in reply to Anchors, bleh :(

oko1:

Don't rewrite your script someday. Just choose a chunk and refactor it each time you modify it, so it can evolve into a better script. Choose either the chunk that offends you most, or the chunk you're working on to add the feature.

That way, if the script doesn't need many modifications, it never gets perfect--but you won't care since you're not in the code. If you have to make frequent modifications, it will quickly get into shape.

And here's a simple way to eliminate that failure mode you mention: Treat those 'fake' anchors as some of the specific, demarcated chunks of text you want to preserve. That way, you'll simply replace the thing that looks like a marker with a real marker. Then when you plug the original bits back in, you're golden.

...roboticus

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^2: Anchors, bleh :(
by oko1 (Deacon) on Feb 08, 2008 at 14:41 UTC

    That's actually what I've been doing - and, in fact, the individual chunks of the script (the various routines) are pretty darned good. What needs rewriting is the overall structure: it's *really* not well-defined, and would be hell for someone else to read despite the copious comments. 

    > And here's a simple way to eliminate that failure mode 
> you mention: Treat those 'fake' anchors as some of the 
> specific, demarcated chunks of text you want to 
> preserve. That way, you'll simply replace the thing 
> that looks like a marker with a real marker. Then when 
> you plug the original bits back in, you're golden.

    Well, as I've said - it's easily avoidable. I just think that there should be a more... graceful way to do this - sort of like using a Schwartzian transform instead of plodding through a bunch of loops and fiddling with temp vars.

[reply]

In Section Seekers of Perl Wisdom