Book excerpt: Sams Teach Yourself C Programming in One Hour a Day, Seventh Edition is the newest version of the worldwide best-seller Sams Teach Yourself C in 21 Days. Fully revised for the new C11 standard and libraries, it now emphasizes platform-independent C programming using free, open-source C compilers. This edition strengthens its focus on C programming fundamentals, and adds new material on popular C-based object-oriented programming languages such as Objective-C. Filled with carefully explained code, clear syntax examples, and well-crafted exercises, this is the broadest and deepest introductory C tutorial available. It’s ideal for anyone who’s serious about truly mastering C – including thousands of developers who want to leverage its speed and performance in modern mobile and gaming apps. Friendly and accessible, it delivers step-by-step, hands-on experience that starts with simple tasks and gradually builds to professional-quality techniques. Each lesson is designed to be completed in hour or less, introducing and clearly explaining essential concepts, providing practical examples, and encouraging you to build simple programs on your own. Coverage includes: Understanding C program components and structure Mastering essential C syntax and program control Using core language features, including numeric arrays, pointers, characters, strings, structures, and variable scope Interacting with the screen, printer, and keyboard Using functions and exploring the C Function Library Working with memory and the compiler Contents at a Glance PART I: FUNDAMENTALS OF C 1 Getting Started with C 2 The Components of a C Program 3 Storing Information: Variables and Constants 4 The Pieces of a C Program: Statements, Expressions, and Operators 5 Packaging Code in Functions 6 Basic Program Control 7 Fundamentals of Reading and Writing Information PART II: PUTTING C TO WORK 8 Using Numeric Arrays 9 Understanding Pointers 10 Working with Characters and Strings 11 Implementing Structures, Unions, and TypeDefs 12 Understanding Variable Scope 13 Advanced Program Control 14 Working with the Screen, Printer, and Keyboard PART III: ADVANCED C 15 Pointers to Pointers and Arrays of Pointers 16 Pointers to Functions and Linked Lists 17 Using Disk Files 18 Manipulating Strings 19 Getting More from Functions 20 Exploring the C Function Library 21 Working with Memory 22 Advanced Compiler Use PART IV: APPENDIXES A ASCII Chart B C/C++ Reserved Words C Common C Functions D Answers