Hello I am the oldguy and this is my first post/question.
I would like to know if there are good books online and reference material I can use to learn and understand the C based language of the arduino.
Or maybe I am approaching this the wrong way, is it easier to start with " Blink " and try and use examples of other people's codes to learn from in reverse.
I have a great deal to learn and any advice on good reading would be greatly appreciated..
Thank you.
OG
The language is not "C based" it is C++11. Any C++ book / reference / whatever will work for the language.
For Arduino specific libraries / functions...
If you're new to programming, I'd suggest starting out with C rather than C++. That will get you started fairly easily. The underlying compiler is the Open Source C++ compiler, and most of the libraries are written in C++. That said, C++ has a lot of complexity you don't "need" at the outset. Most of the program examples on the Arduino site are C as are most of the sample programs distributed with the IDE. There are tons of C tutorials available for free online. Google "Beginning C for Arduino" and you'll get almost 200,000 hits. Also, check Amazon and read the reviews of the books if you decide to go that route.
Any online C++ tutorial will do. There are squillions. After doing the first few chapters on one (you can take a breather once they start talking about classes), you should be able to understand the documentation here that describes how programming for arduino differs from the more usual C environment (command-line programs running on a UNIX machine).
Thanks for the replies.
Took me a while to find this post again.
I will follow through and read as much as I can.
Seems like just a little while ago I was compiling with buffalo on the HC11.
Next thing you know your old, fat and confused ha ha.
Oldguy:
Took me a while to find this post again.
I always bookmark any Thread that I start.
...R
Welcome young man.
Some Arduino links.
Watch these:
Some things to read:
https://learn.adafruit.com/category/learn-arduino
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-read-a-schematic
http://playground.arduino.cc/Code/AvoidDelay
https://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=384198.0
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/using-the-logic-level-converter
http://arduino-info.wikispaces.com/
.
C Programming for Arduino
http://www.computerprogrammingbook.com/c-programming-for-arduino/
The Simon Monks books on the subject are excellent and informative .
My response to most people who post " hi I'm new to this ; how do I control a nuclear submarine with an Arduino UNO?" Would be get the book and start with Blink
Lol
hammy:
My response to most people who post " hi I'm new to this ; how do I control a nuclear submarine with an Arduino UNO?" Would be get the book and start with Blink
Very wise. We would have a few more weeks before he reduces the planet to ashes 
...R
hammy:
My response to most people .... would be get the book and start with Blink
My advice would be to start with blink at your peril, lest delay()-like thinking take hold, and rather go straight to a delay()-less paradigm with BlinkWithOutDelay
Oldguy:
Took me a while to find this post again.
Now that you've found it, click your avatar and then click Show Posts; then bookmark the resulting page and you'll always be able to get all your posts, newest at the top.
hammy:
. . . how do I control a nuclear submarine with an Arduino UNO?" . . .
Lol
That's what DPRK is using 
.
kenwood120s:
Now that you've found it, click your avatar and then click Show Posts; then bookmark the resulting page and you'll always be able to get all your posts, newest at the top.
Thank you for that useful tip.