Generic Code : Keeping It Simple

So, Generic Code, eh? Is that like store brand food?

Generic code, otherwise known as Psuedocode, is simply writing out the logic of your program in plain text. This can be as basic as:

Start Program

Get Input From User
Perform Calculations
Display Results

End Program

or, for those wanting something a bit more complicated:

Begin Program

' Declare variables to hold user data.
string user_name
integer user_age

' Get user's name and age.
Print Please enter your name: , Store to user_name
Print Please enter you age: , Store to user_age

' Echo input back out to screen.
Print Thank you, , user_name, !
Print The age you entered was: , user_age, .
Print

' Echo message out to user before terminating program.
Print Press any key to end program...

End Program .

Well, that's neat, but why would I do that?

Psuedocode is normally used in conjuction with UML during the planning stage of your program. Note the implied suggestion here: plan before you code! While it is possible to simply sit down and start hacking out code in you favorite editor, it is a bad habit to get into.

In my personal experience, lack of planning always led me to redundant code and/or bad logic. The time I wasted going back and forth between errors could have been dramatically lessened if I had simply spent a little more time planning out what I wanted my program to accomplish.

This seems like a lot of work...

At first, it probably will be. After all, if you knew what you were doing, why would you be in class? Silly...

What I believe you will eventually discover is that the process of diagramming and psuedocoding becomes second nature. You will be able to put together a mock-up of your program quickly, present it for approval, and be coding in short order. And THAT, my friends, makes potential employers drool... :)