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  4. Let's REALLY make sure "4" isn't "5"

Let's REALLY make sure "4" isn't "5"

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved The Weird and The Wonderful
pythoncomlearning
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  • M Marc Clifton

    switch (str)
    {
    case "4":
    if (str != "5") ...

    Ah, the joys of outsourcing with no code reviews.

    Latest Article - A Concise Overview of Threads Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802

    W Offline
    W Offline
    W Balboos GHB
    wrote on last edited by
    #24

    Better said - better done[^]

    Ravings en masse^

    "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

    "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • T TNCaver

      Thanks. I'm now having flashbacks to GW-BASIC.

      If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP.

      D Offline
      D Offline
      den2k88
      wrote on last edited by
      #25

      You tell me... this code sucks so much I wrote several VB6 lines inside C++, not kidding!

      GCS d-- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L+@ E-- W++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- ++>+++ y+++*      Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X

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      0
      • W W Balboos GHB

        Not disagreeing with the idea that a symbol's name should tell you a bit about it (if possible), but I have worked with someone who who's symbol and function names were pretty near essays. It takes a bit of common sense - and making distinguishing them a non-painful eye exercise. Why not loop with i, j, etc., as counters? Why not use IPAddr instead of ipa (slurp!)? Always just common sense to make readable and to avoid mistakes. It shouldn't be hard.

        Ravings en masse^

        "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

        "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

        R Offline
        R Offline
        Rick York
        wrote on last edited by
        #26

        There were people here who would call that variable ip. It drove me crazy until I eradicated all traces of that nonsense.

        J 1 Reply Last reply
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        • G gardnerp

          The naming of str bugs me just as much. Ok, I know it's a string. But what is it? Calling it something like invoiceTypeCode indicates it is a string and lets me know what I am looking at.

          C Offline
          C Offline
          CHill60
          wrote on last edited by
          #27

          I recently inherited a load of "code" (it's VBA so I don't want to it ideas above its station :laugh: ) ... during the "handover" (apparently that's what it was) the original "programmer" explained with great pride, that they didn't

          Quote:

          waste their time using long variable names...

          Yep! Every single one of them was a single character. Every. Single. One. :mad: (Except where he copied code snippets off the internet)

          Z 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • M Marc Clifton

            switch (str)
            {
            case "4":
            if (str != "5") ...

            Ah, the joys of outsourcing with no code reviews.

            Latest Article - A Concise Overview of Threads Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802

            R Offline
            R Offline
            raddevus
            wrote on last edited by
            #28

            That is one sick puppy. The person should be found, bound and brought out for public humiliation immediately. We had something like the following in legacy code:

            for (x = 0; x <= 20;x++){
            unknownVariable = x;
            }
            unknownVariable = 55;

            X| That brings up so many questions. Was the dev trying to slow something down? What is unknownVariable? Why did dev set it to the specific value of 55? arghgghgghg!!!!

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            0
            • D den2k88

              It's 3 weeks I am a consultant and I'm seeing sh*t like this way too often. And I am expected to produce the same, since I have to be productive with a 2 weeks training over a medium sized project with no documentation nor coding standard (functions that take 12 arguments named ct, ly, ex, ey, tx, fx and so on...).

              GCS d-- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L+@ E-- W++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- ++>+++ y+++*      Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X

              J Offline
              J Offline
              James Lonero
              wrote on last edited by
              #29

              Sounds like a bunch of college students to me. They need refinement. But, you get what you pay for.

              1 Reply Last reply
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              • D den2k88

                Most of these people think that "vim is better" than a proper IDE.

                GCS d-- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L+@ E-- W++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- ++>+++ y+++*      Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X

                J Offline
                J Offline
                James Lonero
                wrote on last edited by
                #30

                For voice in mind?

                1 Reply Last reply
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                • R Rick York

                  There were people here who would call that variable ip. It drove me crazy until I eradicated all traces of that nonsense.

                  J Offline
                  J Offline
                  James Lonero
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #31

                  You must be the boss.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • K kalberts

                    I think that if (itIsRainin == true) is just as bad.

                    J Offline
                    J Offline
                    James Lonero
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #32

                    Unless you're in California. WE WANT RAIN!

                    1 Reply Last reply
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                    • T TNCaver

                      Thanks. I'm now having flashbacks to GW-BASIC.

                      If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP.

                      J Offline
                      J Offline
                      James Lonero
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #33

                      Reminds me of my first foray into Fortran IV. Then, we used computer cards. We were only allowed six characters for variable names. Then, it was all in CAPS.

                      1 Reply Last reply
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                      • B BillW33

                        "You will save a lot of time only typing 2 or 3 letter variable names instead of those long names. Therefore you will be able to program faster if you keep your variable names short." At a previous job, that is what one of the senior programmers would teach to the new programmers and the boss (who was also a programmer) agreed with him. :wtf: X| There are reasons why I don't work there any longer. ;)

                        Just because the code works, it doesn't mean that it is good code.

                        M Offline
                        M Offline
                        Marc Clifton
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #34

                        BillW33 wrote:

                        You will save a lot of time only typing 2 or 3 letter variable names instead of those long names.

                        And here I thought if you use shorter variable names, the program runs faster! :-D

                        Latest Article - A Concise Overview of Threads Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • M MarkTJohnson

                          Was it originally a set of nested if and they just missed that one?

                          M Offline
                          M Offline
                          Marc Clifton
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #35

                          MarkTJohnson wrote:

                          Was it originally a set of nested if and they just missed that one?

                          I have no idea, and I didn't want to look through the TFS change history to find out. :laugh:

                          Latest Article - A Concise Overview of Threads Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • R Ron Anders

                            Good grief. I keep telling my techie wife that soon you'll see critical systems failing left and right that used to work pretty well. Shoot, maybe that's why AI is all the rage today. Were scared of, let's just call em the up and comers.

                            D Offline
                            D Offline
                            Dr Walt Fair PE
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #36

                            Maybe they need to check that left!=right ?

                            CQ de W5ALT

                            Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • M Marc Clifton

                              switch (str)
                              {
                              case "4":
                              if (str != "5") ...

                              Ah, the joys of outsourcing with no code reviews.

                              Latest Article - A Concise Overview of Threads Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802

                              R Offline
                              R Offline
                              Ryan Peden
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #37

                              Hey now, that could actually be a valid check! :laugh:

                              public class Stringy
                              {
                              private string Value { get; set; }

                              public Stringy(string value)
                              {
                                  Value = value;
                              }
                              
                              public static implicit operator string(Stringy s)
                              {
                                  string value = s.Value;
                              
                                  if (s.Value == "4") s.Value = "5";
                              
                                  return value;
                              }
                              

                              }

                              Which lets you write code like this:

                              var str = new Stringy("4");

                              if (str == "4" && str == "5")
                              Console.WriteLine("LOL");

                              Which will, of course, print LOL to the console. Though I imagine you'd only do something like this if you really, really hate your co-workers.

                              N 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • C CHill60

                                I recently inherited a load of "code" (it's VBA so I don't want to it ideas above its station :laugh: ) ... during the "handover" (apparently that's what it was) the original "programmer" explained with great pride, that they didn't

                                Quote:

                                waste their time using long variable names...

                                Yep! Every single one of them was a single character. Every. Single. One. :mad: (Except where he copied code snippets off the internet)

                                Z Offline
                                Z Offline
                                ZurdoDev
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #38

                                CHill60 wrote:

                                waste their time using long variable names

                                It's likely they spent more time trying to remember and figure out what each single character variable actually was. :doh:

                                Everyone is born right handed. Only the strongest overcome it. Fight for left-handed rights and hand equality.

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                                0
                                • R Ryan Peden

                                  Hey now, that could actually be a valid check! :laugh:

                                  public class Stringy
                                  {
                                  private string Value { get; set; }

                                  public Stringy(string value)
                                  {
                                      Value = value;
                                  }
                                  
                                  public static implicit operator string(Stringy s)
                                  {
                                      string value = s.Value;
                                  
                                      if (s.Value == "4") s.Value = "5";
                                  
                                      return value;
                                  }
                                  

                                  }

                                  Which lets you write code like this:

                                  var str = new Stringy("4");

                                  if (str == "4" && str == "5")
                                  Console.WriteLine("LOL");

                                  Which will, of course, print LOL to the console. Though I imagine you'd only do something like this if you really, really hate your co-workers.

                                  N Offline
                                  N Offline
                                  Nelek
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #39

                                  You are evil... but that's a really good one :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

                                  M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • M Marc Clifton

                                    switch (str)
                                    {
                                    case "4":
                                    if (str != "5") ...

                                    Ah, the joys of outsourcing with no code reviews.

                                    Latest Article - A Concise Overview of Threads Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802

                                    C Offline
                                    C Offline
                                    charlieg
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #40

                                    Aren't you a consultant / contractor? And an experienced one at that? :)

                                    Charlie Gilley <italic>Stuck in a dysfunctional matrix from which I must escape... "Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783 “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • G gardnerp

                                      The naming of str bugs me just as much. Ok, I know it's a string. But what is it? Calling it something like invoiceTypeCode indicates it is a string and lets me know what I am looking at.

                                      D Offline
                                      D Offline
                                      Dr Walt Fair PE
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #41

                                      The only thing we know for surte is that it isn't 5.

                                      CQ de W5ALT

                                      Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • R Ron Anders

                                        Good grief. I keep telling my techie wife that soon you'll see critical systems failing left and right that used to work pretty well. Shoot, maybe that's why AI is all the rage today. Were scared of, let's just call em the up and comers.

                                        D Offline
                                        D Offline
                                        Dr Walt Fair PE
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #42

                                        Yeah, you never know when 4 might turn out to be 5!

                                        CQ de W5ALT

                                        Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • D den2k88

                                          It's 3 weeks I am a consultant and I'm seeing sh*t like this way too often. And I am expected to produce the same, since I have to be productive with a 2 weeks training over a medium sized project with no documentation nor coding standard (functions that take 12 arguments named ct, ly, ex, ey, tx, fx and so on...).

                                          GCS d-- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L+@ E-- W++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- ++>+++ y+++*      Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X

                                          D Offline
                                          D Offline
                                          Dr Walt Fair PE
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #43

                                          Do you get paid by the line of code?

                                          CQ de W5ALT

                                          Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software

                                          D 1 Reply Last reply
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