iOS Programming Recommendation

[larswik]

About 2 years ago I started to learn programming for about 4 months. I had to stop and help my mom when she passed away and now want to start again. I started to learn Python because they said it was a simple language and made it about 1/2 way through the book, almost made it to creating GUI’s. My goal was to learn how to make iPhone apps but started with an easier language then Objective-C. Now my questions is… Should I go back and refresh and finish the Python book, or did I learn enough, the basics, to switch over to Objective-C and not get lost?

What are your thoughts?

-Lars

 

[chown33]

How could anyone determine this but you?

Anyone else would have to create a series of quizzes or questions to test your knowledge retention and skill level. Frankly, I don't see that happening.

I suggest that you find an online Objective-C tutorial, and see how much of it you can make sense of. If you find yourself getting lost, then you know what to do. Conversely, if you find it's easy to learn, you also know what to do.

There is a simple tutorial listed as a sticky at the top of this forum:
http://guides.macrumors.com/Objective-C_Tutorial

You can find other tutorials using google: Objective-C tutorial

 

[PhoneyDeveloper]

If your goal is learning iPhone development then follow the recommendations on how to do that. Python knowledge may be helpful but Python isn't a prerequisite to learning iPhone development.

 

[firewood]

It will be easier to learn to do your first GUI in Python, because it's a lot easier to make beginner errors in your GUIs in a less safe language such as C or Obj C. And any programming language almost always makes learning additional languages easier.

 

[larswik]

Thanks for the link and advice. You are right and only I would know if it would be a good step. Before python I knew nothing about programing. Many people said Python is a great starter language and it was, I could follow it. I think I'll try Obj C and run back to Python if I get lost.

3 years ago I bought the book Programing In Objective C. I noticed they are releasing version 3 of that book. Should I wait for the update book or will the book I have that says written for 10.2.6 os? Or is it for the most part the same?

Thanks again!

-Lars

 

[captainritalin]

I actually started out my programming very similar to you. I learned python, then switched over to Obj. C and iphone programming recently. I must say that I am very glad I did. I learned obj c from an older version of my book than you have. The book I learned Obj C from was Programming in OBjective-C by Stephen G. Kochan. He is a great teacher. I then picked up Cocoa touch for Iphone OS 3 by Jiva DeVoe. I must say I found it much faster and easier and more than worth the money to learn from books rather than from self guidance on the apple dev site.

So my recommendation to you would be if you got halfway through the book, that is more than enough of a foundation in object oriented programming to get started on OBJ C because you don't need any if you have the right book to teach you(many of the books on OBJ C say that you need a background in C, Kochans book above does not, and it was more than fine for me). Then get another like the second one I listed. Go through that then your on your own and programming (hopefully).

 

[larswik]

Captianritalin.... Sounds like we share a common thread. I have the same book I am looking at on my desk by Stephen G. Kochan on Obj C. So I'll dig in next week and start learning instead of finishing the python book. I think I have the first edition ,I believe, and he is releasing the 3rd edition soon to include iPhone and other things I read. Should I wait to get that book or is everything pretty much the same except for iPhone stuff?

 

[captainritalin]

The only think that sucks about the edition that we have is that it is pre-X code, so he doesn't really explain how to use his examples in X-Code but I was able to figure it out with little or no trouble. But then again I can't tell you if the third edition will be better or worse, but my guess is that it doesn't justify buying a brand new book.

Sorry about your mom.

 

[larswik]

I got an ebook version of the second book for my iPad. Now at least the code in the book matches what I see when I run Xcode. It looks like version 3 will not be out until november.

I got in to chapter 3 and I'm try to wrap my around the @interface, @implementation and program section. The book says to be clear on things before moving on.

Thanks for your help.

-Lars

 

[skochan]

It's harder to keep up with the changes to XCode than to changes to the language. The 3rd edition will likely not be out until the end of the year. In addition to including changes based on feedback from my forum, there will be coverage of blocks and XCode 4. If you find your edition contains screen shots that differ from what you see on your screen, the forum (classroomM.com/objective-c) will have a topic posted to bring you up-to-date. If you can't find what you're looking for, just post to the forum and I or some other member will be happy to help you.

Cheers,

Steve Kochan