[Janette Segura]

nifty, background worker seems like such a pain in the butt. I just create a new thread and do what I gotta do. If it works it works though hu.

A background worker is simply a thread with progress callback and cancellation mechanisms attached. If you spawn an ordinary thread and want to call back into the GUI thread for progress, you'll just end up reimplementing a background worker.

[Brooke Turner]

I'm taking visual basic this semester, anyone have any advice for someone who hasn't taken any programming classes yet? :unsure:

[Naazhe Perezz]

I'm taking visual basic this semester, anyone have any advice for someone who hasn't taken any programming classes yet? :unsure:

Learn some VB now, it's not hard, and your classes will be easier.

Edit: Grammar.

[Elena Alina]

I'm taking visual basic this semester, anyone have any advice for someone who hasn't taken any programming classes yet? :unsure:

VB is actually realtively easy. alot of the keywords and stuff are plain English so that helps.You could probably look it up and get a good grasp on it before you start your classes.

[James Wilson]

I'm going to be taking C# in a few days when school starts up again. So far I've done Python, C++, and the web programming languages (html, java, & server-side scripting languages). Anyone done any C# programming? I've heard its very similar to C++, but just curious if anyone has first hand experience.

[Heather Stewart]

C# is basically cleaned up Java. Strictly object-oriented, verbose, bytecode-compiled, etc, though not as portable. All in all not perfect but pretty decent if you ask me. Microsoft seems to be on a feature-adding binge with it though. Every year or two they come up with a new version of the language and add fairly major features (e.g. LINQ). The last dozen posts in this thread have been dealing with C# code if you'd like to take a look.

[u gone see]

I'm going to be taking C# in a few days when school starts up again. So far I've done Python, C++, and the web programming languages (html, java, & server-side scripting languages). Anyone done any C# programming? I've heard its very similar to C++, but just curious if anyone has first hand experience.

Like Max said alot of this thread (at least recently) has been C#. I tried C++ in high school, and VB.NET twice in college, plus a semester of C# and I have to say C# is the one that kept me hooked. I tried Java but couldn't really get the hang of it, not that I have a firm grasp on C# but im working on that.

[Javier Borjas]

Thanks guy ^_^

I got the progress bar working... kinda. I mean it would work if the copy code actually worked. Which it doesn't. :facepalm:

I don't really know how to copy the files without using a foreach loop

[Lewis Morel]

Thanks guy ^_^

I got the progress bar working... kinda. I mean it would work if the copy code actually worked. Which it doesn't. :facepalm:

I don't really know how to copy the files without using a foreach loop

Can you post the code that helps the progress bar to work? I am curious as to the solution you found.

[mishionary]

I don't really know how to copy the files without using a foreach loop

Foreach loops are nothing more than syntactic sugar. They are identical to for (and even while) loops if you get down to it.

E.g. For arrays, this:

foreach (string newPath in Directory.GetFiles(sourcePath, "*.*", SearchOption.AllDirectories)) {  File.Copy(newPath, newPath.Replace(sourcePath, targetPath), true);}

is functionally identical to this:

var files = Directory.GetFiles(sourcePath, "*.*", SearchOption.AllDirectories);for (int i = 0; i < files.Count(); i++) {  var newPath = files[i];  File.Copy(newPath, newPath.Replace(sourcePath, targetPath), true);}

and this:

var files = Directory.GetFiles(sourcePath, "*.*", SearchOption.AllDirectories);int i = 0;while (i < files.Count()) {  var newPath = files[i];  File.Copy(newPath, newPath.Replace(sourcePath, targetPath), true);  i++;}

[Angela Woods]

VB is actually realtively easy. alot of the keywords and stuff are plain English so that helps.You could probably look it up and get a good grasp on it before you start your classes.

When I signed up for this job, I knew only a little about VB and wanted to do C++. All I had was some knowledge of Basic constructs I learned 15-20 years ago with Vic20 and later QBASIC. It changed quite a lot during those years though, eh. I told them, ok, I know a little Basic, and was put to work with Basic scripting and PL/SQL from day one, and in about a month or two I was up to speed with both by mostly studying other scripts. I have helped other coders to get a quick start too. So, yes, Basic is kinda simple, and you can quickly test things as it is an interpreted language and does not require compiling between tests. So, experiment.

Depending on your current level, it does not take too long to familiarize yourself with how variables and arrays are declared. Then functions, loops and conditions, not going too far. Sub Main is where the execution starts. Maybe knowing that some function calls can "throw exceptions" would be good and how to control where the execution jumps "on error". That all you need to get a start, I think.

However, there are some pitholes in the way the language works, but it's workable. Sometimes you will have to work around some things, but you may not notice that until some practice and having to deal with error situations with localization, array init, etc. When you move to other languages, don't let the few "work arounds" carry over to the new language that may not have the same "features". With that said, it might be easier to move on to C# than C++ from VB (.Net).

[Anthony Santillan]

I was actually just asked in an interview if I knew Visual Basic at all, I told the interviewer no I did not but since he saw I had C# experience I told him it shouldn't be too hard to pick up if I did get the job since I had done a couple intro courses for it before. The reason I had done a couple is due to untransferred credits and program requirements at a couple of colleges.

I also mentioned that for the moment I was focusing on the C# for personal learning since I have alot of other stuff I need to get done with that has to take priority.

I wonder if my instructor for my Windows Admin course will let me use our systems for testing applications I write. Will have to ask him about that today, since my recent project is for tweaking services. If I am writing on my machine I can be almost sure it does work but when working on others I cannnot be.

[Adam]

Started re learning Java for Uni. Ug.

I keep running into issues like looking for one line ways to apply a function to a collection. The amount of boilerplate code Java needs is INSANE. Even C++ is far better, having things like std::transform.

I want Haskell back

[Kristina Campbell]

Sometimes I really need to limit myself when working on various programs. I get ideas I have no idea how to even approach then get discouraged if I cannot figure it out. I tried an IRC for C# and another forum and never seem to get anywhere, I can get on the right track but then I get lost. and on the IRC they keep directing me to do things I can't really find good information on using Google or MSDN. Very frustrating but hopefully I can get a better understanding soon of certain things.

[Phoenix Draven]

Edit: Nevermind I got it.

[Amber Ably]

A question:

I have a twos complement 32 bit integer.

I need to encode a version string into an integer so that when you do a simple less than comparison with the integer it acts as you would expect when you compared the version string:

1.2    < 1.33.5    < 10.51      < 1beta31beta3 < 1.3

While the first two conditions are trivial. Examples like the third and fourth are harder.

Does anyone have any ideas? I know in some cases it is always going to be lossy and if it can't be reasonably done it isn't a major problem. It just would be nice if it worked slightly better than my current version (that only takes into account the numbers).

The only consideration I came up with so far is to alter the version string so that beta becomes .0. and alpha would become .0.0. I keep thinking it feels rather messy and imprecise and that I may have missed something.

[Maddy Paul]

A question:

I have a twos complement 32 bit integer.

I need to encode a version string into an integer so that when you do a simple less than comparison with the integer it acts as you would expect when you compared the version string:

1.2    < 1.33.5    < 10.51      < 1beta31beta3 < 1.3

While the first two conditions are trivial. Examples like the third and fourth are harder.

Does anyone have any ideas? I know in some cases it is always going to be lossy and if it can't be reasonably done it isn't a major problem. It just would be nice if it worked slightly better than my current version (that only takes into account the numbers).

The only consideration I came up with so far is to alter the version string so that beta becomes .0. and alpha would become .0.0. I keep thinking it feels rather messy and imprecise and that I may have missed something.

Your solution there was pretty much what I thought of as soon as I read the problem. I actually had a similar issue come up on a project myself, and I implemented it like that. I do have the feeling that there's a neater, but not particularly simple way of doing it.

[Maeva]

A question:

I have a twos complement 32 bit integer.

I need to encode a version string into an integer so that when you do a simple less than comparison with the integer it acts as you would expect when you compared the version string:

1.2    < 1.33.5    < 10.51      < 1beta31beta3 < 1.3

While the first two conditions are trivial. Examples like the third and fourth are harder.

Does anyone have any ideas? I know in some cases it is always going to be lossy and if it can't be reasonably done it isn't a major problem. It just would be nice if it worked slightly better than my current version (that only takes into account the numbers).

The only consideration I came up with so far is to alter the version string so that beta becomes .0. and alpha would become .0.0. I keep thinking it feels rather messy and imprecise and that I may have missed something.

Make your own class which will contain a string with nicely formatted version info (e.g. along the lines of http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/devrel/handbook/handbook.xml?part=2&chap=1#doc_chap2) and a comparison operator. If you format the version info nicely, comparing two versions will almost boil down to simple lexicographical comparison (except for e.g. 3.5 < 10.5).

[Wayne Cole]

Make your own class which will contain a string with nicely formatted version info (e.g. along the lines of http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/devrel/handbook/handbook.xml?part=2&chap=1#doc_chap2) and a comparison operator. If you format the version info nicely, comparing two versions will almost boil down to simple lexicographical comparison (except for e.g. 3.5 < 10.5).

The issue it is in a database and I want to be able to find the greatest version fast. Errors are not a big problem though so roughly is good enough.

EDIT:
Send thoughts, shouldn't version 1beta3 be less than version 1? My past self thought so, and my present self doesn't trust past self myself at 1:30 am, but my past self a 4 pm when it wrote the unit tests for what it should do.

EDIT:
Split the integer up into groups of 2 bits, followed by 6 bits.

It would work the same way as before, each bit of the version is stored in one of the 6 bits. However, if the group of bits refers a version following a string like 'beta', then the leading two bits is reduced by a factor.

I think that should work. No I have to rewrite my parser.

EDIT:
It doesn't. Messes up on: 1beta3 < 1.3

EDIT: Yay. Fixed (Or it passes all tests, which is good enough). Now I need to write some tests to see if I can break it again.

[Miguel]

The issue it is in a database and I want to be able to find the greatest version fast. Errors are not a big problem though so roughly is good enough.

EDIT:
Send thoughts, shouldn't version 1beta3 be less than version 1? My past self thought so, and my present self doesn't trust past self myself at 1:30 am, but my past self a 4 pm when it wrote the unit tests for what it should do.

EDIT:
Split the integer up into groups of 2 bits, followed by 6 bits.

It would work the same way as before, each bit of the version is stored in one of the 6 bits. However, if the group of bits refers a version following a string like 'beta', then the leading two bits is reduced by a factor.

I think that should work. No I have to rewrite my parser.

EDIT:
It doesn't. Messes up on: 1beta3 < 1.3

EDIT: Yay. Fixed (Or it passes all tests, which is good enough). Now I need to write some tests to see if I can break it again.

I would say version 1 beta 3 could potentially be a lower version than version one depending on the context. If it is final version 1 then yes, but if it is beta version 1 then no. But beta usually comes before final anyways so that kind of gets thrown out the window.

Then again this is 2am ramblings as I refuse to sleep.

[Budgie]

The issue it is in a database and I want to be able to find the greatest version fast.

That's why your database is a http://www.cppreference.com/wiki/container/set/start and finding the greatest version is trivial and as fast as it can be. :huh: If you're not doing it in C++ just implement the set yourself; it's not a difficult thing to do - just make sure that each new entry gets put in its proper place in a (doubly-)linked list (and don't add it if it's already in it). Yes that means that adding a new version to the database will take a tiny bit longer (insignificantly longer) but since adding a new version to the database is not going to happen as frequently as checking for the latest version in the database that's not a problem. As a matter of fact, since any new version you'll be adding into the database will most probably be the latest version (i.e. greater than any which is already in the database), if you implement seeking for the proper place for a version in the (doubly-)linked list by starting from the end of the list (where the greatest version in the list is), both adding a new version and checking which version is the latest in the database will be almost instantaneous.

[bimsy]

Database, as in a RDBMS, as in MySql.

The other alternative, which I am considering is to assign everything a version index, and then reorder in PHP when I add a new row. It isn't as expensive as it sounds due to their being probably at max 20 rows that would need reordering.

[Genevieve]

Database, as in a RDBMS, as in MySql.

Well then my next quite obvious advice is ditch that and just program your own program version database in C++ (or some other programming language). :shrug:

[Roberta Obrien]

Well then my next quite obvious advice is ditch that and just program your own program version database in C++ (or some other programming language). :shrug:

It isn't only version data. There are about 10 tables with an expected 100 000 to 500 000 rows in total.

[Juliet]

It isn't only version data. There are about 10 tables with an expected 100 000 to 500 000 rows in total.

Each could be done quite simply as a class containing a doubly-linked list of your own classes (or structs) and appropriate managing functions.