Thread: Writing FAQ articles

  1. #1
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    Writing FAQ articles

    According to the FAQ Intro page, Hammer maintains the FAQ articles, but his account hasn't been active since '07. As a matter of fact, apart from one article two years ago, there hasn't been a FAQ article written in over 6 years. Who handles this now?

    There were a few things last week that hit me as topics that should have a FAQ entry (stuff I've answered several times since I've been here). So I started working on a few FAQ articles over the weekend, and was wondering what to do with them. Numbers 2 and 3 are the ones I thought needed to be written, then I found number 1 on the "to do" list:
    1. Working with multiple source files (from the old "to do" list)
    2. Explanation of extern and static
    3. How to compile and use a shared library (Linux/gcc)


    Is there much interest out there in adding to the FAQ (AndrewHunter, I'm looking at you: gcc saying --------->undefined reference to sqrt)? If anybody has any other, ideas for FAQ articles, perhaps you could post them or even start writing them.

    I suppose the same goes for the tutorial section

  2. #2
    Administrator webmaster's Avatar
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    Good question! If you're interested in writing FAQ entries (or tutorials, or anything else) that's fantastic, and I can help you get them posted. It would be great to get new FAQ entries added.

    The best way to submit FAQ entries (or tutorials or articles) is just to send them to me via email: [email protected]

    I'll read them, make suggestions and edits, and take care of posting.

  3. #3
    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    I think that it is just as important to update the FAQ (and other) articles, but that would be quite a mammoth task.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bjarne Stroustrup (2000-10-14)
    I get maybe two dozen requests for help with some sort of programming or design problem every day. Most have more sense than to send me hundreds of lines of code. If they do, I ask them to find the smallest example that exhibits the problem and send me that. Mostly, they then find the error themselves. "Finding the smallest program that demonstrates the error" is a powerful debugging tool.
    Look up a C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

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    Quote Originally Posted by anduril462 View Post
    Is there much interest out there in adding to the FAQ (AndrewHunter, I'm looking at you: gcc saying --------->undefined reference to sqrt)? If anybody has any other, ideas for FAQ articles, perhaps you could post them or even start writing them.

    I suppose the same goes for the tutorial section
    haha...good point. Luckily I do have some time to start working on these ideas, however if we are going to start this (and I do think it is a good idea) I think we should coordinate efforts so that we do not duplicate work and thus waste time.

    I agree with you anduril462, I think some of these items need to be completed and others could be refined. So, I would say we should start with the FAQ "to do" list as you mentioned and then move on to a facelift of the FAQs and tutorials. We should use this thread as a prelim signup sheet of who is interested in this task and what they are willing to do / areas of expertise.

    I am willing to work on an areas and I do have the time to do it; additionally I do have a deep background with corporate training if no one else wants to organize the effort.
    Quote Originally Posted by anduril462 View Post
    Now, please, for the love of all things good and holy, think about what you're doing! Don't just run around willy-nilly, coding like a drunk two-year-old....
    Quote Originally Posted by quzah View Post
    ..... Just don't be surprised when I say you aren't using standard C anymore, and as such,are off in your own little universe that I will completely disregard.
    Warning: Some or all of my posted code may be non-standard and as such should not be used and in no case looked at.

  5. #5
    Lurking whiteflags's Avatar
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    The to-do list is actually pretty out of date.

    Quote Originally Posted by FAQ To-do
    Explanations of...
    Using multiple source files (C)
    Structures
    Link Lists
    Binary Trees
    Recursion
    Covered by Prelude, in her corner.
    Covered by elad.

    At least, covered to a large extent by elad. I think it would be wiser to incorporate the C bits missing from that article rather than starting completely over. Using project headers and source in either C++ or C is actually not that different. It's a matter of what content belongs in there. I also think that the extern and extern "C" explanations could be covered there.

    Quote Originally Posted by FAQ To-do
    Compiler specific
    Setting up Borland 5.5
    Really?

    Quote Originally Posted by FAQ To-do
    A list of useful macros
    BUFSIZ
    M_PI
    NULL
    The ones in <errno.h>
    The ones in <limits.h>
    ...uh ...
    assert();

    Yeah.

  6. #6
    [](){}(); manasij7479's Avatar
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    Though it is not covered in the To-Do list(..and very few existing..(I found only one on this site) ),
    I think I could write something about setting up Development Environments in Linux...i.e. how to set up IDE `s to point to the correct libraries (and in some cases compilers!), how to install downloaded libraries, how to set up the IDEs to use gdb without problems....
    and a few general ones like using gdb(No, the man page isn't a good teacher at first.. :P)..and a front-end (I just noticed one tutorial explaining the basics of gdb from the terminal, here), using version control ...etc

    These are the topics I've trouble finding information when trying out from the first time, so I'd rather someone else not go through some of the trial & errors involved !
    Last edited by manasij7479; 08-30-2011 at 03:47 AM.

  7. #7
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    a few general ones like using gdb(No, the man page isn't a good teacher at first.. :P )
    I wonder how heavily we'll borrow from this? RMS's gdb Tutorial

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    [](){}(); manasij7479's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by whiteflags View Post
    I wonder how heavily we'll borrow from this? RMS's gdb Tutorial
    ... Just posting a link of that would be great ! ...

    Though the writing terminology maybe a bit difficult to grasp for those who heard the word debugger for the first time.

    I thought that this was written by 'The' RMS until I found a link in the site saying that is is Ryan (Michael) Schmidt.
    Last edited by manasij7479; 08-30-2011 at 03:50 AM.

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    @laserlight: It is a big undertaking, but I think it's a "many hands make light work" situation, and I don't really care whether we finish in 5 days or 5 months. I think if we can wrangle up 5 or 10 competent people, and they could all give even 10 minutes a day, it wont be that bad.

    @Whiteflags: I'm all for combining related things and not duplicating work. Honestly, I spent about 45 total on the 3 things I wrote, so I don't care if we toss out the multiple files bit, and hack up the extern stuff.

    Regarding GDB, we actually have a tutorial covering GDB, but to me it didn't seem that noob friendly. RMS's tutorial seems better, but something even simpler might be good too.

  10. #10
    Administrator webmaster's Avatar
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    I agree that the FAQ "to do" list is completely out of date, and many of the topics listed in it are already covered either in the FAQ itself or elsewhere on the site.

    If you want to know if there's already something on the site covering a topic--ask me. I wrote most of it (outside the FAQ), so I know what's there

    Regarding updating existing articles: unlike new articles, you should tell me in advance if you're interested in making changes or edits to existing content.

  11. #11
    [](){}(); manasij7479's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by webmaster
    Regarding updating existing articles: unlike new articles, you should tell me in advance if you're interested in making changes or edits to existing content.
    I wrote a 3 page beginner friendly tutorial on the basics of gdb.[Edit: It got a bit longer due to the example]
    Is it to be considered a new article or an alternate chapter of the existing one ?

    Attached here, is the odt file(change the extension back from txt).

    gdb.txt

    (I don't generally use word processors, but owing to my rather poor knowledge of markup languages, I thought it'd be better to let Libre handle it now.)


    Please review...(Also, do suggest a better sort of example...mine is almost too silly!)
    Last edited by manasij7479; 08-31-2011 at 02:02 AM.

  12. #12
    C++まいる!Cをこわせ!
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    Just throwing in a little suggestion here...
    Ideally the FAQ should go to the main page when finished, but in the mean time, we do have the cpwiki where you can edit, discuss, comment and generally just have fun and mess around. There are also a couple of articles there that might be useful merging or moving to the main site.
    Once the articles there are finished, they could easily be moved to the main page.
    But on the wiki, you have the advantages of editing and creating in advance and also revision history and discussing things on their appropriate pages instead of merged into a single topic.

    Also, the URL: cpwiki has a problem
    Just in case you want to use it, you have to create a sourceforge account if you don't have it. And finally, before being able to edit anything on the wiki, you need the appropriate privileges. To get them, you'll have to PM Cornedbee, dwks, me or zacs7. That's just how the wiki works unfortunately.
    Quote Originally Posted by Adak View Post
    io.h certainly IS included in some modern compilers. It is no longer part of the standard for C, but it is nevertheless, included in the very latest Pelles C versions.
    Quote Originally Posted by Salem View Post
    You mean it's included as a crutch to help ancient programmers limp along without them having to relearn too much.

    Outside of your DOS world, your header file is meaningless.

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    Lurking whiteflags's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Elysia View Post
    Just throwing in a little suggestion here...
    Ideally the FAQ should go to the main page when finished,
    It already is. There is a link to the FAQ on every page of cprogramming.com.

  14. #14
    C++まいる!Cをこわせ!
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    I'm not sure we're speaking the same "language" here. What I meant is that all the material written (FAQs, etc) should appear on the FAQ page on cprogramming.com when finished. Not stored in cpwiki or any other place.

    Oh, and for anyone wanting to edit/create articles in cpwiki, you must first login to cpwiki with your OpenID/SF account. After that, PM one of the aforementioned to be able to edit/create pages.
    Last edited by Elysia; 08-31-2011 at 06:35 AM.
    Quote Originally Posted by Adak View Post
    io.h certainly IS included in some modern compilers. It is no longer part of the standard for C, but it is nevertheless, included in the very latest Pelles C versions.
    Quote Originally Posted by Salem View Post
    You mean it's included as a crutch to help ancient programmers limp along without them having to relearn too much.

    Outside of your DOS world, your header file is meaningless.

  15. #15
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    @manasij749: Thanks, I took a look at your article and it's a good start! I sent you a PM with suggestions for follow-up--please take a look.

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