Posted by Jerry Stuckle on 10/26/05 04:55

Oli Filth wrote:
> Andrew DeFaria said the following on 25/10/2005 19:07:
>
>
> The biggest single reason I love an IDE that "understands" the language?
> Project navigation. A project with 100 classes split over an equally
> large number of source/header files, in a generic text editor, if I
> wanted to look up the the implementation of X::Foo(), I'd either have to
> remember that Class X is defined somewhere in source file Y, then search
> that file (semi)manually, or do a global search for "Foo()" and wade
> through the results. In an IDE, I click on X in class-view, then click
> on Foo(), and I'm straight there (in VS, I press F12 when the caret is
> on a call to X::Foo(), the effect is the same).
>

Or, you just look it up in the project documentation. Of course, if you
don't document, I see why you need an IDE!

> Biggest second reason - click on a compiler error message, and it jumps
> to the code in question, saves an inordinate amount of time. I don't
> actually care that the error is on Line 362 in foo.cpp, I just need to
> see the relevant code, NOW.
>

I never found this to be a big advantage. Nice, maybe. But I generally
have the code open in a text editor anyway. And it's generally right
where I've been working.

>
> I never did at any point in this discussion! Just offering my views, and
> attempting to learn the reasoning behind the alternate view/methodology.
> Believe it or not, I'm genuinely interested in what you (and others)
> have to say and why you do things the way you do.
>

It's simple. IDE's are nice for some people. Other people can be more
efficient without them. Just like there are multiple languages.

>
>
> You missed the point I was trying to make, I think.
>
> If you know the exact nuances of command-line C compilation and
> building, utilising every single feature that makefiles afford, that's
> great. Now sit down in front of the command-line and try to build a Java
> app from source - you're back to square one, unless you sift through the
> documentation and learn the nuances of Java compilers, etc. The
> "fundamental" knowledge of how to organise and build an app from basics
> isn't actually that "fundamental" (my term, not yours, I know), because
> you have to re-learn it for every language you use.
>

I don't need *every* feature of a makefile. Just enough to compile and
link.

As for switching to Java - no problem. If I have forgotten something,
it takes maybe 1 minute to look it up in the help files.

But no, I *don't* need to "re-learn it for every language...". Compiler
options may differ - but I need to set them in the IDE anyway, don't I?
It takes a *lot* longer to figure out why the IDE's defaults don't
work for my project than it does to create a makefile in the first place.



--
==================
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Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attglobal.net
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