Design before starting to Code?

chromasonics

I am new to scratch but have been involved in software development and in latter years sorting out large projects where a proper design was not carried out. As I hope to introduce young people to Scratch I would like to know if users produce a detailed design (by this I mean something like a flow diagram) notes etc before starting to code? For general checking out how things work not necessary but if you have planned project?

Why Chromasonics? The science of seeing sound!!

Paddle2See

That's an interesting question! I'm going to move it to the Questions about Scratch section to see if we can get more responses.

From my own viewpoint, I usually just do a quick prototype to make sure my idea will work, then start throwing scripts together - I don't usually map it all out ahead of time. But, then, must of my projects are not very structurally complex.

Firedrake969

Pretty much none of my projects here have had anything written down beforehand.

However, I do know pretty much exactly how everything will work out, and I use that to adjust code/fix bugs. Everything for my program is stored in my head, basically

Any pseudocode I make (also in my head) tends to look like JS for some reason…

Last edited by Firedrake969 (Sept. 24, 2014 21:26:48)

OmnipotentPotato

I never do that. What I do is:

Get idea
Think about, elaborate on it
Start coding it (I use black/grey/red squares for all sprites and draw later)
If it seems to being going well and definitely is going to work, I make real sprites
Tie everything up
Put in instructions//credit/tags/sound
Share

This seems to work pretty well for me and I make somewhat complex projects.

If you want to know this because you are teaching, let people do what they are comfortable with, imo.

Last edited by OmnipotentPotato (Sept. 24, 2014 01:23:49)

turkey3

Pretty much I start, not much planning at all I go with the flow.

cheddargirl

I do design notes, but not in the form of a flow diagram.

I usually write out the main idea in my notebook, break it into smaller parts, and then scribble pseudocode next to the parts to get a sense on how the project should be coded to achieve said idea.

The exception would be when animating though - I usually sketch out the scenes or just wing it.

MegaApuTurkUltra

I don't really design, even for real software projects. I usually just scribble some code and think about how things are going to work. Then I draft code and keep working on it until it's good.

TheHockeyist

I design an idea in my head and see possible scripts and flaws in my head first. I can see a possible way to do a script in my head, seriously. I test it out in my head and foresee any possible flaws. If I think the project is doable and easy to code, then I'll begin. If I get bored or find out that it is developing into something very complex, I'll abandon the project. Sometimes I do test things out ahead of time. Sometimes the test grows into a full-fledged project, but this is rare with me.

MegaApuTurkUltra

TheHockeyist wrote:
I design an idea in my head and see possible scripts and flaws in my head first. I can see a possible way to do a script in my head, seriously. I test it out in my head and foresee any possible flaws. If I think the project is doable and easy to code, then I'll begin. If I get bored or find out that it is developing into something very complex, I'll abandon the project. Sometimes I do test things out ahead of time. Sometimes the test grows into a full-fledged project, but this is rare with me.

Yeah it's actually like that for me too. I can run basic ideas in my head and find flaws/things to watch for. I can even do simple debugging in my head. I don't have a photographic memory by I can remember the basic functional flow of my code. So if there's a weird bug that comes up in my code that I can fix, I just take a break and think about it!
However drafting in pseudo code is also useful in some cases

Last edited by MegaApuTurkUltra (Sept. 24, 2014 17:16:13)

Blueinkproductions

I never plan stuff out, but usually have a fairly good concept of what my project should be. This results in really messy code, which I usually clean up.

KingOfAwesome58219

I just think of an idea, and then attempt to make it. If something goes wrong, I delete it and start over again it works, or possibly just give up on the project all together until later.

OmnipotentPotato

TheHockeyist wrote:
I design an idea in my head and see possible scripts and flaws in my head first. I can see a possible way to do a script in my head, seriously. I test it out in my head and foresee any possible flaws. If I think the project is doable and easy to code, then I'll begin. If I get bored or find out that it is developing into something very complex, I'll abandon the project. Sometimes I do test things out ahead of time. Sometimes the test grows into a full-fledged project, but this is rare with me.

Wow, do you have a photo memory?

Alberknyis

1. Invent a good idea.
2. Think about every single part you will need to program and forget about actually doing it. //This is the only thing you actually need to read.
3. Learn code you will need to know from other projects in scratch.
4. Start project, programming from the first point (where the project will start) and ending at the last point (where the project will end).
5. Stop just after you pass the hardest bit.

*May not actually successfully create a project. This is how I work, not exactly how the best way works.

chromasonics

Interesting comments to my original question. If the project is simple then you can probably plan in your head and just code - you will still get bugs though. Complex projects will be very difficult to do in this manner and do need some logic planning. I use flow diagrams - Visio mainly used for this exercise. By running through a flow diagram bugs can be quickly detected and eliminated. Coding is then usually going to be bug free but bugs due to unforseen actions can still creep in. Main problems I have are things like not understading how a particular item of code operates and its effect on other items of code. With Scratch I have yet to learn many things. I must admit that I like Assembler code and have completed many project using Microchip devices and Scratch is, when compared to Assembler a higher level language. When teaching young adults I do think we need the ‘Plan in detail before you code’ to make sure they get into good practises. Really software is no different to hardware - Design it before you start to build it.

Dreamoz

KingOfAwesome58219 wrote:
I just think of an idea, and then attempt to make it. If something goes wrong, I delete it and start over again it works, or possibly just give up on the project all together until later.

TheHockeyist

OmnipotentPotato wrote:
TheHockeyist wrote:
I design an idea in my head and see possible scripts and flaws in my head first. I can see a possible way to do a script in my head, seriously. I test it out in my head and foresee any possible flaws. If I think the project is doable and easy to code, then I'll begin. If I get bored or find out that it is developing into something very complex, I'll abandon the project. Sometimes I do test things out ahead of time. Sometimes the test grows into a full-fledged project, but this is rare with me.
Wow, do you have a photo memory?

Kind of. It's good enough so that I know what to do.

OmnipotentPotato

TheHockeyist wrote:
OmnipotentPotato wrote:
TheHockeyist wrote:
I design an idea in my head and see possible scripts and flaws in my head first. I can see a possible way to do a script in my head, seriously. I test it out in my head and foresee any possible flaws. If I think the project is doable and easy to code, then I'll begin. If I get bored or find out that it is developing into something very complex, I'll abandon the project. Sometimes I do test things out ahead of time. Sometimes the test grows into a full-fledged project, but this is rare with me.
Wow, do you have a photo memory?
Kind of. It's good enough so that I know what to do.

That's cool! I could never actually like see the blocks/code and stuff in my head.

MegaApuTurkUltra

OmnipotentPotato wrote:
TheHockeyist wrote:
OmnipotentPotato wrote:
TheHockeyist wrote:
I design an idea in my head and see possible scripts and flaws in my head first. I can see a possible way to do a script in my head, seriously. I test it out in my head and foresee any possible flaws. If I think the project is doable and easy to code, then I'll begin. If I get bored or find out that it is developing into something very complex, I'll abandon the project. Sometimes I do test things out ahead of time. Sometimes the test grows into a full-fledged project, but this is rare with me.
Wow, do you have a photo memory?
Kind of. It's good enough so that I know what to do.
That's cool! I could never actually like see the blocks/code and stuff in my head.

I'm sure you will with enough coding practice. As I said before, I don't really have a photographic memory but I've been coding for so long I can see a functional description of my code and run simple emulations to find bugs (thinking about my code is actually how I find most bugs). It's all in practice

OmnipotentPotato

MegaApuTurkUltra wrote:
OmnipotentPotato wrote:
TheHockeyist wrote:
OmnipotentPotato wrote:
TheHockeyist wrote:
I design an idea in my head and see possible scripts and flaws in my head first. I can see a possible way to do a script in my head, seriously. I test it out in my head and foresee any possible flaws. If I think the project is doable and easy to code, then I'll begin. If I get bored or find out that it is developing into something very complex, I'll abandon the project. Sometimes I do test things out ahead of time. Sometimes the test grows into a full-fledged project, but this is rare with me.
Wow, do you have a photo memory?
Kind of. It's good enough so that I know what to do.
That's cool! I could never actually like see the blocks/code and stuff in my head.
I'm sure you will with enough coding practice. As I said before, I don't really have a photographic memory but I've been coding for so long I can see a functional description of my code and run simple emulations to find bugs (thinking about my code is actually how I find most bugs). It's all in practice

Yeah, when I run a program, see something wrong, I can tell why most of the time. But, sitting around with Scratch not even open and trying to find bugs that way is something I could do.

Korewa

I think about a game idea, (sometimes) write it down, then do my graphics first, and finally code it.

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