Amiga.org

Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Software Issues and Discussion => Topic started by: darksun9210 on August 13, 2008, 11:43:38 AM

Title: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: darksun9210 on August 13, 2008, 11:43:38 AM
Hi all, i've kinda come to the idea that i want to learn to code properly. where should i start?
i did some pascal back in school, and i can read C, VB, other macro scripting to kinda follow it to see what it does, or coherency check, but sit me infront of a blank screen and ask me to put something together and i'm completely lost.

i've kinda wanna knock out some 68k demos and stuff, maybe get into game engines in a year or two.
i'm mulling over 68k assembly, but that just looks a little frightening, so maybe later on when i've got an idea how to get stuff going first.
then there is C, in all its forms. but again, where to start?
what about blitz basic? whats that about?

 :-?
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: NovaCoder on August 13, 2008, 12:01:17 PM
This might help coding (http://www.amigacoding.com/index.php/Main_Page)

You might also want to grab yourself a copy of Storm C V4 if you want to get serious with some Classic Coding  :-D
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: motorollin on August 13, 2008, 12:04:04 PM
Pick a language which does what you want and has syntax you like. You say you can already read C, and C can do pretty much anything. So that's a good start. Then think about what you actually want to do and then Google for examples. In my experience that's a really good way to learn the functions of the language, and since you already know the syntax you should be writing your own code before you know it once you have learned the functions you need by looking at examples.

Edit - Make sure you are using a decent IDE. An environment which offers code completion makes things *much* easier. When you can see the possible functions you can use as you are typing, and then see the arguments for that function, you can blag it. For example, I was recently writing some VB (which I have never used before). I needed to use some socket functions. I started typing, and the IDE completed the name of the function for me and popped up the arguments. So I could use the functions without ever using them before or having to look it up.

--
moto
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: darksun9210 on August 13, 2008, 12:04:38 PM
cool thanks :-)

classic is where i'm at! :-D
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: countzero on August 13, 2008, 12:10:08 PM
I would also recommend Coder's Heaven (http://eab.abime.net/forumdisplay.php?f=37) at EAB. Lots of good amiga specific 68k talk going on there and there are a few threads for beginners/useful links.
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: darksun9210 on August 13, 2008, 12:31:57 PM
sweet. right. thats my evenings sorted ;-)
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: Atheist on August 13, 2008, 12:36:39 PM
Excellent!

NatAmi60 needs SW!!

Amiga is on the move again!!!
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: DBAlex on August 13, 2008, 12:43:39 PM
This (http://shinkuro.altervista.org/amiga/guida/english/index.htm) is also a good guide too.

It's more about Amiga specific programming though, you need a general C or C++ Tutorial for the basics, these can easily be found via a quick google search. Once you've learn't the basics you can move on to more amiga specific stuff.

 :-)
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: ChuckT on August 13, 2008, 01:25:26 PM
In the old days, we would learn how to count in Hexadecimal and how to count in binary.  

In my old computer classes, the professor said that Machine language is chip specific or specific to the 68XXX of that machine.

You really have to learn how the chips work.
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: darksun9210 on August 13, 2008, 01:33:20 PM
yup, we did that in my CS classes, to the point where we were taking exam questions in floating point binary. how many bits was the mantissa? is it BCD or pure? happy days. not!  :lol:
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: Speelgoedmannetje on August 13, 2008, 02:12:29 PM
Make sure you get a powerfull IDE. Makes it a lot easier to code when you use lots of libraries.
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: darksun9210 on August 13, 2008, 02:31:55 PM
i think i am going to go with Storm C, and get that nailed before exploring 68k asm :-)

thanks for all the links on tutorial code, this should get me going :-)
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: skurk on August 13, 2008, 02:41:28 PM
WinUAE and AmiDevCpp (http://amidevcpp.amiga-world.de/) will get you far.
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: Speelgoedmannetje on August 13, 2008, 02:55:53 PM
Quote

ChuckT wrote:
In the old days, we would learn how to count in Hexadecimal and how to count in binary.  

In my old computer classes, the professor said that Machine language is chip specific or specific to the 68XXX of that machine.

You really have to learn how the chips work.
Well, you have to learn 2 things really:
How the hardware works, and how you set up a big program (with design patterns and documentation).
So, I'd recommend beginning with Pascal, then C and assembly, and then C++.
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: AeroMan on August 13, 2008, 05:53:55 PM
I've used High Speed Pascal on the Amiga. It is a nice tool.
I believe C will be more up to date, as it is a standard for programming today
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: Methuselas on August 13, 2008, 08:08:27 PM
Start by eating Piru. If you intake enough of him, his coding skills should be absorbed into your body.



Plus, I hear he's *REALLY* good with ketchup!


 :lol:  :crazy:


 :roflmao:
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: Chrome on August 13, 2008, 09:03:38 PM
Real men/women code only assembly. I can sell you Commodore`s harware refence manual...  ;)
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: darksun9210 on August 14, 2008, 08:39:28 AM
@Methuselas
lol sorry i'm a bit picky with my food. as much as it would be cool (and dangerous) for the human race to maintain skills that way, i only eat members of the opposit sex... badoom tish! :-D

and anyway, how do you mean you "hear" he is very good with ketchup? you know someone who has had a bit of a munch already? *backing away slowly* :lol:

@Chrome
assembly is my goal  :-)  :crazy:  
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: DBAlex on August 14, 2008, 09:30:31 AM
Quote
by darksun9210 on 2008/8/13 13:33:20

yup, we did that in my CS classes, to the point where we were taking exam questions in floating point binary. how many bits was the mantissa? is it BCD or pure? happy days. not!


LOL, Yup, just had that *fun* experience. I get my results (A-Level) today for all that...

... I must be a real nerd though, I actually thought it was quite interesting and ended up writing a machine code interpreter/emulator...  :-P

Never got round to adding 6502 instructions, I could expand it though. I basically wrote it because the software college used was like $199 (£100) and it was like a Windows 3.1 app  :roll:
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: darksun9210 on August 14, 2008, 10:07:10 AM
good luck with your results! nice to hear that college computing courses still haven't moved on from when i was learing borland pascal on RM nimbus 80186's and if you were quick enough, on super wizzy 14Mhz 286's! wooo!
unfortunaly, i ploughed all my effort in my final year project into pascal coding, library development, and optimising, what i should have done was fleshed out the design and implementation. lots of paperwork and user meetings and acceptance testing. bleh!
so predictably EPIC FAIL. :lol:
so instead of computing and statistics and a place on the rugby team at Bath Uni, i landed at Manchester Metropolitan for a year of advanced drinking and kebab eating, erm, i mean, foundation comp. sci. i ended up teaching some of the labs before dropping out into the real world(tm). i think it worked out for the best... :-)
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: Speelgoedmannetje on August 14, 2008, 11:34:58 AM
Quote

Chrome wrote:
Real men/women code only assembly. I can sell you Commodore`s harware refence manual...  ;)
And there was me saying solder is the best programming language :-P
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: Karlos on August 14, 2008, 11:57:02 AM
I want to learn to code too....

Using CUDA on my new GTX260 :-)
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: darksun9210 on August 14, 2008, 12:56:26 PM
how about an Amiga emulator for Cuda? :lol: and run storm C on that?
or how about a P96 or CyberGFX driver for the PCI based 8600? maybe Cuda on amiga? :crazy:
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: Karlos on August 14, 2008, 01:00:40 PM
I was actually thinking more along the lines of a CUDA based software synthesizer...
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: CannonFodder on August 14, 2008, 01:29:09 PM
@darksun

If you want to learn Amiga coding, then I can sell you the complete set of Commodore-Amiga ROM Kernel Reference manuals.

Every book from all three editions.

Also the Lattice C User Guide, Utilities, Commands, Editor, Debugger, Library Reference and Master Index ring bound manuals.

The Commodore-Amiga AmigaDOS Manual 2nd Edition.

PM me if you are interested.
Title: Re: i want to learn to code, where should i start?
Post by: niklasni1 on August 14, 2008, 08:48:10 PM
I was quite pleased with the tutorials in Tandem (http://aminet.net/package/dev/asm/Tandem2.68), re: assembly.