Gordon]

bluejack wrote, On 12/03/07 23:27:

I usually just need a good reference book in order to answer questions
as they come up. K&R2 is generally thought to be good, but online I
also use:

K&R2 is good.

A reasonably useful C library reference:
http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/webmonkeys/book/c_guide/

Based on a quick look I'm not convinced, however it might explain some
of the horrible terminology we see. For example, it talks about typecasting.

In fact, having looked a bit further it seems riddled with errors at
least some of which are fairly fundamental in my opinion. For example:
| enum identifier {enumerator-list};
| Identifier is a handle for identification, and is optional.
| Enumerator-list is a list of variables to be created. They will be
| constant integers. Each variable is given the value of the previous
| variable plus 1. The first variable is given the value of 0

I cannot imagine any way that the enumerations can be considered
variables. It also uses the word "variables" in various other
questionable ways.

And the comp.lang.c FAQ:
http://c-faq.com/

That is a good reference.

 

[bluejack]

bluejack wrote, On 12/03/07 23:27:

Based on a quick look I'm not convinced, however it might explain some
of the horrible terminology we see.

Ok... maybe a reasonably *bad* reference. I use it when I need to
find "the call that does X". (I don't store all that stuff in local
memory.) If you know of a better reference for that sort of thing,
please share!

-b

 

[Andrew Poelstra]

Ok... maybe a reasonably *bad* reference. I use it when I need to
find "the call that does X". (I don't store all that stuff in local
memory.) If you know of a better reference for that sort of thing,
please share!

-b

I use manpages. Mine even tell me whether they are ANSI C functions or
POSIX ones, and the version of the applicable standard.

 

[Flash Gordon]

Andrew Poelstra wrote, On 13/03/07 04:37:

I use manpages. Mine even tell me whether they are ANSI C functions or
POSIX ones, and the version of the applicable standard.

Several of the regulars have web sites with a lot of useful C material,
and you can find a possibly incomplete list here
http://clc-wiki.net/wiki/C_community:Home_pages

In particular, Dinkumware, P.J.Plaugers company, has a reference to the
C and C++ libraries here
http://www.dinkumware.com/manuals/#Standard C Library

Note that being included on the home pages page is not specifically an
endorsement (nor is not being listed a "black mark", it just means no
one has added the link), it is up to you to judge peoples worth from
their posts here and the responses received.

 

[santosh]

I used to code in C about 10 years ago but haven't done anything since
than. What's the best refresher site out there for someone who codes
daily and needs to get back into C?

I find a hardcopy book better than online viewing. Two of the very
best are _The C Programming Language Second Edition_ by Kernighan and
Ritchie, and _C: A Reference Manual_ by Harbison and Steele. A more
advanced book is _C Unleashed_ by Heathfield, Kirby et al.

As far as online tutorials are concerned I'll recommend Steve Summit's
one:

<http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/cclass/>

Also he maintains the very useful C FAQ:

<http://www.c-faq.com/>

There's also a clc "wiki":

<http://clc-wiki.net/>

Other resources include:

<http://www.lysator.liu.se/c/>
<http://www.dinkumware.com/manuals/>
<http://www-ccs.ucsd.edu/c/>
<http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg14/>
<http://www.knosof.co.uk/cbook/cbook.html>
<http://www.cpax.org.uk/prg/portable/c/index.php>

 

[bluejack]

In particular, Dinkumware, P.J.Plaugers company, has a reference to the
C and C++ libraries herehttp://www.dinkumware.com/manuals/#Standard%20C%20Library

Man, this Dinkumware site is awesome! I realize they are primarily
documenting their own implementation of the libraries, but given that
it is a complete implementation, the data seems pretty universally
useful. And there's a ton of other great resources on there.

It's funny how 98% of the time, Google is the best way to find stuff,
but there are exceptions. In all my reference hunting, Google has
never led me to a dinkumware page. And I recently scoured the net for
good C++ STL references, going as deep as 10 pages into Google search
results for many queries. Weird.

 

[santosh]

It's funny how 98% of the time, Google is the best way to find stuff,
but there are exceptions. In all my reference hunting, Google has
never led me to a dinkumware page. And I recently scoured the net for
good C++ STL references, going as deep as 10 pages into Google search
results for many queries. Weird.

<OT>
If you use the search term "C99 Standard library reference",
dinkumware is the first hit.
</OT>

 

[Zhou Yan]

How about Steele's C: A reference manual? Someone told me that it is a
very famous book. I myself only know Steele's creation of Scheme. Just
a suggestion.

 

[bluejack]

<OT>
If you use the search term "C99 Standard library reference",
dinkumware is the first hit.
</OT>

Well, the art of google is all about using the right search terms.
Guess my art needs a little work. Thanks to all for these additional
references. Good stuff!

 

[Keith Thompson]

How about Steele's C: A reference manual? Someone told me that it is a
very famous book. I myself only know Steele's creation of Scheme. Just
a suggestion.

That's Harbison & Steele, currently in its 5th edition. (The 5th
edition, unlike the 4th edition or even K&R2, covers C99.)