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Thread: More programmer pet peeves

  1. #1

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    Wall Poster TysonLPrice's Avatar
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    More programmer pet peeves

    I encountered these today:

    I support a .Net application that has a database interface. The original programmer's idea of error handling was to just popup a message box saying "SQL Error" and sometimes just "Error Encountered". To find out what is really wrong you have to walk the code. He is gone now and I'd love to just smack him for that.

    This is from a canned application we use to track support requests. It highlights misspellings but there is no option to correct them that I can find. I'd like to smack whoever did that too...
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  2. #2
    PowerPoster kfcSmitty's Avatar
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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    First major error I inherited from another programmer gave me the helpful error "crap, that shouldn't have happened!".

    We also have one in our current system that just says "Webservices not cooperating. Try something else."

  3. #3

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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    Quote Originally Posted by kfcSmitty View Post
    First major error I inherited from another programmer gave me the helpful error "crap, that shouldn't have happened!".

    We also have one in our current system that just says "Webservices not cooperating. Try something else."
    That reminds me of some small applications that I wrote just for my own small maintenance tasks. I would put in messages to myself like "Are you really that dumb" and "Come on - Don't be stupid".
    Please remember next time...elections matter!

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    Smooth Moperator techgnome's Avatar
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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    There was a system I was working on back in my VB6 days, adding some error handling... one particular section I added code to was so well designed, it was virtually impossible that an exception would happen... so I simply added a message "Awww crap! Something went really wrong" and gave it the poop icon. I tried for two days to then break it to display the message... nothing. 4 years later I get a message from my QA buddy that I "had to see this odd message." ... turned out to be my "Awww crap!" message.

    -tg
    * I don't respond to private (PM) requests for help. It's not conducive to the general learning of others.*
    * I also don't respond to friend requests. Save a few bits and don't bother. I'll just end up rejecting anyways.*
    * How to get EFFECTIVE help: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Getting Help at VBF - Removing eels from your hovercraft *
    * How to Use Parameters * Create Disconnected ADO Recordset Clones * Set your VB6 ActiveX Compatibility * Get rid of those pesky VB Line Numbers * I swear I saved my data, where'd it run off to??? *

  5. #5
    PowerPoster ChrisE's Avatar
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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    quite some time ago I had VB6 Program that needed a major Update (the programmer retired)

    I could not believe it..
    a) ALL the Code was on ONE form
    b) he uses Frames as the Forms
    c)......
    etc... my nightmare goes on and on

    all over the place was ... If .. Frame1.Visible = True
    this goes on too
    Frame2.Visible = False
    ...
    Frame78.Visible = False

    and stuff like ....
    Code:
    Private Sub Command134_Click()
    yep.. there was a Command 134
    or....
    Code:
    Private Sub Label127_Click()
    what can I say, I needed the Money..
    to hunt a species to extinction is not logical !
    since 2010 the number of Tigers are rising again in 2016 - 3900 were counted. with Baby Callas it's 3901, my wife and I had 2-3 months the privilege of raising a Baby Tiger.

  6. #6

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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    Quote Originally Posted by techgnome View Post
    There was a system I was working on back in my VB6 days, adding some error handling... one particular section I added code to was so well designed, it was virtually impossible that an exception would happen... so I simply added a message "Awww crap! Something went really wrong" and gave it the poop icon. I tried for two days to then break it to display the message... nothing. 4 years later I get a message from my QA buddy that I "had to see this odd message." ... turned out to be my "Awww crap!" message.

    -tg
    I don't know how many times I've seen comments in code like this..."This should never happen but..."
    Please remember next time...elections matter!

  7. #7

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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisE View Post
    quite some time ago I had VB6 Program that needed a major Update (the programmer retired)

    I could not believe it..
    a) ALL the Code was on ONE form
    b) he uses Frames as the Forms
    c)......
    etc... my nightmare goes on and on

    all over the place was ... If .. Frame1.Visible = True
    this goes on too
    Frame2.Visible = False
    ...
    Frame78.Visible = False

    and stuff like ....
    Code:
    Private Sub Command134_Click()
    yep.. there was a Command 134
    or....
    Code:
    Private Sub Label127_Click()
    what can I say, I needed the Money..
    I was a contractor at GTE and wrote a mainframe application that had an extensive amount of individual help screens. I misspelled a word, I can't remember it, all over the help system.. Didn't come out until the first demo.
    Please remember next time...elections matter!

  8. #8
    PowerPoster ChrisE's Avatar
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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    Quote Originally Posted by TysonLPrice View Post
    I was a contractor at GTE and wrote a mainframe application that had an extensive amount of individual help screens. I misspelled a word, I can't remember it, all over the help system.. Didn't come out until the first demo.
    well atleast I had the Code, but there was way over 100 .txt Files as Help Files
    and ..yes you are guessing right
    hlp1.txt
    hlp2.txt
    ..... I mean what the PIEP was he thinking
    to hunt a species to extinction is not logical !
    since 2010 the number of Tigers are rising again in 2016 - 3900 were counted. with Baby Callas it's 3901, my wife and I had 2-3 months the privilege of raising a Baby Tiger.

  9. #9
    Smooth Moperator techgnome's Avatar
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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    Quote Originally Posted by TysonLPrice View Post
    I don't know how many times I've seen comments in code like this..."This should never happen but..."
    Comments are one thing... but this was a MsgBox ...

    -tg
    * I don't respond to private (PM) requests for help. It's not conducive to the general learning of others.*
    * I also don't respond to friend requests. Save a few bits and don't bother. I'll just end up rejecting anyways.*
    * How to get EFFECTIVE help: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Getting Help at VBF - Removing eels from your hovercraft *
    * How to Use Parameters * Create Disconnected ADO Recordset Clones * Set your VB6 ActiveX Compatibility * Get rid of those pesky VB Line Numbers * I swear I saved my data, where'd it run off to??? *

  10. #10
    Super Moderator FunkyDexter's Avatar
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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    One bored Friday afternoon another dev and I decided to convert all the error message into Haiku. Never made it into production but I still reckon "File is corrupted, Leaves scatter to all four winds, Ki status seven" would chill users out while they lost six months worth of data.
    The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter - Winston Churchill

    Hadoop actually sounds more like the way they greet each other in Yorkshire - Inferrd

  11. #11
    PowerPoster jdc2000's Avatar
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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    "Aw Snap"

  12. #12
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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    You know what I hate!!!!

    Having to modify an old crappy written program and then realize I wrote it. Once you realize that programs need maintenance and updating, even though it's a magnificent peace of work, you stop using Command1, var1, var2, TextBox1. To my credit, no Goto statements.

  13. #13
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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    I remember downloading code and having to untangle the mess before I could use it... Also had a collaegue once who just copy-pasted his code together from the web and help files and whom you needed to explain basic concepts to...

  14. #14
    Super Moderator dday9's Avatar
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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    I'm currently converting a VB6 application and there is a form with two TextBox controls that prompt for a identification number of some kind. The idea is that you're going to update all the records with from one number to another, so naturally you can't put in the same number for both TextBox controls.

    There's business logic that prevents that from happening by displaying a MsgBox and then using a GoTo, but the message is something like "Do you really think you that I'd accept that you idiot?". The client was insistent that we kept it in the conversion.

    Update - The guy who originally developed the program is still with the company and is head of their IT department now, so I'm guessing there may have been some pull there.
    "Code is like humor. When you have to explain it, it is bad." - Cory House
    VbLessons | Code Tags | Sword of Fury - Jameram

  15. #15

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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    That damn bug fooled me again
    Please remember next time...elections matter!

  16. #16
    Super Moderator dday9's Avatar
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    Re: More programmer pet peeves

    Oh yeah, it will forever be fooling VBForums
    "Code is like humor. When you have to explain it, it is bad." - Cory House
    VbLessons | Code Tags | Sword of Fury - Jameram

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