The discussion revolves around learning C programming in the context of designing projects with PIC microcontrollers. Participants share their experiences, resources, and recommendations for topics to focus on while learning C, as well as considerations for programming microcontrollers effectively.
Participants generally agree on the importance of mastering basic C concepts and the relevance of specific resources. However, there is no consensus on whether to learn assembly language first or to focus solely on C, indicating multiple competing views on the best approach to learning.
Some participants mention the limitations of certain learning resources and the challenges posed by the lack of an operating system in microcontrollers, which affects how memory and interrupts are handled. There is also a recognition that different programming paradigms may apply when working with microcontrollers compared to standard C programming.
This discussion may be useful for beginners in programming, particularly those interested in embedded systems design with PIC microcontrollers, as well as individuals seeking recommendations for learning resources and strategies.
AK2 said:I am currently learning C so that I can design a project using a pic microcontroller. I want to learn C first before studying the microcontroller. I want to ask, what topics should I learn, so that I will be using what I need to know to program the chip. Thanks
berkeman said:What other languages have you used, or is C the first one you are learning? Are you using the K&R book to self-study? Or do you have some other C learning resources?
Have you used Assembly language before? I think it might be more intuitive to learn PIC assembly first, and write some simple programs with assembly. Then look at how you can make them more readable and maintainable by writing them in C.
Just going front-to-back in K&R is not a bad way to learn C, as long as you are comfortable with self-study.
Okefenokee said:AK, I was a C pro before I saw my first microcontroller (miC for short). It didn't look like anything I had ever done before. Beyond languages, there are a multitude of programming paradigms. You can't just write a program for a miC like you would see in the C books. For a micC, you have to ensure that volatile memory is placed in RAM and not FLASH, you have ensure that the startup code is placed at the zeroth address, there is no operating system in a miC to provide dynamic memory allocation so you must define all memory at compile time, and you have to write your own interrupts.
I really think you should just plunge straight into a C book designed for miC's. The only thing you need to know about the actual language of C is the bare basics: math operators and relational operators, bit-wise operators, include files and source files, functions, structures, pointers, branches, and loops. That's it. You don't even need to know much about the print() function even though you'll see it over and over in tutorials. Printing is provided by the OS and, like I said, the OS doesn't typically exist in a miC unless you put one there.
Bit-wise operations are the most important thing for miC's that you won't see much of in the C books . A typical operation in a miC is to get a flag register from memory and mask it to see if some operation is completed (an analog to digital conversion perhaps). You'll be doing that over and over.