#POCO survey
15 messages in this thread
Here is an opportunity to share your knowledge. I may be able to include your
information in an
article for Planet Studio. The intended audience is people that don't use POCO,
or use it very little.
1. POCO tips/trick
2. The POCO programs that are the most useful to you
It probably won't be possible to acknowledge the individual contributors in the
article.
Ed
/* It probably won't be possible to acknowledge the individual contributors in
the article. */
Why wouldn't you <want/be able> to credit the individuals? -dave
<Why wouldn't you <want/be able> to credit the individuals? -dave>
I certainly would want to! I should have said "probably won't be able to."
The editor has final say on content. I don't know what she would want to do.
She is out of town this week and couldn't check with her.
Just following the principle of worst case design. <g>.
Ed K
/* Just following the principle of worst case design. <g>. */
Gosh,you're not a programmer or anything like that are you? <bg> Hey, I took a
look at the MPS.. fun stuff, Ed. I haven't even begun to change variables on it
yet. Neato. Thanks! -dave
<<Just following the principle of worst case design.>>
<Gosh,you're not a programmer or anything like that are you?>
I learned it at the "New Engineering Training Program" after joining IBM as an
electrical engineer in 1964.
I recently read about defensive programming in "Writing Solid Code." That's
probably the equivalent term. It turns out the author doesn't approve of using
it blindly (it hides bugs).
Ed K
/* I learned it at the "New Engineering Training Program" after joining IBM as
an electrical engineer in 1964. */
Gads Ed. I was born the year before you joined IBM. I feel like such a neophyte
now. 🙂
/* I recently read about defensive programming in "Writing Solid Code." That's
probably the equivalent term. It turns out the author doesn't approve of using
it blindly (it hides bugs). */
I would estimate that 30% on the average of all code I write is to "monkey
it"… make it safe and unbreakable for users who don't follow instructions.
Can you imagine the impact on corporate software america if software companies
could just write software without monkey code and error checking and rely on
end users with training to use it properly? Dreamland, I know, but I'd be
curious to know how much time a typical product does demand in monkey codeing.
I'll bet my personal percentage is about normal. -dave
<Gads Ed. I was born the year before you joined IBM. I feel like such a
neophyte now. :)>
And I feel so old now <g>. BTW, I joined on April fool's day, a few weeks
before system 360 was announced.
< Can you imagine the impact on corporate software america if software
companies could just write software without monkey code and error checking and
rely on end users with training to use it properly?>
You mean something like:
"The program has many features because I didn't spend time
protecting you from those messages. The program is fast because
it spends little time checking for errors. And, occasionally a
particle departs the screen at a zillion times the speed of light."
That is from the instructions to My Praticle System. When I send out the new
update you'll see it. Notice that by definition the program is bug free! The
paragraph right before that says something like: if it hurts when you bend your
knee, then don't bend your knee.
/* And I feel so old now <g>. BTW, I joined on April fool's day, a few weeks
before system 360 was announced. */
Ah HA! So… that explains it. <g>
/* You mean something like: */
Yeah, exactly. "Trustware". -dave
Ed:
>> I joined on April fool's day, a few weeks before system 360 was announced.
Brings back memories – the first computer I worked on was a 360/67 while at RPI
'way back when.
Greg Pyros
Hi Greg,
How much is that little NDUMP utility of yours?
Looks like I might need it.
Alec Jason
Alec:
>> How much is that little NDUMP utility of yours?
MSRP on the program is $195. You can get it through your local 3DS dealer,
Digimation, or AMI (my old company) if you can't get it locally.
Greg Pyros
September 17, 1994
Ed,
thanks for the up date – will try to look at it tonight.
a few suggestions for your article
1. list of reference materials & where to get them.
POCO Programming Language – AutoDesk
The C Programming Language – Kernighan & Ritchie – Prentice Hall
{ANSI C Made Easy – Herbert Schildt – Osborne McGraw Hill
this works ok for me}
…. what's your favorites?
2. some advise on how to structure POCO
– Your style seems very readable –
how /why you name variables, functions etc
Use of Upper_lowercase_Underline
comments – how to make them useful
// comments are easier to locate – one line at time
// quick to type, quick to remove
// difficult for large volumes
vs
/* comments for large amounts text or blocks of code
and
but may be hard to find missing beginning or end */
// I like comments that help me make sense of what I did 5 years ago
// comments are useful testing things -> phrase "commenting out code"
// comments are useful for selecting choices – like you used for new/advanced
users in MPS
//
//
– how to divide things up
I try to keep main() short & sweet
using functions to do the work
I like to use globals vs passing arguments back and forth to/from
functions, unless function is intended to be recycled a lot
3. code that gets used a lot (or should)
– "leaving the playground like you found it"
initializing & remember conditions – brush size, ink etc
exiting program & restoring brush size, ink etc
the way you did this in your MPS looks like good example
4. list of known POCO bugs
5. list of programs in CIS Library and their function
your personal favorites
6. testing & debug strategies that work for you
{ use of printf() & sleep(4) is one I use a lot
like if I'm not sure where I'm getting bounced out of program
I put massages in key places followed by sleep – [so I have chance to
read them]
printf("got to function 1");
sleep(2);
.
.
.
printf("got to function 2");
sleep(2);
.
.
.
or to report values of things that don't seem to be right
printf("the X coordinates: %d, Y coordinates: %d" X_coor,Y_coor);
sleep(8);// I need longer to read data!
7. what editors, tools to use & why
POCO Editor too limited for serious work
{I use Norton Editor – when creating, major modifications
features that make good editor
DOS ASCII editor
block move, copy, delete
search & replace
punctuation matching (more useful for AutoLISP!)
copy blocks between files
simple to use
I'm use to it}
any particular one(s) you recommend?
8. how to get help –
{like send Uncle Ed a CIS note?}
9. programming practice & ethics
– like copyright message
I think that simply adding name and date is legally sufficient.
Stating your intention (shareware, freeware, for a price) with in
code is good
practice, & courteous, I think, but don't know if it is effective in preventing
rip offs.
value of sharing your new code with your poco buddies
like getting beta testing & feed back
10….. {sorry – my brain went dry…}
I'm sure what ever you come up with will be great-
I'm trying to subscribe hope it starts in time to get to read
your article.
best regards
Dave Wright
Geez, Dave, you wrote the whole article for me! (And then there's that tip on
how to get the size of a cel.) Did you figure out why you didn't get the
addendum to the POCO manual.
Go ahead and look at the MPS (V1.04) I sent you, but don't waste too much time
on it because I made more changes, some are more modifications you suggested. I
hope to send you a copy tonite or tomorrow (V 1.10). And if it works for you,
then I'll send the update to the owners!
The more I think of "++mass," the more I like it. When I decided to make the
"exponent" a user variable, I considered making the whole equation a #define,
and let the user edit it. But I thought that would have been too confussing and
error prone. Something simpler, like you suggested, may be the answer.
I expect to be tied up with the article for a week or so. Then go see my
grandchild in Albany. But after that I'll get into new features.
Ed K
Ed,
I'm really not an expert AniPro user like you <G>, but here's what I use most:
Numpic … by far.
Starfield … actually I also wrote my own program (just changed some
of the starfield code) to create slightly bigger stars (planets??). However, it
was my first attempt at programming so it isn't fantastic.
FlicFade … written by George P. Nelson.
Allfonts.
Most of my work in AniPro (1.0) is used to edit / change /or convert animations
which are created in other programs.
Hope this helps … Michael B.
Thanks for the input!
Ed K