A plead for sanity...

Duwenbasden · May 26, 2007

Lately I've seen scripts that is not only confusing, but also impossible to understand. Please, whenever you are asking for help, or helping others in GUI script or JASS...

>>> Use comments <<<

No, I am not asking you to explain to me what each line means, you just need to explain what each segment of code do. Even a general idea of the function is a good start. The helper or the person asking should not be guessing what your code is trying to do.

Example of good comments:

JASS:

local integer x = 0 // for loop integer counter
loop   // this loop creates 5 units, move them to a random location in LOCATION, and give them ability XYZ.
    exitwhen x &gt; 5
    call CreateUnitAtLoc (...)
    call MoveUnit (...)
    call AddAbility (...)
    set x = x + 1
endloop // x = 6 here

Example of bad comments:

JASS:

local integer x = 0 // for loop integer counter
loop
    exitwhen x &gt; 5  // exit the loop when x &gt; 5
    call CreateUnitAtLoc (...) // create a unit at location
    call MoveUnit (...) // move the unit to random point in LOCATION
    call AddAbility (...) // add ability XYZ to unit
    set x = x + 1 // increment x
endloop

This case, the first example is much easier to understand than the second one, which is basically repeating what the code "said".

Also, I've seen increasing use of variable names like "u" and "s". These variables are totally meaningless, and also makes the code very hard to understand (The exact reason I am so against the use of GetTriggerUnit() without accompanying comment.) Please, try to use variable names that is relevant to the thing it is trying to do, like "caster" for the caster, "victim" or "target" for the target unit. Remember, you are here to help, or to be helped.

Thanks.

waaaks! · May 26, 2007

are you teaching people?
if not, whats the question?

AceHart · May 26, 2007

It's neither actually.
He's just, yet again, on some weird "style" rant.
It will pass.

Duwenbasden · May 26, 2007

The problem is people are posting codes without comments and using ugly variables. They tend to make code deceiphering very difficult.

waaaks! · May 26, 2007

yeah some people...but others do JESP, to make people understand on what they made

Sooda · May 26, 2007

Oh my, how can we live on like this ? Lets make Duwenbasden charity fund to help him out.

Pineapple · May 26, 2007

>> Lets make Duwenbasden charity fund to help him out.

Please give generously, for every $1 we can get one more noob off the course of bad variables and comments.

waaaks! · May 26, 2007

Pineapple said:
>> Lets make Duwenbasden charity fund to help him out.

Please give generously, for every $1 we can get one more noob off the course of bad variables and comments.

lol...we are about a thousand or more, meaning $1 each = $rich$

just kiddin

Duwenbasden · May 26, 2007

Pineapple said:
>> Lets make Duwenbasden charity fund to help him out.

Please give generously, for every $1 we can get one more noob off the course of bad variables and comments.

not only noobs, even some mods are also in the habit.

Sooda · May 26, 2007

> not only noobs, even some mods are also in the habit.

Um... who... ...Tom Jones ! (Runs into woods to hide himself)

elmstfreddie · May 26, 2007

You delete my reply or something?

But I'm purely serious, once you know the intention of the trigger you should be able to know what does what, unless it's poorly scripted or something, but it should still be readable by you...

Either that or I'm some kinda genius

Besides, shouldn't this be in the JASS zone, since GUIers shouldn't use comments?

(PS the only time I use comments is to remind my self to put a line of script where the comment is)

Duwenbasden · May 26, 2007

It is a difference between 5 seconds to read the general idea and understand immediately and 45 seconds to try to understand the code line by line and guess the intention. Sure I can do it, but even 1 line of description makes a lot of difference.

No I didn't delete your reply.

once you know the intention of the trigger

That's the point, post the intentions and comment on some weird/complex parts. I've seen some questions started without anything aside from 10-20 lines of code and then "why doesn't it work??!?!?!"

elmstfreddie · May 26, 2007

Duwenbasden said:
No I didn't delete your reply.

Okay, weird, 3 times now something didn't post

Anyways, sorry if I sounded angry.
I seriously don't think comments are necessary >_<
It's about as anal as "planning your map on paper"

Right, 40 seconds, vital.
Don't say well the amount of script you read * 40 really adds up...
Because we are all wasting all that time on this website

Duwenbasden · May 26, 2007

No, I am serious. Without a description, sometimes things gets... undesirable:

JASS:

function thing takes location l, real r, integer i returns location
	local real r2 = 0
	if (i &gt; 0) then
		loop
			exitwhen r2 &gt; 3
			call RemoveLocation (thing (PolarProjectionBJ(l, r, r2 * 90), r/2, i-1))                                
			set r2 = r2 + 1
		endloop
	endif
	call CreateUnitAtLoc (Player(GetRandomInt(1,12)),&#039;hpea&#039;,l,GetRandomReal(0,360))
	return l
endfunction

Try this

elmstfreddie · May 26, 2007

Seems completely useless, you never set l you just take it then return it... Then you remove locations that were never set?
Then you create a peasant???

As I said though, it's required you know what it's supposed to do in the first place

Duwenbasden · May 26, 2007

That's the point I've been trying to put across. Some people post codes and nothing else and expect us to help them. The confusing variables only adds to the fire.

thing creates peasants in compass directions (NESW), if the integer i is not 0, create 4 more peasant in compass directions WITH that new location with half the distance of the original compass.

So:

Code:

			1

		1	2	1
	
	7		1		3
	
7	8	7	H	3	4	3

	7		5		3

		5	6	5

			5

H = Host's, caster's, spawner's location
Peasant in "1" is created first, then 2, and so on.

P.S.: Assuming the location is passed to thing, and r (radius) and i (iteration) is given by user.

elmstfreddie · May 26, 2007

Wait you changed it then when I last looked at it... Lemme read it again -.-

Okay, pretty much the same gayness.
What is thing btw >_>
Some function that that "annoying person" did not post?

I took this as a complaint about comments, not lack of data

Duwenbasden · May 26, 2007

lack of data is pretty much the same as the lack of comments. The only thing comments do is clarify things and help people understand. The descriptions I gave you are comments. Without comments, most people will have no idea what the function does.

elmstfreddie · May 26, 2007

All you needed to do was post thing and I coulda understood

STOP EDITING YOUR POSTS AFTER I REPLY! LOL!

Anyways, you just contradicted yourself... You said comments are a lack of data, then you said they only clarify things???

ANYWAYS WHO GIVES A CRAP >_<
Rants are for hormonal people

Duwenbasden · May 26, 2007

JASS:

function thing takes location l, real r, integer i returns location

thing is the function I just posted. The caller calls itself.

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