Programming for Mechanical Engineering

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Reply 20

TheFoxBlip

Original post by kaosu_souzousha

Matlab sounds scary....

it's a toy compared to C++ of Java.

Reply 21

Peel

Original post by Cataclysmic

good advice, particularly with regards to matlab, although i doubt the OP would ever encounter C or C++. matlab won't only be necessary for computational modules, if you become proficient enough in it you can use it to your advantage in a variety of projects from different modules. i'm finding that it's one of the major things that separates the super first class students (i suppose 80%+) from the first class students. bearing in mind there are so many first class engineering students nowadays.

Isn't everyone able to program using Matlab? If so why should it act as a differentiator between students?

Reply 22

Sizif

c++ is the best one to start with.

Reply 23

8086

Get a copy of MATLAB and get used to using it. You will be using it a lot. I don't think any variant of C will help with mechanical engineering to be honest...

Also you could look into s-domain conversion, that will be useful.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 24

shiny

Original post by Peel

Isn't everyone able to program using Matlab? If so why should it act as a differentiator between students?

Different degrees of ability and competence. I mean I can reel off a very efficient MATLAB script to solve most problems without much thought which means I can spend more timing thinking about the program. Others might need a bit more time to think about the structure of the program and how it is put together in code and this takes away from the time you can spend looking at the actual problem.

Reply 25

Peel

Original post by shiny

Yeah I thought that could be what he / she meant! But I was kinda assuming that time wasn't a limiting factor. I guess my issue was whether students were gaining higher marks for using Matlab (as opposed to say Excel), or for having more elegant code. Marking rarely seems to be transparent at uni, but I think students should be marked on the correctness (if that's a word :tongue:

) of their work, not their choice of methods (unless it is a comp methods project). Or at the very least, there should be some indication of a preferred method. But I digress, sorry!

On topic, I haven't come across Matlab during my placements, but I have heard of investment banking interns using it!

Reply 26

shiny

Original post by Peel

On topic, I haven't come across Matlab during my placements, but I have heard of investment banking interns using it!

Unless you are in Engineering R&D I doubt you would see it in practical use. I've used it whilst working for Rolls, QinetiQ and Microsoft R&D labs.

MATLAB is popular in finance but is quickly going out of fashion because of R.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 27

kaosu_souzousha

What do you think about Python or Perl ?

Reply 28

shiny

Original post by kaosu_souzousha

What do you think about Python or Perl ?

Not really for Engineering in the short term -- certainly not Perl. Historically, these have been popular for text-based work, system administration, web stuff, bioinformatics (DNA sequences), large mixed type datasets etc. However, there are some interesting developments with Python (SciPy/NumPy) which may see it reach more mainstream use (as a free alternative to MATLAB) but not for the foreseeable future.

Reply 29

kaosu_souzousha

Original post by shiny

I was thinking to use Python as a starting point and then move towards C/C++ and other things. I wish to get used to the coding and basics so that on the course I can dig a little deeper and set myself for the right direction, rather than learning everything from scratch.

Reply 30

shiny

Original post by kaosu_souzousha

You might find Python a bit peculiar with its extensive use of whitespace indentation.

You won't find this in C/C++ or MATLAB so if you want to learn something which is more applicable to what you might use in the future I would put Python on the backburner for the moment.

Reply 31

kaosu_souzousha

Original post by shiny

Python seems fun so far :biggrin:

, I even made a little application where you click a button and it sends you to the hyperlink.
If I were to start C/C++ which one would be a better one to start with? I am not very familiar with coding as the only thing I programmed before was my CASIO calculator :biggrin:

(it uses some ASCII notations and BASIC)

Reply 32

shiny

C++ is friendlier plus you get can Object Orientated.

Reply 33

kaosu_souzousha

Original post by shiny

C++ is friendlier plus you get can Object Orientated.

I played a little bit with C++ and it reminded me of my IT course a couple of years ago (We did Java there I think). I will start with C++ then as I find it more familiar. Seems like a good start to me. Do you reckon if I will be able to learn the basic syntax and fundamentals before september?

Reply 34

shiny

Original post by kaosu_souzousha

If you have an affinity for this type of thing, it won't take much more than a few weeks to build up a decent level of competence.

Reply 35

Nick Longjohnson

Seriously, do Matlab. As an engineering student I couldnt give a crap about starting from the ground (i.e. C++ and those types). Matlab is far more useful and faster to program for actual problem solving. My course used to teach Matlab and C++, but now they only do Matlab