Week 2 - Introduction to C programming

Objectives

The main objectives of the second week of the embedded systems training program were to:

• Understand the basics of C programming
• Learn about data types and variables in C
• Practice writing simple C programs

Overview

Key learning outcomes from Week 2:

• Understanding the fundamentals of C programming
• Learning about different data types and variables in C
• Practicing writing simple C programs

we focused on the basics of C programming, including data types, variables, and simple control structures.the following are some of the key concepts covered:

Data Types and Variables

We learned about different data types in C, such as int, float, char, and how to declare and use variables to store data.

Control Structures

We practiced using control structures like if-else statements and loops (for, while) to create simple programs that can make decisions and repeat tasks.

week2 Assignment

the week2 assignment involved writing a simple C program for students management using structs and unions also malloc for memory allocation. the following is the code for the week2 assignment:

#include 
#include 
#include 

/* ===== ENUM ===== */
typedef enum {
    UNDERGRADUATE,
    POSTGRADUATE
} ProgramType;

/* ===== UNION ===== */
typedef union {
    float cgpa;
    char researchTopic[100];
} AcademicInfo;

/* ===== STRUCT ===== */
typedef struct {
    char name[50];
    int age;
    ProgramType program;
    AcademicInfo academicInfo;
} Student;

/* ===== MAIN FUNCTION ===== */
int main() {
    int n;

    printf("Enter the number of students: ");
    scanf("%d", &n);

    /* Allocate memory */
    Student *students = (Student *)malloc(n * sizeof(Student));

    /* Check if malloc worked */
    if (students == NULL) {
        printf("Memory allocation failed!\n");
        return 1;
    }

    /* ===== INPUT ===== */
    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
        printf("\nStudent %d:\n", i + 1);

        printf("Enter name: ");
        scanf("%s", students[i].name);

        printf("Enter age: ");
        scanf("%d", &students[i].age);

        int prog;
        printf("Enter program (0 = Undergraduate, 1 = Postgraduate): ");
        scanf("%d", &prog);

        students[i].program = (ProgramType)prog;

        if (students[i].program == UNDERGRADUATE) {
            printf("Enter CGPA: ");
            scanf("%f", &students[i].academicInfo.cgpa);
        } else {
            printf("Enter Research Topic: ");
            scanf("%s", students[i].academicInfo.researchTopic);
        }
    }

    /* ===== OUTPUT ===== */
    printf("\n--- Student Details ---\n");

    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
        printf("\nStudent %d:\n", i + 1);
        printf("Name: %s\n", students[i].name);
        printf("Age: %d\n", students[i].age);

        if (students[i].program == UNDERGRADUATE) {
            printf("Program: Undergraduate\n");
            printf("CGPA: %.2f\n", students[i].academicInfo.cgpa);
        } else {
            printf("Program: Postgraduate\n");
            printf("Research Topic: %s\n", students[i].academicInfo.researchTopic);
        }
    }

    /* Free memory */
    free(students);

    return 0;
}

Conclusion

In conclusion, Week 2 of the embedded systems training program provided a solid foundation in C programming, covering essential concepts such as data types, variables, control structures, and memory management. The hands-on assignment allowed students to apply their knowledge in a practical way, reinforcing their understanding of C programming concepts. This week set the stage for more advanced topics in embedded systems development in the upcoming weeks.

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