Paul J. Lucas articles - 66 total
Implementing “Did you mean ...?” Suggestions
Implementing “Did you mean ...?” suggestions in C.
“Why Learn C” Book Announcement
An announcement of forthcoming book "Why Learn C."
A Tale of Two Threads (APIs)
A comparison of the standard C threads API and that of POSIX threads and writing a standard wrapper around pthreads.
Attributes in C23 and C++
Attributes in C23 and C++ for better diagnostics and optimization.
Unreachable: The Standard Function for Inserting Undefined Behavior
Using the unreachable function in C and C++.
Clearing Up Misconceptions about Copyright
Clearing up misconceptions about copyright.
Choosing an Appropriate Integer Type in C and C++
While “int” is typically used as the default integer type, it’s often not the most appropriate.
The Obscure “restrict” Keyword in C
A description of the "restrict" keyword in C.
Inline Functions in C and C++
All about inline functions in C and C++.
Switch Statement Oddities
A careful reading of the C or C++ grammar will reveal that the switch statement can be used in some odd ways.
Proper Header File Etiquette
The proper way to create and include header files in either C or C++.
C++ Interview Questions
A few questions I’d ask a candidate during an interview for a job programming in C++.
C Interview Questions
A few questions I’d ask a candidate during an interview for a job programming in C.
A Generic SWAP() Macro in C
How to implement a generic SWAP() macro in C.
Waiting for... a Debugger
How to make your program wait on start-up for a debugger to attach.
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Sundials
A programmer’s nerdy interest in sundials.
Casting to the Same-Sized Unsigned Type
Given an integral expression, how to cast it to an unsigned type of the same size.
Variadic Functions in C++
How to declare and implement functions with a variable number of parameters in C++.
Variadic Functions in C
How to declare and implement functions with a variable number of parameters in C.
Custom C++ Stream Manipulators
Implementing custom stream manipulators in C++.
Declaring Multiple Variables in a “for” Loop Initialization Clause
How to declare multiple variables in a for-loop initialization clause.
DIY Home Security Camera System
How I DIY’d my own home security camera system.
Compound Literals in C
A description of compound literals in C.
Software Career Advice
After tinkering with computers for 45 years, here’s my advice for a career in software development.
Unions & std::variant in C++
A description of unions in C++, their uses, how they differ from unions in C, and std::variant, C++’s type-safe alternative.
Career Retrospective
A retrospective of my tinkering with computers for 45 years.
C Const Conundrum
Descriptions of const and the new constexpr in C23, and when to use which.