We will maintain a course homepage that will contain links to all course handouts and some supplementary materials. The URL for this course is
http://www.math.bas.bg/~nkirov/2005/NETB101/index.html
which you may want to save as a bookmark in your web browser. 

1. COMPETENCIES
In this course we will cover the fundamentals of the C++ programming language. As Cay Horstmann points out, ``It is impossible to teach all of C++ to beginning programmers in one semester. This book [and course] purposefully omits several useful but technically complex C++ topics...'' We'll be covering built-it types, flow control, functions, objects, classes, vectors, and pointers.

Students successfully finished this course will:

1) know
Number Data Types, Input and Output Operators, Assignment Operator, Strings Basic Control Flow, Operators, Functions and Procedures, Variable Scope and Global Variables, Stepwise Refinement, Testing and Debugging, Using Vectors and Arrays to Collect Data Items, Pointers and Memory Allocation

2) be able to

2. MAIN TOPICS
1) Introduction
The Anatomy of a Computer, Translating Human-Readable Programs to Machine Code, Programming Languages Design and Evolution, Compiling a Simple Program, Errors, The Compilation Process, Algorithms

2) Fundamental Data Types
Number Types, Input and Output, Assignment, Constants, Arithmetic, Strings, Output Formatting

3) Objects
Constructing Objects, Using Objects, Real-Life Objects, Displaying Graphical Shapes, Graphics Structures, Choosing a Coordinate System, Getting Input from the Graphics Window

4) Basic Control Flow
The if Statement, The if/else Statement, Relational Operators, Input Validation, Simple Loops, Processing a Sequence of Inputs, Using Boolean Variables

5) Functions
Functions as Black Boxes, Writing Functions, Function Comments, Return Values, Parameters, Side Effects, Procedures, Reference Parameters, Variable Scope and Global Variables, Stepwise Refinement, From Pseudocode to Code, Walkthroughs, Preconditions

6) Classes
Discovering Classes, Interface, Encapsulation, Member Functions, Default Constructors, Constructors with Parameters, Accessing Data Fields, Comparing Member Functions with Nonmember Functions, Separate Compilation

7) Advanced Control Flow
Multiple Alternatives, Nested Branches, Boolean Operations, DeMorgan's Law, The for Loop, The do Loop, Nested Loops, Processing Text Input, Simulations

8) Testing and Debugging
Unit Tests, Selecting Test Cases, Test Case Evaluations, Assertions, Program Traces, The Debugger, Strategies, Debugger Limitations

9) Vectors and Arrays
Using Vectors to Collect Data Items, Vector Subscripts, Vector Parameters and Return Values, Removing and Inserting Elements, Parallel Vectors, Arrays, Array Parameters, Character Arrays, Two-Dimensional Arrays

10) Pointers
Pointers and Memory Allocation, Deallocating Dynamic Memory, Common Uses for Pointers, Arrays and Pointers, Pointers to Character Strings

3. RECOMMENDED READING
A. Textbook
Cay Horstmann, Computing Concepts with C++ Essentials, Third Edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2003.
B. Similar textbooks in Bulgarian
[1] Кай Хорстман, Принципи на програмирането със С++, ИК Софтех, София, 2000, 2003 [translation from second edition].
[2] Николай Киров, Сборник от учебни материали по ВЪВЕДЕНИЕ В ПРОГРАМИРАНЕТО, Деметра, София, 2003.
[3] Николай Киров, Сборник от учебни материали по ПРОГРАМИРАНЕ И СТРУКТУРИ ОТ ДАННИ, Деметра, София, 2004.

4. TEACHING FORMS
Each topic includes:

Obliged attendance of the lessons – minimum 80% (24 hours per each subject = 48 hours from 60)