macOS Help with a book for learning C in Xcode?

[jimthorn]

I'm a long-time Mac user, but I am NOT a programmer. I've tinkered around with Xcode, following examples, etc. but all the Xcode/PB/IB tutorials assume that you have a background in programming. I have a lot of great ideas for applications I could use on a daily basis, but I am lacking the core knowledge I need to even begin working on them.

Does anyone have a recommendation on a good beginning C programming book that is really for beginners who have NEVER coded at all? I am sure that if I can just get through the beginning stages, I can get much more from Apple's (and other) Xcode tutorials.

I only have access to Macs, so a book that expects you to work on a PC wouldn't be of much help. (Yes, I understand that C is the same from OS to OS, but a book that expects you to work in a PC-based IDE, with examples specific to that IDE, would only serve to make this education more difficult). If I'm wrong about that assumption, feel free to correct me.

Any help here or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[bronxbomber92]

Well, any book that is teaching a programming language assuming no experience shouldn't have any thing IDE specific (unless your learning a language like C# or Objective-C). So, pick up any C book (preferably by O'Reily) or some other well suggested book like this: http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/cbook/. If you want a book that teaches a programming language, with specifics to Xcode, buy a Objective-C book (which is based on Ansi C, just "extended").

 

[MacRohde]

Kochan

If you wanna learn C get Stephen Kochan's "Programming in C". If you want to program in C on the Mac platform and taking advantage of the Cocoa frameworks you might as well jump straight to Kochan's "Programming in Objective-C".

 

[jimthorn]

Thank you both for your helpful suggestions. I'm going to see if my local Barnes & Noble has any of these books so I can browse through them later tonight. From the descriptions and reviews of the Kochan books on Amazon, I think these are the ones I'll be buying.

Any other suggestions are welcome as well. Thanks!

 

[CodyJ]

Thanks!

I was about to post this exact same question, thanks for the info!

 

[Monkaaay]

Honestly, I would consider picking up an Objective-C book if you're planning on writing OS X software. I've been reading through this book and it's pretty good for newbie programmers.

 

[micvog]

I was in the exact same position so I recently purchased "Beginning Mac OSX Programming". I haven't started going through it yet so I can't tell you if it is any good.

 

[jimthorn]

Honestly, I would consider picking up an Objective-C book if you're planning on writing OS X software. I've been reading through this book and it's pretty good for newbie programmers.

That's actually the book I ordered this morning. It should arrive in a few days. Everyone seems to agree about that book being a winner.

 

[Aniej]

Good advice everyone, I think I am going to go with that book as well.

I was wondering if this group might also have a good suggestion for learning how to work with Quartz composer? Like the first poster said, I think there is a lot I can do with this, but just get lost and frustrated.

 

[Monkaaay]

That's actually the book I ordered this morning. It should arrive in a few days. Everyone seems to agree about that book being a winner.

I finished Part I the other night, which is basically the language introduction. I skimmed some of it and really read some of the parts I felt I needed to hear again. Overall I would say it's a great book so far.