C Programming - Which Software?

[CKTurbo128]

I'm currently enrolled in a CSci class which requires us to program only in C (C++ extensions not allowed). I could always use my university's terminals to program in C, but there are times when I want to program C at home on my Windows PC. Is there a good C programming software that you would recommend (not too complex)? I am hoping that there is a programming software for C that is as good as NetBeans (which is for Java programming), but anything would suffice. Any suggestions?

- CKTurbo128

 

[jonmullen]

I think pretty much any C++ IDE will work for you just be sure not to use classes or objects.

 

[Alex]

try textpad (www.textpad.com) i used it for java last year and its amazing, all u need to do is download a windows compiler and set it up and its workin...

but i just do all my C programming in linux nowadays...

 

[Nothinman]

Find out what compiler your college uses because different copilers have different quirks and if you do your code and test it at home on a different one it might not work at school without some fixes.

If your school is using gcc on unix download cygwin, it gives you a unix environment on Windows including the gcc compiler.

 

[oog]

for free? take a look at gcc.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Don't they have unix servers you can ssh to?

 

[ProviaFan]

Here's another vote for GCC + Cygwin.

 

[AlexWade]

If you are using Windows, a decent free C/C++ compiler is available at www.bloodshed.net . But, I strongly recommend you do not try to use any pointers with this language. It is not exactly a robust compiler. But hey its free.

If you are using pointers, I recommend Visual C++ .Net for about $100. While it is a Microsoft product, it is very robust and makes debugging easier. I cannot tell you how helpful it was in programming linked-lists and trees. You can watch the values of a variable, find out the values a pointer points too, and such. You can step through each line of code and see how your variables are affected.

I do NOT recommend Visual C++ 6.0. For one, you cannot do this (even though you should be able too)

for (int x = 0; x < 100; x++); /* Do something */
/* More stuff here */
for (int x = 0; x < 100; x++); /* Do something */

You get a redeclaration of x error, which should not be. You also get in the free compiler listed above.

For other OS, they've already been named here.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

No pointers? Don't you pretty much *have* to use pointers to do just about anything besides working with numbers?

 

[Nothinman]

If you are using Windows, a decent free C/C++ compiler is available at www.bloodshed.net . But, I strongly recommend you do not try to use any pointers with this language. It is not exactly a robust compiler. But hey its free.

It's based on gcc, which is very 'robust' considering all the platforms it generates code for. And pointers work fine, they're a requirement for christ's sake.

If you are using pointers, I recommend Visual C++ .Net for about $100. While it is a Microsoft product, it is very robust and makes debugging easier. I cannot tell you how helpful it was in programming linked-lists and trees. You can watch the values of a variable, find out the values a pointer points too, and such. You can step through each line of code and see how your variables are affected.

There are free tools to do all of that along side gcc, you just have to look.

If you're gonna recommend VS.NET you might as well skip C++ and go straight for C#, atleast that way you get to use managed code. Or skip VS totally and use Java, all the benefits of C# (for the most part) without the dependence on Microsoft.

 

[anandfan]

Why not try the Borland free C++ compiler? You can use it as a C Compiler. See here:
Borland Free Compiler

I think the debugger is a free download also.

 

[CKTurbo128]

Wow, a lot of resourceful responses. Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I will definately check out a lot of the suggestions everyone has made. There was a lot of C compiler programs out there, so I was unsure which would be suitable for me. Now, I just have to learn C and then after the class, C++ (the real thing).

- CKTurbo128

 

[lordex]

Originally posted by: CKTurbo128
Wow, a lot of resourceful responses. Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I will definately check out a lot of the suggestions everyone has made. There was a lot of C compiler programs out there, so I was unsure which would be suitable for me. Now, I just have to learn C and then after the class, C++ (the real thing).

Well if you think C++ is the real thing, why don't you just start with C++? It's interesting that a lot of people think C is easier than C++, which is not the case at all. If you know you are eventually going to C++, you probably want to skip C. A lot of things you learn in C can become obsolete or even misleading when you get to C++. Just my 2 censt...