CSC1401:CSC1401:Introductory ProgrammingIntroductory Programming

Steve Cooperscooper@sju.edu

http://www.sju.edu/~scooper

Overview

Course description (slides 3- 6) syllabus (see Handout) expectations tools

Introductory Lecture (slides 7 - 23) What is a program? What is a programming language? Introduction to Alice

CSC1401

Introduction to writing computer programs traditional

object-oriented

3D animation programming Pixar and Disney style (film, movie)

Interactive games (reasonably small)

CSC1401 - FS

An introductory course No previous programming experience is required

ExpectationsCome to class

Work with the text, handouts, and online content

Complete the exercises, assignments, and labsWorkouts; designed to prepare you for the exams

Do your own work on individual assignments; you may work with a partner on an assignment with prior permission

Tools

Textbook Learning to Program with Alice

Other reading handouts, online references

Software (available online, freeware) Alice

Java

What is a program?

A program is a sequence of instructions that

tell the computer what to do tell another human being what you want the computer to do

More formally, a program implements an algorithm.

Algorithm: a finite set of well-defined instructions for accomplishing some task

Wikipedia

Program Tasks

Programs are written for various kinds of tasks (not mutually exclusive)

solve a problem

simulation

game

animation

What is a language?

A system for communicating.

Written languages use symbols (that is, characters) to build words.

Parts of Language

Vocabulary: The entire set of words in the language.

Syntax and grammar: The ways in which the words can be meaningfully combined

Semantics: The actual meaning of words and combinations of words

Webopedia

Computer Languages

Human languages are natural languages. Computers are not sophisticated enough to understand natural languages.

In mathematics, logic and computer science, a formal language is a set of finite-length words (i.e. character strings) drawn from some finite alphabet, with carefully defined vocabulary, syntax, and semantics

Wikipedia

There are many different kinds of computer languages, including machine languages, programming languages, and fourth-generation languages.

Webopedia

Learning to write a program

A program is written using a programming language

We will learn to write programs using two languages

Alice

Java

Object Oriented Programming

Different programming languages support different styles of programmingIn object-oriented programming, programmers can think of a program as instructions that tell interacting objects what to do

An object is a model of some artifact (product of civilization) that can interact with other objects

In this course…

We will learn how to Initiate and control the interactions between objects to

solve problems

perform tasks

tell stories in animations

play games

Modify and build objects

Supporting Skills to Develop

Algorithmic Thinking and ExpressionBeing able to read and write in two formal languages

Alice (fourth-generation)

Java (high-level or third generation)

Abstraction:Communicating complex ideas simply

Decompose problems logically

Appreciation of EleganceMany ways to solve a problem, but some are more elegant

than others

Introduction to Alice Use the software from the CD or can download latest version from the web

www.alice.org

Alice is named in honor of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland

Alice

A modern programming tool 3-D graphics

3-D models of objects

Animation Objects can be made to move around the virtual world (a video game or simulation implemented in 3-D)

Demo: Getting started

Starting Alice

Load and run a world What Alice Can Do (Examples)

Amusement Park (Examples)

Flight Simulator (Examples)

LightDemo (Examples)

Octopus (download)

Lake Skater (Examples)

Kinds of Animations

Two kinds of animations:Movie

Passive user watches the animationWhat Alice Can DoLightDemoOctopus

InteractiveActive user clicks on mouse, types a key on keyboard …Actions of user are called eventsFlight SimulatorSkater

Objects

An "object" is a model of an artifact and can be identified as unique from other things

there can be multiple objects that are similar, but still unique

How is an object unique? has a name

has properties: width, height, color, location

can perform actions (methods):associated actions it can perform

tasks it can carry out

Object PartsObjects may be composed of parts (which are also objects)

ClassA class defines a particular kind of objectObjects are categorized into classes

Each object is an instance of the class.

All objects in a class have similar properties and generally can perform the same tasks.

Person

Dog

peter

mary

paul

spike

scottie

fluffy

Galleries

Classes (3D models) are found in the galleries Local gallery (installed with the software)

Minimum or complete options

CD Gallery (only if CD is in the machine)

Web gallery

For next class

ActivityLaunch Alice on your computer and run some of the example worlds.

Homework Read Chapter 1.1 and pages 73 - 74 of the text