How organized are you guys?

[Pete]

Organization is my middle, no first, no wait, I can't remember what part of my name it is. Well, that's about the truth. I started a little cat herding project to round up all the various aps, utilities, algorithms, etc., I've made in QB over the years, and what I'm finding is hundreds of files with hard to apps, many with hard to deduce old MS-DOS 8.3 names. It's reminding me of the Indiana Jones Arc of the Covenant lost in the government warehouse scene, only in my case, it's more of the "wherehouse." I mean I did start making build folders, about 8 years ago, but before that, I didn't even sort out builds.

So how about you guys? Anyone develop a system of tagging files or other methods so you have a good idea of what you programmed in your past?

Pete

[FellippeHeitor]

I'm a "put it on GitHub"-organized kind of guy.

[Pete]

Well good for you, but no bueno for me. I tried putting my stuff on GitHub... and they told me to GitLost.

Pete

[SpriggsySpriggs]

I used to use GitHub more than I do now. Right now, every bit of source is in my QB64 directory. Everything. Going several years back

[Pete]

Oh no Indy, you're going down my path! Watch out for the giant rock rolling up behind you! By the time you hit my age, you won't know where to find you car keys, let alone anything you programmed with your laptop keys.

When I was younger, I had a vivid memory of years of coding projects. When that memory ability began to fades with age, I got this odd feeling where I knew I had something, but I couldn't readily remember what it was called, or after many machine upgrades, what hard drive it might be on. That's why years ago, I just copied every file with a .bas extension to one BASIC folder, much like you put everything in a QB64 folder. So while I do know where all my work is, I now want to get those code files more indexed and accessible.

This thread brings back memories of a non-computer project I made in the 7th grade. I had this great idea of an all-purpose binder, that would organize all my school projects. I spent a couple of weeks designing and constructing it, and it was pretty impressive. The problem was, I only used it, as designed, a couple of times. I went right back to just stuffing papers everywhere, shortly after that! I really need to modify my Karma when it comes to this. In other words learn to love using what I create and much or more than creating it.

Pete

[SMcNeill]

Unfortunately, my organization is a lot like Pete’s.  I guess we’re both just Old Skool(tm) like that.  I’ve got files and libraries and projects scattered across 20 hard drives, a dozen USB sticks, and more CDs and DVDs than I could ever use for coasters or frisbees!! 

And, like Pete, I once worked on an organizational project to track all my stuff.  I wrote a nice little database manager, had it track 50 or so various tags (sound, video, graphic, font, utility, math, game, database, ect…), and then I could use it to track my stuff.  If I wanted a CircleFill routine, I’d click the tags for graphics, QB45 compatible, and utility and PRESTO — a link to the much smaller subset of files that met that criteria.

Designing the database, setting it up, making it interactive and pretty… all that was grand and amazing!!  An excellent use of several weeks worth of time!!

Sorting through my legion of stuff, tagging it, and adding it to the database…. Not so much so.  I enjoyed making the organizer, but when push came to shove, I just wasn’t enthused enough to use it afterwards….  I’m more of a program designer than I am a data entry type guy, by far.

So now even my grand SOS (Steve’s Organization System) sits in some folder, on some drive, or some archive on some CD or DVD, stored someplace in some room in my house…

[Pete]

There is a metaphysical theory we create what we think about. So 30 some odd years ago if something happened my wife didn't like, I used to tell her I didn't cause it, it was my evil twin, Steve! Also funny while Steve was posting here, I was making my post about the possibility of adding tagging to the IDE.

Anyway, evil part aside, just used for the bit, I have seen a lot of similarities between the two of us and I'm really glad Steve was able to start making libraries long before I had the time to pursue that system. Making libraries is a real pay it forward time saver. Still, and maybe some of you have had this same or similar experience, I have often passed on using a previously made routine and rather just coded, from scratch the same routine into a sub in the new project. I guess like Steve, I just like coding that much, too.

I kid Steve a lot, but I also have a lot of respect for him, his accomplishments, and contributions. I did not post this. It was my evil twin, Steve.

Pete

[TempodiBasic]

Hi
organization of files of code... in the years....
In the time of QBasic I have used a set of directory each for a project, while in the phase of developing I used to use a specific folder... Incorso (Ongoing) ....
BUT it doesn't save you from HDD crashes! So I used to make a copy on floppy, CD, external HDD (parallel port/ USB) following the evolution of technology of storing data.
Nowadays I find ancient to use a storage but still useful. The raising issue is the spreading (and duplication) of files in different paths (on the same storage or in different storage media) is a nightmare!
What file is the last version of that snippet? What features has this application ? Is that the main project that I have planned or is it a variant coming out from other thinkings about it?
For now because  my coding is very few, cause of lack of time ( I have so many project ongoing, because some arguments showded in the forum  stimulate my curiosity and my imagination),  I haven't used a cloud system,  that let you surely  access to  files anywhere. (For lost data issue you can have a backup on another cloud) So I'm using  2 folders out of QB64 folder. While in the QB64 folder I do anything, (I often save there code taken from QB64forum and from Discord) in the folder named MyQB64 I save my projects (there are folders for each of my projects plus Ongoing folder) and in the folder named QB64Forum (before it was QB64Store) I save snippet and programs posted from all you in the forum. For each of the more active contributors I have made a folder with subfolder for his programs.

I think that if I continue to write in QB64 I'll start to build library of code to use at need.

@Pete  so you have all your codes in one folder! The idea of Steve is great. You can build a database program with index as Steve posted some days ago... Main indexes :namefile, dateodfcreation, size, kind of program, allyouthinkusefulfordistinguishitfromothercode.
GoodWeekend

@Pete

There is a metaphysical theory we create what we think about.

it is a branch of creationism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creationism

[bplus]

  [ You are not allowed to view this attachment ]  

I use the last item listed in this .TXT file to get a listing of all Files and Folders of my "QB64 work" Folder (it makes the .TXT file).

When I can't remember where something is, I search the .TXT file with notepad++

I do the same with my other Basic folders.

[Dimster]

I use multiple decimals within the file name to help search for the many files.

I started this a little ago when I found I could open files containing data but not remember the .exe which was responsible for creating the data in the first place. The decimals/periods in the name now give me the type of data and the program that created it.

So for example, if main program with all the menu's and calculation formulas is called "LightningStrikes.bas" and the data being stored is the number of occurrence by Ground Lightning, Cloud to Cloud, Forked, Injuries, Property Damage. The data gets stored in a File "Ground.Cloud.Forked.BI.PD.LightningStrikes.bas" .

I guess its like multiple tags and I'm not sure how many decimals/periods would eventually cause me head aches but so far I found a good description for the .exe and using decimals/periods in the .bas has helped in searching out what goes where.

[bplus]

I use multiple decimals within the file name to help search for the many files.

I started this a little ago when I found I could open files containing data but not remember the .exe which was responsible for creating the data in the first place. The decimals/periods in the name now give me the type of data and the program that created it.

So for example, if main program with all the menu's and calculation formulas is called "LightningStrikes.bas" and the data being stored is the number of occurrence by Ground Lightning, Cloud to Cloud, Forked, Injuries, Property Damage. The data gets stored in a File "Ground.Cloud.Forked.BI.PD.LightningStrikes.bas" .

I guess its like multiple tags and I'm not sure how many decimals/periods would eventually cause me head aches but so far I found a good description for the .exe and using decimals/periods in the .bas has helped in searching out what goes where.

Seems to me spaces would work just as well eg, "Ground Cloud Forked BI PD Lightning Strikes.bas" .

[OldMoses]

Major working projects and their associated files get a subdirectory. Everything else goes in a pile. One pile to rule them all, one pile to find them...etc., etc.

[zaadstra]

I've got a massive pile of programs floating on many pc's and disks ...  Stuff that is useful gets copied to 'the new' pc and so lives on ...
Also I've found programs from which I really don't have an idea what they do.... specific tools probably.  And also I suspect to have written programs twice to solve the same problem :-)

But I'm a bit more organized now, With a \BAS folder with all subfolder per program or group of programs.
And a tree of the same folders in a Projects share on a nas.
Stuff is backed up by Duplicati (a kind of Time Machine), which has really helped me out when I need to look back at an 'in-between version' and forgot to increase the version number and go on in a new file.

[George McGinn]

I used to have the same issue of source code all over many systems, OS and devices.

Since I got my ProBox drive bays and extra hard drives, I spent more than a month going through my source and placing them in their proper directories. Since I code in more than a dozen languages, I set my system up where I have a SourceCode directory, then by language (Assembler, BASH, C, C++, BASIC, Fortan, COBOL, COBOLScript, HTML, PHP, Python, PASCAL, JAVA<, JAVAScript, etc.) and within each folder, if I have different dialects of a language (like BASIC, I have QB64, TechBASIC, SmartBASIC, FreeBASIC, etc) and within each I have my source code by Projects.

For programs that are loose in my BASIC folder, I use the extension to tell me what they are: programa.qb64 or programa.tech or programa.sb, etc. And I have Geany set up so that the correct compiler is used.

If I use the QB64 IDE, then I can pull in any program with .qb64 extension and it still works.

All my includes for BASIC have the .INC extension, just for convenience. I do somethimes use .BI and .BM when warranted.

When I am developing something, I have other directories, such as Development, Test, Debug, and Release. I use this to freeze stable code before I screw it up with changes.

I hope that helps, but with 10,000+ source programs, I needed a better way to manage them. I do still have issues with duplicate programs, but I work on fixing that whenever I get a chance, unless the source is on my ARCHIVE and BACKUP hard drives. (If you do not have many hard drives, then you can use a folder labelled ARCHIVE  and BACKUP).

It may sound like overkill, but this way, if I need code from TechBASIC to convert to QB64 or even in C, I know that I most likely only have one source to use. I wrote a BASH script that does check to see if I have duplicates of that source code, and resolve it at that time.

[zaadstra]

Nice topic by the way :-)

Maybe we should share the tools as well that we are using to conquer the mess we've created ...

Like I use Duplicati for backup and I would be helpless without Everything Search.