Most relevant code language to learn and where to get started?

massahwahl

massahwahl

VIP Member
I'm interested in learning more about software coding for work. We have a guy that has done it for us for a long time but he is not in the best of health so I guess I would really like to learn how it all works.

He wrote in Delphi which I believe is an off-shoot of C++. If so, anyone have some suggestions about how to start learning program language and taking baby steps into it?
 
Delphi is actually based off Pascal which makes it seriously outdated by today's standards. A lot of universities over here teach Java, Sun has guides on their website, from the Hello World app to more complex stuff.
 
Delphi is still used- they program FL-Studio in Delphi. I can do some basic programming in Delphi- and I'd say its fairly easy to learn, i think pascal the language its based on, was initially actually made to teach good programming habits- according to my text book- so it could be an idea to start in Delphi and move onto something else later on.

I've always liked the look of C++ because i think thats what they use to program certain video games.
 
im not familar with your program but did play many times with assembly.
macro assembly and symbolic debugging. the book were books i have were made by 'Crox' publishing. there old. at the time they made many tech books.
My suggestion is visit a book store. where ever you have one. Read the preface from the author in the front of the book. this will tell you who he is catering to. if you he says beginner to intermediate or intermediate to advanced. if there is plenty of reference you like, pictures, or what ever.
these books are expensive. dont waste your money.

bottom line, visit a book store
pick and choose. lots of professional
information out.
which one do you like with good communication skills.
cheers.......
 
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I would start by learning as much as you can within the C++ language. Most language is the same but with different syntax.
 
The programs we have at work were all written in Delphi so maybe I should start there. My boss is very good friends with Ray Malone who was influential in writting the TCP/IP code. I never had the opportunity to meet him but he custom wrote nearly every piece of software that we use at our station and it works flawlessly, better than any commercially software on the market in terms of what can be achieved with it so easily.

Thanks for the input! Ill see what I can find about writing delphi!
 
Man I went to Barnes and Noble today to find some reading materials and there was NOTHING when it came to Delphi. I did however find some free resources online so Ill let you know in a few weeks how im progressing. I guess my biggest issue is going to be deciding what 'practice program' I could write to test what im learning. Any ideas for something that I could program in Delphi?
 
salman said:
Delphi is still used- they program FL-Studio in Delphi. I can do some basic programming in Delphi- and I'd say its fairly easy to learn, i think pascal the language its based on, was initially actually made to teach good programming habits- according to my text book- so it could be an idea to start in Delphi and move onto something else later on.

I've always liked the look of C++ because i think thats what they use to program certain video games.
Click to expand...

for instance, the source engine used in counterstrike source is written in c++.
 
dubesinhower said:
for instance, the source engine used in counterstrike source is written in c++.
Click to expand...

Don't think ill be coding any source quality engines ANYTIME soon ;)

I've made it through chapter 3 of the book and have A LOT of questions but I've been able to handle most the practice questions without issue except for the money one in chapter 3. :( the freaking remainders were throwing me off.
 
Is that exercise 3.6?
You want the program to read in the length and width into two separate variables.

Then because there's going to be a 1m border around the garden, where there's not gonna be any grass you want to minus 2 off of the width, and minus 2 off of the length.

Then just multiply these 2 numbers to get the area.

Then just do 10*area- to get how much its gonna cost.


so basically
GardenArea:=(width-2)*(height-2);
Totalcost:=GardenArea*10;
 
chibicitiberiu said:
I recommend C++.
But the language is irrelevant; the algorithms are the same in any language, just the implementation is a bit different.
Click to expand...

True.

I would suggest learning C++ as it is so widely used. But when you look at the syntax for C++, java, C# etc... it is all very similar.

Once you learn to program in one of these languages apparently it is not too difficlut to transition from one to another, as long as you understand the concepts of Object-Oriented Programming.

My university teaches Java. 2 lecturers here created the BlueJ java environment, this is for learning purposes and is supported by Sun. They also wrote a book which teaches the concepts of OOP using Java and BlueJ.
 
salman said:
Is that exercise 3.6?
You want the program to read in the length and width into two separate variables.

Then because there's going to be a 1m border around the garden, where there's not gonna be any grass you want to minus 2 off of the width, and minus 2 off of the length.

Then just multiply these 2 numbers to get the area.

Then just do 10*area- to get how much its gonna cost.


so basically
GardenArea:=(width-2)*(height-2);
Totalcost:=GardenArea*10;
Click to expand...

Im not that far yet, but that will be helpful when I get there!

Im on the farenheit to celsius converter, but im getting an error when I try to compile it. Heres my code that im trying:

var
Degreesfarenheit, Cels, Farenheit : Integer;

begin
Write ('Please Input Temperature in Farenheit: ');
Readln (Degreesfarenheit);
Farenheit := Degreesfarenheit - 32;
Cels := Farenheit * (5/9);
Write ('Temperature is: ', Cels , ' Degrees Celsius');
Readln
end.

I get a red line over the cels := Farenheit * (5/9); line I assume because of something to do with the way the program displays decimal places. I know I need to declare a variable as a real number to display it right, but what do I need to declare? Also, how do I work in the 'Write (answer:5:2); command for the decimal places?

Im trying my best not to revert to any of the answers until I can get at least in the ballpark for the answer. So far up till this point i have not needed to check anything...
 
Right you want to set the variable cels to real. And to get it show the cels variable nicely put the :5:2 in just after cels when you're gonna output it.

var
Degreesfarenheit, Farenheit : Integer;
Cels : real;

begin
Write ('Please Input Temperature in Farenheit: ');
Readln (Degreesfarenheit);
Farenheit := Degreesfarenheit - 32;
Cels := Farenheit * (5/9);
Write ('Temperature is: ', Cels:5:4 , ' Degrees Celsius');
Readln
end.
 
:O that was so much easier than I was making it!

I didn't realize that you could define the :5:2 in the middle of the statement like that. I was trying to figure out a way to work it into its own line somewhere and it wasn't working.

Thanks! Imsure ill have more questions in the weeks to come. I'm thinking about starting a thread to kind of share my progress with everyone. That way I can reinforce what I'm learning and hopefully someone else can learn from it too.
 
Hehe you'll pick it up as you go along- just a matter of repetition. Yeah sure fire away with the Qs, I'm no pro myself but I'll be more than happy to try and help.

Yeah the progress thread sounds good- be pretty interesting if you do keep going with it, to see where you are in like a years time.
 
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