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Planning your program.

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    Planning your program.

    Hello,

    Just wondering how the experts go about program building.

    I'm not a programmer by profession but think I know enough to put together a basic mobile app.

    What I am struggling with is how to plan out the program rather than just to start coding which generally results in me having to recode whole sections as the last bit doesn't quiet work with the next block of code.

    Any advice gratefully received.

    #2
    Originally posted by gbonner View Post
    Hello,

    Just wondering how the experts go about program building.

    I'm not a programmer by profession but think I know enough to put together a basic mobile app.

    What I am struggling with is how to plan out the program rather than just to start coding which generally results in me having to recode whole sections as the last bit doesn't quiet work with the next block of code.

    Any advice gratefully received.
    Taking the question in to account I think the programmers could argue this
    'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by gbonner View Post
      Hello,

      Just wondering how the experts go about program building.

      I'm not a programmer by profession but think I know enough to put together a basic mobile app.

      What I am struggling with is how to plan out the program rather than just to start coding which generally results in me having to recode whole sections as the last bit doesn't quiet work with the next block of code.

      Any advice gratefully received.
      I don't know too much about mobile development, but if you know what your requirements are then a test driven kind of approach will at least mean that any re-writing you have to do should be as minimal as possible (I.e. you only write what you need, so rewrites are smaller).

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by gbonner View Post
        Hello,

        Just wondering how the experts go about program building.

        I'm not a programmer by profession but think I know enough to put together a basic mobile app.

        What I am struggling with is how to plan out the program rather than just to start coding which generally results in me having to recode whole sections as the last bit doesn't quiet work with the next block of code.

        Any advice gratefully received.
        I normally start by working out what I don't already know how to do and coding that bit up early wrapped in a simple as possible but no simpler test harness. That tends to take the worst of the risks out of the equation.

        I normally have a high level structure in mind but this invariably evolves as code is written. A good IDE that supports automated refactoring makes this a much less painful process, and one I'd say should be encouraged. A lot of it is down to knowing the framework / environment your working in and what interfaces and components you'll need to implement, then some understanding of basic design patterns will help inform a lot of the rest of it. I usually try and layer things so that the meat and potatoes are in separate, potentially reusable modules rather than being tied to the specifics of the framework.
        While you're waiting, read the free novel we sent you. It's a Spanish story about a guy named 'Manual.'

        Comment


          #5
          Start by drawing a flow chart, preferably with one those stencils you could get in the 80s. Then you're set.

          I tend to just start coding, accepting I'll throw most of it away. Trying to get it right first time doesn't work in reality; anything of any decent size or complexity is too big to try to hold in your head and more often than not it's only through trying to write it that you'll figure out what the issues are. I've seen people waste enormous amounts of time on plans that are worthless when you get down to it.
          Will work inside IR35. Or for food.

          Comment


            #6
            My first step is normally to be given a large trade capture system which has been written over the passed 20 years and has large sections that no one understands.

            Then I start fixing bugs, making enhancements and generally working out how it works.

            Yes, I am aware that my gigs are not particularly exciting!
            "He's actually ripped" - Jared Padalecki

            https://youtu.be/l-PUnsCL590?list=PL...dNeCyi9a&t=615

            Comment


              #7
              Just sketching it on a piece of paper can help a lot, even the proverbial envelope.

              Or SY01 can probably recommend a 437 page template.
              Originally posted by MaryPoppins
              I'd still not breastfeed a nazi
              Originally posted by vetran
              Urine is quite nourishing

              Comment


                #8
                Thanks for the advice.

                I have sketched out a couple screens and added some notes for features and processes that should happen which has helped a lot.

                The main problem I seem to face is that when I write one bit of code for an event that then kicks off another event I don't usually have the right output variables to pass on so then have to go back and rewrite it.

                From you replies this seems to be a normal part of the programming process.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by zeitghost
                  Then I give up & hit the thing with the Mallet of Understanding.
                  no one told me about the mallet of understanding!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by woohoo View Post
                    no one told me about the mallet of understanding!
                    You don't remember receiving a tap on the head?
                    While you're waiting, read the free novel we sent you. It's a Spanish story about a guy named 'Manual.'

                    Comment

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