Microsoft C/C++ - C Language Reference version 7.0
The C language is a general-purpose programming language known for its efficiency, economy, and portability. While these characteristics make it a good choice for almost any kind of programming, C has proven especially useful in systems programming because it facilitates writing fast, compact programs that are readily adaptable to other systems. Well-written C programs are often as fast as assembly-language programs, and they are typically easier for programmers to read and maintain.
C is a flexible language that leaves many programming decisions up to you. In keeping with this philosophy, C imposes few restrictions in matters such as type conversion. Although this characteristic of the language can make your programming job easier, you must know the language well to understand how programs will behave. This manual provides information on the C language components and the features of the Microsoft implementation. The syntax for the C language is from the ANSI standard, although it is not part of the ANSI standard. Appendix A provides the syntax and a description of how to read and use the syntax definitions.
C was designed to combine efficiency and power in a relatively small language. C does not include built-in functions to perform tasks such as input and output, storage allocation, screen manipulation, and process control. To perform such tasks, C programmers rely on run-time libraries. You can use the run-time routines supplied, or tailor your own variations for special purposes. The design also helps to isolate language features from processor-specific features in a particular C implementation, which makes it easier to write portable code. See the Microsoft C Run-Time Library Reference or the online Help for information about the library routines provided with Microsoft C version 7.0.
This manual does not discuss programming with C++. See the C++ Tutorial and the C++ Language Reference for information about the C++ language.
Other tools required for programming with the Microsoft C compiler, such as LINK, LIB, CodeView, and the integrated programming environment called Programmer's WorkBench (PWB) are discussed in Environment and Tools.
To find information on a particular topic in the documentation, see the Comprehensive Index and Errors Reference.
Introduction
Chapter 1 Elements of C
Chapter 2 Program Structure
Chapter 3 Declarations and Types
Chapter 4 Expressions and Assignments
Chapter 5 Statements
Chapter 6 Functions
Chapter 7 Preprocessor Directives and Pragmas
Appendixes
Appendix A C Language Syntax Summary
Appendix B Implementation-Defined Behavior
Appendix C Differences Between C Versions 6.0 and 7.0
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