Thread: Pseudocode - I'm confused

Here is some code that I just came up with :

Code:

Algorithm_Test
String Exposure
Output "Please enter an exposure time"
Input Exposure
Output "Please enter an aperture value"
aperture array={"f1.2","f1.4","f1.8","f2.0","f2.8","f4.0","f5.0","f8.0","f11.0","f16.0","f22.0","f32.0","f2","f4","f5","f8","f11","f22","f32"}
string guess
input guess 
Integer i
For (i=0;i<19;i++)
{
compare strings
If guess=aperture 
then
{
output "This aperture is on the list of possible values !"
output " The values you have entered are"
output "Aperture value is",aperture,"Exposure time is",exposure
}
else
{
output " You have entered an invalid aperture "
End Algorithm_Test
}

Is this valid pseudocode ?Please comment , I have no idea if I'm doing this right

Theres no such thing as vailid pseudo code http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudocode

Originally Posted by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudocode

As the name suggests, pseudocode generally does not actually obey the syntax rules of any particular language; there is no systematic standard form, although any particular writer will generally borrow the appearance of a particular language.

Also indent your code, regardless. It's very hard to read.

> Would I have to include that in the pseudocode ?
One way to think about it would be that the pseudo code would become the block comments in the code. So it tells you a little bit more of "why" you're doing something rather than just merely restating "how" you're doing some things.

Eg where you had
Output "Please enter an exposure time"
Input Exposure

I would just say
Prompt for and read exposure value

Which would turn into code as (for example)

Code:

    /* Prompt for and read exposure value */
    fgets( buff, sizeof buff, stdin );
    sscanf( buff, "%f", &exposure );

The idea being you could just paste your pseudo code into an empty source file, go through it putting /**/ comments around each line, then start filling in the details with actual code.

The for loop I would replace with a pseudo code line of say "search predefined apertures for a match", then an indented block of pseudo code to describe the inner detail of "matching apertures".

> (newline removal... ) Would I have to include that in the pseudocode ?
No, that would be too detailed IMO.
You might mention it once as an additional comment the first time you used it, but that's about all.

I guess you're just going to have to go with your locally defined rules then.