Recommend any good C programming books?
 

I'm looking for a good book to teach myself C.

I've taken a Visual Basic class at my local community college, but it didn't really get into anything very advanced. It just covered very basic things; the most advanced thing we did was write a program that found inactive email accounts, and then made a script that would delete them. I'm actually thinking about transferring to another school, since even though I'm a Computer Information major, this is the only real programming class offered (the other 2 are SQL and AS/400 RPG).

I'd like to learn C because it seems to be the most used language, especially in linux programs. I've looked at some C code, but it's kind of confusing, especially when multiple files are used. I'm used to Microshaft's Visual Studio, where even though the code is written to multiple files, all the code from all the files is visible.

Anyways, I want a good book that I can teach myself C with, but not something too basic, since I already have some understanding of programming with Visual Basic.

On a side note, is Pascal any good? I was looking at some Pascal code, and it seemed alot easier to read than C, although, I don't know how "powerful" or efficient it is, compared to C.

Good book & online links:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...33519?v=glance
http://www.phim.unibe.ch/comp_doc/c_manual/C/cref.html
http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache...u&ct=clnk&cd=3

Not sure, I have a few and most aren't all the great. When I first started programming, I read a couple of beginner books on C, but I still could not write a useful program in it. It was more like I had a general understanding after reading them, which was followed by a few "a-ha!" moments. Those moments are when it really came together. Judging from what I see at school (Comp. Sci.), it's the same with other students. Many, after first year, still don't get it. They've read the books, done their homework, but just haven't had their moments. They're stuck at that, "I sorta know C, but can't do shit with it" stage. C made much more sense to me once I started learning assembly, so I'd say download a copy (it's free) of the Art of Assembly and buy a decent C beginners book someone here recommends.

Edit: BTW, I am amazed at the number of students in 3rd and 4th year courses who still can't program in C. A pretty good understanding of it is required in many courses, so I have no idea how they managed to get past those.

@95se Your not the only one who can't understand how final year computer programming degree students don't know how to programme.

@badmofo666 There is only one true way of learning how to programme and that is from writing code, whilst having a good reference book next to you. The one I would recommend is K&R C programming but this is not really a book to learn from more a reference.

I certainly agree there. We get all kinds of types applying for jobs here who don't have a clue how to write good code. I think, perhaps because today people no longer need to learn how computers actually work in order to make them do something useful.

The K&R book is how I learned. I started at the front, typed in every example, then abused the code in various ways, and did as many of the programming tasks at the end of each section as I had time. People today just don't seem to have the patience for that kind of learning. If it doesn't fit on a power point slide it must be too hard.

I guess that's enough curmudgeon-ry for one post ;)

I suspect, like many, that's it's a matter of these Java schools.

On the OP's question, I highly recommend "Advanced Programming for the Unix Enviroment" by Richard Stevens and Stephen Rago.