I just can't seem to get it

I am not sure where to begin, so I choose here. This site inspired me to buy a Mac in December 2017. I made it my mission to learn. Each year I have that goal. And each year I fail. I just can’t grasp it. Classes have always escaped me. This is embarrassing because I have developed in C# for a revenue cycle management company for the past 13 years. I have always found a way around them. The long way I guess Is a better word. My programs are usually just automated scripts.

So far I have tried dozens of YouTube videos (CodeWithChris being one of the best). I understand variables and functions. Not so much on unwrapping or anything to do with the placement of items.

I just don’t know what I am doing wrong. I know the community cannot tell me what I am doing wrong. But maybe some suggestions.

My goal is not to be a full time iOS developer. Just someone that writes a few programs that people will enjoy.

Lastly, I am very committed. Next week when I am off work for a week it is my intention to disconnect my PC and use the Mac full-time. This means no video games :(. I am hoping this gives me a forceful nudge.

I want to thank anyone for reading this. I am sure I didn’t type everything I wanted to, but this is a start. One thing you must know about me is I am not a quitter. I was born with cerebral palsy. My grandparents were told I would never see or walk. I am now 48 and have a full-time job. Last year I owned a restaurant for 6 months. I can do this. Just something is blocking me and I would love suggestions on how to overcome them.

Programming is difficult!! There’s a reason we have high salaries

I would suggest going back to basics, but also assimilating knowledge. Programming is logic, once you know how to program in one language, you can program in any language!

An if statement works the exact same in Swift, C# and other languages, but the syntax can vary.

I’d start with the iOS foundations course, in SwiftUI

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Craig,

Great to read your story. Whatever you do, don’t be afraid to ask questions here. This is an inclusive community and we want to see everyone succeed no matter how long it takes. We all started out having little to no knowledge of programming.

:+1:

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Hi Craig,
I don’t know if this helps but I understand. I have had the goal as well. I did Pascal way back when, and some Java, but I don’t seem to get this. Like you I keep trying. I will say from what I see the new SwiftUI is so much easier then the Storyboard approach, I read a book and did one that way and sort of got it but still if you don’t use it you lose it. Now it changed but so much faster and better.

My problem is getting my head around OO programming. Also in the iOS so much is done you have to use, once I had to write my own window functions and sort routines etc. I knew the program top to bottom, no IDE all text editor and compiler errors. But I knew everything, here I don’t always know what is done for me and if I do how to use it. so like you I keep trying and figure I just have to go with it and keep learning, I learn by example not reading documentation.

Still the way Chris explains is by far the best I have ever seen. Good Canadian guy! Keep it up we all will.

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I did some Google search and came across a reddit post that actually seemed to help a little. Several posters recommended a Udemy course by Angela Yu ([https://www.udemy.com/course/ios-13-app-development-bootcamp/](https://iOS & Swift - The Complete iOS App Development Bootcamp)). A couple things to notice:

  1. This course is 2 years old
  2. It does focus on Storyboard and then later on SwiftUI
  3. Like Chris, Angela is very encouraging.

I believe together with the resources of Chris and Angela, I will be a decent programmer of Swift.

BTW : I started out on BASIC and Turbo Pascal myself. Thank you so much for the reply and encouragement. If I can help in any way, please let me know.

The other alternative is to take the free courses offered by Paul Hudson. He has one on storyboard (UIKit) and one on SwiftUI which has recently been updated.

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I know the exact course you are referring to and did quite a bit. Yes Angela is quite pleasant. But as you say it is 2 years old. That is why I can’t wait for Chris to put up 2023 Lesson 7 and continue. I am strongly thinking of buying the membership to continue.

Ah yes Commodore 64 Basic, Turbo Pascal and Quick Basic. Those were the days.