Programming Program?

[Dabomb18359]

Well I have made myself a "Free Stuff" list of downloads for myself.
I would like to find a program for compiling programs to download for it. I don't know anything about programming now but know that you need 2 or so programs to make one. A writer and a compiler is what I've heard. Can you go an entirely free route? Also, what do I need to program? And what freeware compilers (I think that's what I need) are the best ones?

 

[kcwong]

Depends on which language(s) you want to use.

For a poor man's choice, Notepad will do as the writer. If you're willing to pay, EditPlus or UltraEdit are nice ones. Crimson Editor is a freeware, though its features are not as good as EditPlus and UltraEdit yet (but it is being improved, and is good enough as it is now).

Many free advanced IDE are available too... like Eclipse, NetBeans, etc. But I don't recommend these for newbies - they hide the details by providing too much help. If you start programming with them, you can't effectively learn how to program.


There're also free compilers. Java's JDK is completely free, and for C, there's GCC. I've seen modified BASIC for download somewhere. Just Google the name of the language you want to use.

 

[Speedo]

For C++ I use Bloodshed Dev C++. The compiler's not the absolute greatest, but it's completely freeware and it works...

 

[Chieftess]

Well I have made myself a "Free Stuff" list of downloads for myself.
I would like to find a program for compiling programs to download for it. I don't know anything about programming now but know that you need 2 or so programs to make one. A writer and a compiler is what I've heard. Can you go an entirely free route? Also, what do I need to program? And what freeware compilers (I think that's what I need) are the best ones?

A writer and compilier? Maybe in the old Assembler Programming Language days. (or if you're using Unix) These days, the writer IS the compilier, or atleast part of it. All you do is write the code, and then hit the little "play" button (or lightning bolt, or whatever icon it has for it).

I think textpad (free) can also do colorized programming text.

 

[Padma]

You're just talking about an Integrated Development Environment (IDE), Chieftess.

They still use separate programs, technically, but the compiler is bundled with the editor, and is called internally so you don't have to. For instance, NetBeans uses an internal "ant" script to call the java compiler, which comes bundled with the editor. Or you can install the Java JDK separately, and run your own tailored ant script, or even just compile it by hand, after editing it.

Like kcwong said, they basically hide a bunch of the details from the programmer.

 

[Lord Draegon]

So you need a writer: but what's so special about one over another. Isn't NotePad a basic writer? Isn't a writer all you need? About the Crimson Editor, what does it do?

Then the whole Integrated Development Environment (IDE) what does that do? I really have no idea.

And like Bloodshed Dev C++, what does the compiler do? I know I would like freeware but I need to know what each program does and what different programs are required before I can do any good.

Also, a friend has Visual Studio with .Net or something. Is that any good and what type of program is it?

 

[Ginger_Ale]

Notepad can write the code, but it can't "compile" it into a program (.exe, for example). Bloodshed Dev C++ is what I use - you can write your code in there (with highlighting for syntax), and then compile and run your program to look for bugs, test it out, etc. Bloodshed Dev C++ is all you need if you want to write C++ code and compile it into a program.

 

[Chieftess]

You're just talking about an Integrated Development Environment (IDE), Chieftess.

But some of us aren't that old to remember the REALLY old days.

 

[Dominus Romae]

Funny, when I see the name of a mod in the thread, I always think the old "Moderator Action" thing will be there and someone will suffer from the words he wrote.

 

[vbraun]

Funny, when I see the name of a mod in the thread, I always think the old "Moderator Action" thing will be there and someone will suffer from the words he wrote.

Becareful, Chieftess is a she.

 

[Dominus Romae]

Becareful, Chieftess is a she.

But there are male mods too. Well, they must be supposedly male :runs before mods trying to ban me:

 

[Chieftess]

But there are male mods too. Well, they must be supposedly male :runs before mods trying to ban me:

Now why would we do that?

BTW, you're threadjacking.

 

[Dominus Romae]

BTW, you're threadjacking.

Uh, sorry. Please don't ban me! I am a good boy!

 

[Dabomb18359]

So then what is the IDE?

And is Visual Studio any good?
What do you look for in a good compiler? Isn't that what you can use to "spell-check" your code and make it into a file/program?

 

[Ginger_Ale]

IDE, technically, is the writer AND compiler TOGETHER. "Integrated" means they have placed the writer and compiler in a bundle (it doesn't appear as a bundle, it is really 1), so you don't need seperate programs.

Visual Studio (I am sort of off on this - Chieftess or someone who uses it can correct me) is a collection (?) of programs - basically, other programming languages, sort of. It's the "crutch way" - simpler code, etc. It isn't free last I checked.

In a compiler, it doesn't matter so much. They all do the same thing: compile. Find one with a good layout, good syntax highlighting, and something you like - all compilers will take your code, look for errors, if there are none, compile it into a .exe, if there are errors, it won't, and you have to go fix 'em.

 

[MarineCorps]

Many free advanced IDE are available too... like Eclipse, NetBeans, etc. But I don't recommend these for newbies - they hide the details by providing too much help. If you start programming with them, you can't effectively learn how to program.

I learning java right now at voc school and using eclipse and I'm writing my own program (with some help from my teacher)

 

[Ginger_Ale]

Interesting - is that for adding units?

 

[MarineCorps]

Interesting - is that for adding units?

the #ANIMNAME_PRTO part anyways. Input the text and it spits out the entry into a txt file(sorta, it creates a file but you have to right click and tell it to open with notepad). Still can only do 1 word. I plan on making it do two and/or three words. Should take me 2 and a half hours to do that.

 

[Chieftess]

Looks like the use of "m_......" is the latest in C++ standard coding. (I'm guessing member variable) We never followed a naming convention back when I was in school. Somewhere between, "It's cool to be cryptic" and "but keep it so you know what it is"...

 

[Meleager]

Being a uni student certianly has its advantages. I get visual studio along with a whole heap of other MSDN stuff for free (leagally).

Ofcourse unless your part of MSDN you have to pay for that. I would look up programers file editor on google, its pretty good. You should be able to get most compilers for free.

Personally, if this is your first programing lanuages, i would start with something easy like scheme.