[AccessD] FMS Inc. Sourcebook

Jim,

>PS Have always used libraries... from the first days with Fortran, 

And thanks for popping up and saying so.  Sometimes it feels lonely out
here.

John W. Colby
Colby Consulting
www.ColbyConsulting.com

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Jim Lawrence
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 11:38 AM
To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
Subject: Re: [AccessD] FMS Inc. Sourcebook

John:

A developer has two distinct jobs. One is programming and the other is
debugging. One creates errors and the other task is supposed to remove them.

Jim
PS Have always used libraries... from the first days with Fortran, 

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of JWColby
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 5:58 AM
To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
Subject: Re: [AccessD] FMS Inc. Sourcebook

>I like it because then I can stop trying to remember what app I wrote a
given function in. When starting a new app, I usually load CodeLib and then
copy in several standard modules.

I hate to hammer on this over and over, but that is what a library is for. 

Did you know that when Windows XP shipped it had SIXTY THOUSAND known bugs
and (more importantly) an unknown number of unknown bugs.  In order to fix
these bugs what does MS do?  Updates.  What do updates do?  Install a new
"library" with bug fixes.  Can you imagine Microsoft having to rifle through
your installation of windows looking for the lines of code that have a bug
that they just fixed and fixing it everywhere on 200 million computers?  It
is a silly concept and we all know that.

I am sure that you are convinced that you have no bugs in your code, but
statistics say 1 in 20 lines of code has a bug.  This can be something gross
such as never ending loop (which we mostly find immediately and fix) to
something subtle like loss of data from a type conversion or something.  By
cutting and pasting your code, you cut and paste your bugs.  NOW you have to
remember what apps you cut and pasted bugs into!  A referenced library
allows you to fix a bug and simply insert that fixed library into the
project.  Since all your projects use your lib, all your projects get your
bug fixes when you insert a new lib.

I make it a policy that all GENERIC code goes in my library.  All project
specific code goes in the project.  If it is not used anywhere else then it
obviously does not belong in my library, however if it is going to be used
in any other project then it does belong in my library.

Libraries guys, NOT cut and paste modules.

And sorry Arthur, I am not picking on you.  I see LOTS of people talking
about "cutting and pasting" into their projects.  That is simply a no-no in
modern system design.

John W. Colby
Colby Consulting
www.ColbyConsulting.com