How start a project

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MJU
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How start a project

Post by MJU »

I'm using Flowcode quite a while now and still I manage to get lost in my own projects.

I learned to use Flowcode in a "one day course". From the beginning I was seduced by the easy way I could get a processor do what I wanted him to do.
But, still after all these years I loose control over the way I make these Flocode projects.

I start out with an idea and enthusiastic begin playing with Flowcode.
I don't mind start things over and over again, try new things in the project and so on.
After a while I loose my initial idea and sometimes get lost in ideas and solutions within a project.

What is the best way for you all to get a project to a good end?
I'm not the kind of guy that writes everything down before I begin, the ideas and solutions come automatically as I go.
How do you start a project and keep overview over the whole code?

Do you write/draw everything out?
Is there a "best practice" for starting a project?
I want to hear from all of you what you think is the best way to keep things under control.

I must add that sometimes I'm working on something, and then have to let it rest for a few weeks (even months) because of lack of time.

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Enamul
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Re: How start a project

Post by Enamul »

Hi
I am sharing my strategy...
step1: write the core concept of project
step2: try to make a block diagram of the whole system
step3: start thinking about hardware I want to use and then start drawing schematic... obviously draft which matures as project flows on.
step4: for large projects, develop each block in Flowcode separately and test separately and then combine at last.
step5: Make PCB and test the final unit in real-life scenario.

Hope this helps :)
Enamul
University of Nottingham
enamul4mm@gmail.com

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JonnyW
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Re: How start a project

Post by JonnyW »

Hi.

I am a big fan of commenting code. A good test of how readable a project is is if you can leave it 6 months, come back and pick it up again.

- Macro comments should always be provided to give an overview of what a macro does - never cut corners here if you want to maintain the code.
- Comment blocks should be added to annotate a section of your program: 'the following loop counts to 10', etc. This also helps break your program into sections, which is easier for your eye to pick up.
- Icon descriptions should be added to give a feel as to what each icon does and though much of the time this is replicating the same info, if you search for a variable or piece of text, at least you wont get a list of a dozen icons all named 'calculation'.
- Variable and macro names give a big hint as to their function - do not give things obscure names and try to stick with a convention - if you use the term 'GetState()' in one program, don't use 'FindState()', 'GrabState() or 'ReadState()' in others as you find most of your time is spent trying to remember obscure or inconsistent macro/variable names.

Familiarity is a big key. Break your program up into sections that mean something - a lot of time I see programs which are a massive list of icons in main(), with no breaks, no comments and no sub-routines. This is difficult to read when you have forgotten the quirks of your program so break large blocks into macros if possible (or use comment icons) to give the code sections more meaning.

A lot of this stuff seems like an unnecessary effort at first and is easy to neglect, but over time it does pay off.

I hope this is useful,

Jonny

MJU
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Re: How start a project

Post by MJU »

Magnificent, thank you both! :D

Anyone more idea's?

dazz
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Re: How start a project

Post by dazz »

Hi

I tend to jot on paper what i need, just a few notes ie, 4 output 3 inputs ,temperature control etc. also i find copying that into a notepad document helps as the referance is always on my desktop, i then draw a line under it and dont edit that section additions are placed underneath so i always have the original spec available

next i add the components i want to use and the corresponding input output icons, i then save, everytime i modify i save as with a number on the end , that way if it goes horribly wrong i dont lose everything. also sometimes i use the panel as a crib sheet by adding notes to the components.

another good tip is to export macros you make that way a macro is reuseable, rather that writing one from scratch it just needs editing ie variables changed etc

Finally everyone has different ways of doing stuff so use ideas based on the way you work

Regards
Dazz
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