Steps to take when programming

Well i always take these steps when I am trying to make a program.
Hope these help.

The development cycle
The Following steps make up the devolopment cycles:

1. Come with an idea for a program

2. Decide the probable identity of the typical user of this program

3. Decide which computer the program is to run on

4. Pick one or more computer languages to use

5.Design the program by using pseudocode or any other tool to outline the structure of the
program.

6. Write the program

7. Test the prgram (also known as alpha testing)

8. Fix any problems that you discover during testing


The following steps are steps that you may need to follow and existing program:

1. Verify all reprots of problems (or bugs) and determine what part of the program may be causing the program may be causing the bug to appear.

2. Fix the bug.

3. Test the program to make sure that the bug is really gone and that any changes you make to the prgram don't introduce any new bugs.

4. Fix any problems that may occur during testing.

5. Repeat Steps 1. through 4. for each bug that someone reports in the program.

6. Release a software patch, which you can add to an existing version of the program to incorporate corrections that you make to "patch up" the problems.


The upgrade cycle, the following steps make up the upgrade cycle:

1. Determine what new feature you want to add to the program.

2. Plan how this new feature is to work (by using pseudocode or another tool to help structure you ideas).

3. Modify the program to add this new feature.

4.Test this new feature (by using alpha testing) to make sure that it works and doesn't introduce new bugs into the program.

5. Fix any problems that may accur during alpha testing.

6. Try out your new program and maybe even sell it to the public.



>Hope that helps you in programming.

Thanx

You forgot:

drink lots of soda and make plenty of raids on the refrigerator. : )


PuRe

Also between 6 and 7 I have found it usefull to test as I write the code. Especially when using functions. This way you can't move on if there is a mistake in your first section of code and makes the finall debugging process shorter.

You also need a step 9 where someone else tests your program. You wrote the program so you know how the user should use the program and you know what the inputs should be, but users are clever in how they figure out how to do things we don't expect. You are much more likely to catch those kind of errors if someone else tests in addition to you.

If your program interfaces with any other application, you also need to test those interfaces.

Don't forget "don't make any plans, you're gonna be here for a while." Whenever I'm coding I loose track of time completely. I'll look up and five hours have suddenly passed. And I missed classes. Crap.

those are some nice tips, if i were you though, i would stick this in the tutorials section if you did indeed write it, as it is a tutorial imo.

Well i put these in here because i just use these to help me and i though they would help everyone too. When i make some little programs i just follow those steps that i made for my own advantage. So i wasn' sure. Could some tutrial moderator will move it if they think it should be there I hope.

hi, I am also new to programming. What about creating data dictionaries and external documentation or are these just academic?

what is the creative process for you to come up with an idea for a program. im too pragmatic about programming. when i can't find something to do what i need done is when i decide to write a program. decide which language is best for the purpose and go from there but situations like that dont happen often enough most programming needs have been done to death.