Background

In this session you will attempt, for the first time, to develop an actual program. You will be using the C language. This is a so-called "high-level" language, so you will need to translate the program into the "low-level" or machine language that the Central Processing Unit (CPU) can actually directly execute. You translate the program using a tool called a compiler.

There are a wide variety of C compilers available for PCs, each with their own particular strengths and weaknesses. We will be using DJGPP which is a version of the GNU C Compiler or gcc for short. This is very widely used both on PCs and Unix platforms. It has the further advantage that it is free!

C, and other languages closely related to it, are the de facto industry standard programming languages for most general purpose applications. C is a very sophisticated language in certain ways. This makes it a powerful programming tool for the experienced software engineer. It also makes it a very dangerous and difficult tool for beginners.

Therefore, in the first instance, you will be insulated from the full complexities of the C language by a specially developed device called safe-c. This is, in effect, a package of pre-written building blocks (or functions as they are called in C), together with a few other ancillary elements. For the time being, the distinction between safe-c and C "proper" will not be apparent. But later on in the course, we will begin to uncover exactly the role that safe-c is playing, and separate it from standard C.

Finally, this session is also the first to require you to prepare a formal lab report. Before going any further, please read carefully through the Laboratory Report Guidelines, paying particular attention to the marking scheme. This is the format, and marking scheme, that will be used in the lab exams by which this course will be assessed. Now is your opportunity to practise writing reports according to the required format, and doing it in the lab, under the same conditions as will prevail in the exams. Think of every lab session from now on as a "mock" exam. Reports from these mock exams will be reviewed during lectures, to give an indication of what approximate mark could be expected for it. You will get the maximum benefit from this if you practise marking your report, according to the guidelines, yourself.

You must write the report as you go along in the lab session.

Start now, by using File Manager to create a working directory called softeng1 in the root directory of drive D:. Use PFE to create a file called report.txt in this directory. Insert into this the required header text for the report, as specified in the guidelines. Keep PFE running, with a subwindow open for this file, throughout the lab session, so that you can add to it as you go along. Remember to save back to disk every time you add any significant amount of text - otherwise you run the risk of losing this text completely if, for example, there is a power failure in the lab.

At the end of the session you will be required to finish the report and submit it by email.

Allow 15 minutes at the end of the session to do this.

Specifically, even if you have not completed the assigned exercises, stop working on them and submit the report anyway. In the lab exams, only the report is marked - so if the report is not submitted you will get zero marks!

Note that, because this particular lab session is very straightforward and is largely concerned with introducing some new tools and procedures it has relatively little technical content: you should therefore be easily able to score over 80%+ in your report for this session. If you can't achieve that then it indicates that you are not keeping pace with the course.