Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!mit-eddie!ll-xn!ames!elroy!devvax!jackm
From: jackm@devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV (Jack Morrison)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: finding stray /*
Message-ID: <1067@devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV>
Date: 19 Jan 88 15:42:49 GMT
References: <38384@sun.uucp> <3573@sdcc6.ucsd.EDU> <434@drilex.UUCP> <7124@brl-smoke.ARPA> <1464@dataio.Data-IO.COM> <105@ritcv.UUCP>
Reply-To: jackm@devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV (Jack Morrison)
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.
Lines: 25

[anguish over bugs like: ]
>> >   a = b/*c;
>> 
>> 	a = b;				/* some explanatory comment
>> 	c = d;				/* another comment		*/
>> 

1. These fall in the class of "=" vs. "=="; anyone can write a program to
check for all these stupid mistakes we make all the time (yes, even I have
one; ask by mail if you want it). I think we've seen enough, yes?

2. "Binary search" for mysterious problems is good as a last resort, but one
recommendation (stolen from Robert Ward's helpful book _Debugging C_): 
rather than deleting code and juggling multiple copies, use 

#ifdef JUNK
...
#endif JUNK

to remove the next half from consideration.

-- 
Jack C. Morrison	Jet Propulsion Laboratory
(818)354-1463		jackm@jpl-devvax.jpl.nasa.gov
"The paycheck is part government property, but the opinions are all mine."