C for Java Programmers - Softcover

Muldner, Tomasz

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0201702797 ISBN 13: 9780201702798

Publisher: Pearson, 2000

Synopsis

Two-part organization allows readers to learn C by construct and by problem. Takes programmers with some familiarity with Java and helps them understand how to program using C by relating the tasks and procedures of the two languages. Programmers who are familiar with Java and want to learn C.

About this title

About the Author

Tomasz M,ldner is a professor of computer science at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, one of Canada's top undergraduate universities. He is the recipient of numerous teaching awards, including the prestigious Acadia University Alumni Excellence in Teaching Award in 1996. He has over 20 years of experience working with C and UNIX, and in 1988 co-authored the book C as a Second Language. His research interests include distributed object-oriented programming, mobile agents, and collaborative applications. Dr. M,ldner received his Ph.D. in mathematics from the Polish Academy of Science in Warsaw, Poland in 1975.

0201702797AB04062001

From the Back Cover

The C programming language has been around for over 25 years. Lately, however, more and more programmers are learning Java as their first language. While Java offers many advantages, C is more efficient and appropriate when working with certain run-time applications, compilers, graphics and operating systems.

With C for Java Programmers, Tomasz M,ldner adopts an innovative approach modern ANSI C techniques to readers already familiar the Java concepts. He takes advantage of the techniques and underlying design principles present in object-oriented languages like Java and incorporates them to create a set of programming standards applicable to C. These standards are present throughout each chapter both in short examples and in longer modules. C for Java Programmers centers around such vital concepts as the ability to extend and modify modules, represent enumerations, create concrete and generic modules, and use shallow and deep copying of data elements. In addition, this book provides a thorough discussion of issues such as memory management, pointer use, and exception handling—topics traditionally more troublesome for novice C programmers—which become increasingly important in the less-protected world of C.

0201702797B04062001

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

8.

Pointers and their Applications 8.1

Preview The time has come to discuss pointers, which are at the heart and soul of C. Consequently, this chapter is quite long and consists of many sections, all of which describe techniques used in subsequent chapters. In order to be consistent with the overall structure of the book, where each chapter is devoted to related C constructs, I have not broken it down into several subchapters. I will first describe the relationship between Java references and C pointers, and include the main areas of application for pointers. C offers great flexibility with respect to pointers, and so in this chapter you will find a careful description of all relevant operations. These include address and dereferencing operations, dynamic memory allocation and deallocation using pointers, and pointer arithmetic. This chapter will then show how to pass function parameters by reference and how to pass functions as parameters of other functions. This description is followed by an explanation of how you can override a function (i.e. change its implementation without changing the prototype). My next topic will be a continuation of the discussion of module-based programming in C. I will introduce modules that provide enumerations (and resemble Java interfaces), and discuss various applications, for example, an application to override a part of the interface, or make it "final". Next, I will show examples of how you can design modules that handle homogenous collections. Finally, I will discuss alternative implementations of the same interface. The discussion of module design will be continued in Chapter 10. As in other chapters, my discussion concentrates on the portable techniques.

Edition details

• Publisher: Pearson
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0201702797
• ISBN 13: 9780201702798
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 592