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Generic Code

2008 September 26 | 12:00 am

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

Generic code, otherwise known as Pseudo-code, 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 pseudo-coding 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... :)

Updated: 2008 October 17 | 12:01 pm

Tags: Pseudo-code, Planning, Development