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[DeepMinder]

[DeepMinder]

[DeepMinder]

[DeepMinder]

[SGR]

For me, it largely depends on the programming language/environment I'm working on, and the complexity of the problem. If I'm working with PHP and/or Javascript? Then yeah, I'll probably add some console.log()s and some var_dump()s, and many times, that'll lead me to the solution - other times, it's just a starting point. With some more complicated backend languages, you don't always have the luxury of using something as simple as echo/print statements, and have to use a dedicated debugger. If the problem is complex enough, setting up breakpoints/variable watches and stepping line by line through the code while you interrogate the state of the data at different points in the program execution is necessary to understand what is truly going wrong. Sometimes, stepping through larger programs is also a good way to understand the flow, particularly if it's a program you're not familiar with.

[DeepMinder]

For me, it largely depends on the programming language/environment I'm working on, and the complexity of the problem. If I'm working with PHP and/or Javascript? Then yeah, I'll probably add some console.log()s and some var_dump()s, and many times, that'll lead me to the solution - other times, it's just a starting point. With some more complicated backend languages, you don't always have the luxury of using something as simple as echo/print statements, and have to use a dedicated debugger. If the problem is complex enough, setting up breakpoints/variable watches and stepping line by line through the code while you interrogate the state of the data at different points in the program execution is necessary to understand what is truly going wrong. Sometimes, stepping through larger programs is also a good way to understand the flow, particularly if it's a program you're not familiar with.

I dont know what you do fam and we've known each other for years on MB/SCD lol


You ever use commenting out blocks? // thats my go to way to understanding code from another person

I'll comment out stuff and see what happens and then bring it back and see what happens then

[SGR]

I dont know what you do fam and we've known each other for years on MB/SCD lol


You ever use commenting out blocks? // thats my go to way to understanding code from another person

I'll comment out stuff and see what happens and then bring it back and see what happens then

Lol yeah, I can't say I know what you do either.

I work in IT, with software development being my primary responsibility, but I'm also responsible for several different servers. And of course, yes, I use comment blocks when I think it's applicable. The problem is, I work in a very large and very old codebase. The codebase is older than I am, and every now and then, I see comments about Y2K fixes when I'm working on certain programs. If you are confident that you know the difference between fixed format and free format programming languages, you might have a sense of some of the legacy programs I get the (dis)pleasure of working with. Fixed format languages trace back to a time when programs were punched on to cards (which would then be fed into computers) and you needed everything in specific columns.



But to the point, no, I don't typically comment out blocks of code to try and understand what is happening. Typically, if I'm at the point where I'd even consider something like that, I'm already in a debugger stepping through the code repeatedly, and generally, commenting out blocks of code won't help me understand how they work (they might, as you point out, help you understand why the program won't work without them - but that roundabout way of ascertaining answers isn't a go-to in my toolbox).

Do you work in software developmentl, or are you more of a hobbyist?

[Saulaac]

I'm still using Word 1997-2003 so if you guys have any problems around that time then give us a call!

[DeepMinder]

Lol yeah, I can't say I know what you do either.

I work in IT, with software development being my primary responsibility, but I'm also responsible for several different servers. And of course, yes, I use comment blocks when I think it's applicable. The problem is, I work in a very large and very old codebase. The codebase is older than I am, and every now and then, I see comments about Y2K fixes when I'm working on certain programs. If you are confident that you know the difference between fixed format and free format programming languages, you might have a sense of some of the legacy programs I get the (dis)pleasure of working with. Fixed format languages trace back to a time when programs were punched on to cards (which would then be fed into computers) and you needed everything in specific columns.



But to the point, no, I don't typically comment out blocks of code to try and understand what is happening. Typically, if I'm at the point where I'd even consider something like that, I'm already in a debugger stepping through the code repeatedly, and generally, commenting out blocks of code won't help me understand how they work (they might, as you point out, help you understand why the program won't work without them - but that roundabout way of ascertaining answers isn't a go-to in my toolbox).

Do you work in software developmentl, or are you more of a hobbyist?

oh wow y2k comments lol That's cool you know all that stuff. No, I don't work in software development right now at least. I did for a short time, when NFTs were a thing. I know smart contracts the best but Soildity really isnt used besides blockchain development. I've know python for about a decade but havent used it in years to be comfortable building anything anymore. I did build stuff in python years ago when I did the projects for the certs.

I learned G-code at university in a professional setting. It's an older language also, but for machines and the syntax is way different but not hard to learn. It is kind of hard though to do the G-code plus the actual machining of the G-code you wrote onto the HAAS machines. I now understand why those machinists at huge defense companies get paid like a zillion dollars lol
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-code