Has this ever happened to you? (AKA proof that I am insane)

Ryan · 2006-10-10T05:30:53

At one point during 4E5, I had to write some code that would make certain that the map would not scroll so far as to allow the player to see the edge of the map. For some reason, it simply would not work. I ended up writing a piece of code that would solve an arithmetic sequence and that solved the problem. The next day, I went back to work and it stopped working. I went back, looked at it, and wondered why it stopped working. I went back to the piece of code and fooled around with it, and eventually got it working again. The thing that struck me as odd was that a) the sequence had worked in the first place and b) that the final code was EXACTLY the same code that originally wasn't working. I ended up commenting out the code and inserting this right before it: //... // <insert arithmetic sequence formula here> // FUCKED UP ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE REMOVED // Reason: program was not obeying the rules of math! // ... Has this happened to anyone else, or have I gone completely insane?

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Started by Oberon_Command October 08, 2006 07:40 PM

19 comments, last by Flarelocke 17 years, 6 months ago

LessBread

1,415

October 09, 2006 04:12 PM

Quote:Original post by Witchcraven
I have seen that type of thing before, and would swear the laws of logic were breaking down. But I always solved the problem, and it is usually a wierd memory thing. The other thing that has messed me up for a while was doing if(a=1)... instead of if(a==1). Sometimes the double = is just not obvious enough.

One way to avoid (a=1) instead of (a==1) is to put the literal value first, ie (1 ==a). That way the compiler will catch (1=a) for you should you omit the second =.

"I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes." - the Laughing Man

JBourrie

1,204

October 09, 2006 04:18 PM

I have found that if you use Visual Studio 2003 or earlier, there actually are gnomes that purposely fuck up your code.

Many times I have had completely bizarre errors pop up because it didn't properly recalculate dependencies, so I'll spend 30 minutes searching for a bug that goes away when I do a Rebuild All.

I haven't yet had this problem with VC2k5, so heres hoping it's fixed for good!

Check out my new game Smash and Dash at:

http://www.smashanddashgame.com/

Rixter

785

October 09, 2006 04:20 PM

Quote:Original post by LessBread
Quote:Original post by Witchcraven
I have seen that type of thing before, and would swear the laws of logic were breaking down. But I always solved the problem, and it is usually a wierd memory thing. The other thing that has messed me up for a while was doing if(a=1)... instead of if(a==1). Sometimes the double = is just not obvious enough.

One way to avoid (a=1) instead of (a==1) is to put the literal value first, ie (1 ==a). That way the compiler will catch (1=a) for you should you omit the second =.

That's a good trick actually, I learned about it sometime ago, but for whatever reason I have yet to make habit out of it.

It happens all the time with me and the people I know that if code doesn't work, and you're sure it should, often just the the "magic re-write exactly the same way and then it will work". Happens surprisingly often.

owl

376

October 09, 2006 04:28 PM

When writing libraries along with the executable I used to forget to re-link the library after modifications therefor things continued behaving the same, even if I erased all source code.

[size="2"]I like the Walrus best.

KGodwin

174

October 09, 2006 05:05 PM

Quote:Original post by LessBread
Quote:Original post by Witchcraven
I have seen that type of thing before, and would swear the laws of logic were breaking down. But I always solved the problem, and it is usually a wierd memory thing. The other thing that has messed me up for a while was doing if(a=1)... instead of if(a==1). Sometimes the double = is just not obvious enough.

One way to avoid (a=1) instead of (a==1) is to put the literal value first, ie (1 ==a). That way the compiler will catch (1=a) for you should you omit the second =.

Nice trick...I can't believ I never thought of it!

@Tallun
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Fruny

1,658

October 09, 2006 05:46 PM

For what it's worth, one of the most embarrassing thing I did in my code was to define my dot product function as returning an int...

Quote:Original post by LessBread
One way to avoid (a=1) instead of (a==1) is to put the literal value first, ie (1 ==a). That way the compiler will catch (1=a) for you should you omit the second =.

I had set my text editor (nano) to highlight = and == in different colors.

"Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it." — Brian W. Kernighan

Toolmaker

967

October 09, 2006 05:55 PM

Quote:Original post by load_bitmap_file
I've had this sort of thing happen multiple times. Finally working code one day, screwed up the next. No idea why or how. There are strange gnomes living in my PC.

Trust me, it aren't gnomes...

Make sure to keep cats away from your computer at all times!

KGodwin

174

October 09, 2006 10:21 PM

Quote:Original post by Toolmaker
Quote:Original post by load_bitmap_file
I've had this sort of thing happen multiple times. Finally working code one day, screwed up the next. No idea why or how. There are strange gnomes living in my PC.

Trust me, it aren't gnomes...

Make sure to keep cats away from your computer at all times!

I would come up with my open image of a garden gnome invading a pc, but I don't have any spare cases. =) You win.

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ApochPiQ

23,138

October 10, 2006 01:07 AM

The Eldritch Gnome Collective roams among you. We shall overcome. Donate your cycles or be swept aside by the Gnomish tide.

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Eelco

301

October 10, 2006 02:45 AM

Quote:Original post by LessBread
Quote:Original post by Witchcraven
I have seen that type of thing before, and would swear the laws of logic were breaking down. But I always solved the problem, and it is usually a wierd memory thing. The other thing that has messed me up for a while was doing if(a=1)... instead of if(a==1). Sometimes the double = is just not obvious enough.

One way to avoid (a=1) instead of (a==1) is to put the literal value first, ie (1 ==a). That way the compiler will catch (1=a) for you should you omit the second =.

wow. so you DO actually program! seriously, this is the first time i hear you saying something technical.

more ontopic: have a good debugger, and just check every variable one by one. that way youre bound to run into it. ive worked in situations where i hadnt, and ive also come to the conclusion often that some logic circuits in my CPU must have shortcircuited, but in the end it always turned out to be me again.

Has this ever happened to you? (AKA proof that I am insane)

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Has this ever happened to you? (AKA proof that I am insane)

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