Ch:面向交互式教学的跨平台C/C++解释计算环境

Ch:a Pedagogically Effective Cross-Platform Interpretive C/C++ Computing Environment

C语言是计算机程序设计入门教学中最流行也较难学的编程语言之一。本文介绍的Ch是一个面向交互式教学的跨平台C/C++解释计算环境,是一个完整的C语言解释器,支持最新C语言标准C99中大部分的新增特性以及C++的类,由交互式命令外壳(command shell)和教学专用且界面友好的集成开发环境(ChIDE)两大模块构成。Ch支持计算数组(computational array),提供了图形绘制库和高级数值函数库,能够方便快捷地解决许多工程和科学方面的复杂问题。在Windows系统中,Ch计算环境支持常用的Unix和Linux命令,帮助学生在熟悉的Windows环境中学习Unix和Linux。Ch还可以作为引擎脚本无缝地嵌入到编译的程序中,实现柔性编程。本文最后概括性地介绍了笔者在美国加州大学戴维斯分校多年教学实践中开发并使用的一套基于Ch的C程序设计教学平台。教学实践表明,使用这个平台在相当程度上提高了计算机程序设计教学的实用性、授课效果和学生学习的积极性,帮助学生充分理解和掌握计算机程序设计这一工程和科学领域的重要基本技能。

C is one of the most popular languages used to teach introductory computer programming. A pedagogically effective cross-platform C/C＋＋ computing environment called Ch is introduced in this article. Ch is a complete C interpreter. It supports most new features added in C99 and classes in C＋＋. Ch consists of both command shell and user-friendly IDE called CHIDE. In addition, Ch supports computational arrays, a graphical plotting library, and advanced numerical functions for solving complicated problems in engineering and science conveniently. Furthermore, the Ch computing environment in Windows supports commonly used Unix and Linux commands. It allows students to learn Unix and Linux in a familiar Windows environment. Ch can also be seamlessly embedded in other applications as a C/C＋＋ scripting engine for flexible programming. Finally, a Ch-based teaching platform developed and used at the University of California, Davis over the years for teaching introductory computer programming in C will be briefly presented. Experience indicates that this C/C＋＋ interpreter based teaching platform increases the effectiveness of teaching computer programming for real-world problem solving and lowers the barrier for beginners to learn computer programming. It helps students to fully understand and master the working principle of computer program design for solving problems in engineering and science, which is one of the most important and basic skills for engineers and scientists.