iOS Noob hoping for a little guidance

[Michael CM1]

I'll start off by saying that I'm not a programmer, although I took a few C classes in college and know some basic HTML code.

I'd like to make an attempt at learning how to make an iPhone app. From what I can tell, it looks simpler than developing anything usable for a computer (I had never heard of an SDK before) and could be something useful to learn. Basically, is there a book on a certain programming language that I could pick up and maybe learn how to do something extravagant like one of those flashlight apps? The first app I made in C was basically one that added and subtracted. We're talking DELUXE apps here.

I think I downloaded the 2.0 SDK about a year ago, so I have it somewhere. I also think I deleted it as my 120GB HDD filled up. I'm now at 320GB, so maybe I could do something. I don't expect to make any money off of this, at least not for MANY months if I tried hard, but it seems like something useful for the future.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[mav814]

I would say, refresh your memory on C then start getting on some objective c books. I prefer to have the physical book over the e-book as better reference but you can save money just going online for e-books and downloading them as PDF's.

 

[eddietr]

I'll start off by saying that I'm not a programmer, although I took a few C classes in college and know some basic HTML code.

A few classes in C is actually more than a lot of developers I've met. Having the background will really help.

I'd like to make an attempt at learning how to make an iPhone app. From what I can tell, it looks simpler than developing anything usable for a computer

Ooh, I'm not sure I'd make that assumption. I think writing a useful app on the iPhone is on par with making a useful application on the Mac.

Lots of good info on this subject can be found by searching this forum and looking at stickies.

 

[Michael CM1]

A few classes in C is actually more than a lot of developers I've met. Having the background will really help.



Ooh, I'm not sure I'd make that assumption. I think writing a useful app on the iPhone is on par with making a useful application on the Mac.

Lots of good info on this subject can be found by searching this forum and looking at stickies.

First of all, I said I TOOK a C class. Some say I nailed it with a grade of C, but I think that usually means "eh, average." It was a long time ago and I kinda sucked at it because they didn't do the teaching part well.

However, when I took a Visual Basic class later (after programming logic) at another school, I aced it. We're talking advanced stuff like a box with a button, but it did more than most of the C stuff I did.

As far as making "useful" apps, I meant what is useful on an iPhone is a lot less involved than a useful app on a Mac. Honestly, those flashlight apps do serve a small purpose. It's lame to charge for them, but if I could make one of those, I would consider it a success. I wouldn't throw it on the app store, but it would be a step.

 

[eddietr]

First of all, I said I TOOK a C class. Some say I nailed it with a grade of C, but I think that usually means "eh, average." It was a long time ago and I kinda sucked at it because they didn't do the teaching part well.

Sorry, I thought you said a "few" C classes. Which would imply some serious background in the subject. One class is a little different story.

Honestly, those flashlight apps do serve a small purpose. It's lame to charge for them, but if I could make one of those, I would consider it a success. I wouldn't throw it on the app store, but it would be a step.

Yeah, making a flashlight app would not be hard at all.

 

[dejo]

As far as making "useful" apps, I meant what is useful on an iPhone is a lot less involved than a useful app on a Mac

As someone who has admitted they are very new to all this, that's a bold statement to make. Making a flashlight app for the Mac is not anymore involved. In fact, it's easier since you don't have to worry about provisioning profiles, development certificates, etc.

 

[CocoaPuffs]

You know, they said if you struggle to get an A in intro to CS classes, you don't belong in CS.

C grade in a CS intro class is pretty much like a F.

So consider yourself a complete newb and do what a newb suppose to do, pick up an entry level programming book in...ANY of the popular languages, java, C++, C#, C and etc...

 

[Michael CM1]

You know, they said if you struggle to get an A in intro to CS classes, you don't belong in CS.

C grade in a CS intro class is pretty much like a F.

So consider yourself a complete newb and do what a newb suppose to do, pick up an entry level programming book in...ANY of the popular languages, java, C++, C#, C and etc...

That was the only semester I was a computer engineering major. It was my first semester of college and I thought I knew what the heck it was all about. IMO, they really did a horrible job of teaching computer smart people the whole process of programming. I mean this class wasn't very intro if you ask me. When I took a programming logic and VB class at a tech school later for credits I needed, I got a B in logic and A in VB. I only got a B in logic because it took so long to get all the flow charts drawn in Word (online class) that I didn't do a few.

I think I'll go hunt down a book on one of the C flavors unless anybody has a better idea. As I said, I have a small understanding of HTML code, so if any of them are more similar, that would be better. If someone can explain the difference between C++, C#, C and Objective C, I'd love it. Sounds like a way to sell a lot of books.

As far as my "useful" statement, I'm just saying right now I would figure that an iPhone app would be easier. I could be figuring wrong. If I am, I've got the Leopard SDK as well.

 

[CocoaPuffs]

Yep, just pick up a book and read and see how it goes. Read and practice, that's the best thing you can do.

 

[johnnyjibbs]

To be honest, I had no knowledge of C or objective C when I started out in October. If you have a logical brain (which clearly it sounds like the OP does) then a bit of pottering around and working through examples is a quick way to pick it up, or at least it was for me.

I downloaded a beta version of an iPhone development book (PragProg.com) that I have delved into to get a grounding but that was just to give me structure in the first few weeks. I started with a table view example and then customised it by adding view controllers etc into my own app. Now it has expanded way beyond what I read in the book and I have now found I can learn everything I need from the Apple developer reference pages and the useful PDF guides that they have produced.

I don't think it's strictly neccessary to read loads of 200 page books on C or Objective C or Cocoa, I think the best thing to do is start copying out simple example programs and then start making them your own. I quickly found that I relied less on copying out of a book and more writing on my own.

Forget aspirations of getting a $1 million app out in the first week. Realise it will take several months to get a grounding (as it has for me, in addition to my full time job, which is nothing to do with computer programming) but treat it as a hobby on the side. I'm now at the stage where my first app is nearly ready to submit and I feel like I could do anything.

 

[Michael CM1]

To be honest, I had no knowledge of C or objective C when I started out in October. If you have a logical brain (which clearly it sounds like the OP does) then a bit of pottering around and working through examples is a quick way to pick it up, or at least it was for me.

I downloaded a beta version of an iPhone development book (PragProg.com) that I have delved into to get a grounding but that was just to give me structure in the first few weeks. I started with a table view example and then customised it by adding view controllers etc into my own app. Now it has expanded way beyond what I read in the book and I have now found I can learn everything I need from the Apple developer reference pages and the useful PDF guides that they have produced.

I don't think it's strictly neccessary to read loads of 200 page books on C or Objective C or Cocoa, I think the best thing to do is start copying out simple example programs and then start making them your own. I quickly found that I relied less on copying out of a book and more writing on my own.

Forget aspirations of getting a $1 million app out in the first week. Realise it will take several months to get a grounding (as it has for me, in addition to my full time job, which is nothing to do with computer programming) but treat it as a hobby on the side. I'm now at the stage where my first app is nearly ready to submit and I feel like I could do anything.

As much help as everybody else was, your second paragraph kinda summed it up. I definitely do best when I start tinkering, get something to work, and then see how it worked. That's how I figured out a lot of Web site stuff. That's also why I didn't learn much in some advanced Windows 2000 Server classes I took -- we didn't have a network of computers running it.

It's definitely going to be a side task for a little fun and knowledge. Maybe in a year or so I could make something worth 99 cents, but I'm not counting on it.

Also, I think I have a pretty logical brain. I'm good at hooking up stereo equipment no matter how complicated it is. I also got decent at rigging simple networks, although I lost a lot of it from just not using it. I couldn't tell you the first thing about Cisco routers or their OS even though I made an A in every class about 8 years ago. Popping $180 down for an AEBS is much simpler, and I've rigged up a nice would-be media center if my MBP was hooked to a TV.

I've got vacation coming up next week, so I think I'll see what I can get into.

 

[iphonedevelop18]

Maybe in a year or so I could make something worth 99 cents, but I'm not counting on it.

Well I have little background in C at all (programmed lego robots) and have been programming apps for about a month now. I believe I could easily make something worth 99 cents at the moment.

 

[macfanboy]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5H11 Safari/525.20)

Check out stanfords iPhone dev videos that are coming soon on iTunes U. I have a fair amount of knowledge about objective c and I think those videos will help me a lot!

 

[Michael CM1]

Well I have little background in C at all (programmed lego robots) and have been programming apps for about a month now. I believe I could easily make something worth 99 cents at the moment.

That's awesome. I wish I could do something freelance with my pagination (Quark Xpress) skills like programmers can do with this. Even if you could make something that nets you $10/month, it's still $10 you didn't have.