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So you want to port code from one language to another, huh?


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In my last job and for a number of private projects I needed to port huge amounts of code between languages. I'm specifically talking about ports on one and the same platform. Here are some tips I consider useful (from experience) in no particular order:

a) Pre-porting

Obviously, create a safe (sandbox) copy of whatever you are about to port. Separate it completely from anything important, even if this means setting up another production environment.

b ) While porting

  • Never try to fix something on the fly
  • If you need to substitute some paradigm (e.g. nested structures) not available in the target language, write a substitute and test it before starting to translate
  • Back up target code on almost every new LOC, use git and write an auto-commit script when in doubt
  • Go on a module by module basis, never translate whole code pages the same time
  • Never change any variable / constant etc. names on the fly
  • If time and budget allows, always write test wrappers for longer modules to verify every code path in source and target code (unless dependent on user input, of course)
  • Always assume the code you are porting was written by a person desperately trying to confuse you, even if it was you who wrote it!
  • Some languages have a (or multiple) different array base(s)
  • Don't trust automated translation (I know C#<->VB.NET is tempting) tools, never attempt to create any automated translation tools
  • Recreate not only code, but also file-structure, even if this is bad practice in the target language
  • Keep the case-sensitivity of the target and source language in mind
  • Don't delete anything on the way, just comment out
  • You don't want to care about any best practices or conventions, you care about a 1:1 copy; everything else is post-porting

c) Post-porting

Create a whole backup of the new code and put it somewhere safe. Then, and only then, start working with a fresh copy of the new code.

After all the projects I've been through, I can only say the above also applies when the source (no pun intended) code is only 200 LOC long. If the source language is complex enough, you'd be surprised how bad one can f*ck things up. If you have any additional tips or stories regarding ports, leave them here. :) 

 

I will answer every single PM, and you are free to ask anything anytime.

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It was a good read.  Seemed like pretty good practices for any code projects. :)

I agree.

Can you or me make new Wiki Page of course copy Paste ?

EDIT: the question was adressed to @minxomat

Edited by mLipok

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Thanks.
If no other members have any objective I will handle this in few days.

Cheers,

mLipok

Signature beginning:
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Any of my own code posted anywhere on the forum is available for use by others without any restriction of any kind. 

My contribution (my own projects): * Debenu Quick PDF Library - UDF * Debenu PDF Viewer SDK - UDF * Acrobat Reader - ActiveX Viewer * UDF for PDFCreator v1.x.x * XZip - UDF * AppCompatFlags UDF * CrowdinAPI UDF * _WinMergeCompare2Files() * _JavaExceptionAdd() * _IsBeta() * Writing DPI Awareness App - workaround * _AutoIt_RequiredVersion() * Chilkatsoft.au3 UDF * TeamViewer.au3 UDF * JavaManagement UDF * VIES over SOAP * WinSCP UDF * GHAPI UDF - modest begining - comunication with GitHub REST APIErrorLog.au3 UDF - A logging Library * Include Dependency Tree (Tool for analyzing script relations) * Show_Macro_Values.au3 *

 

My contribution to others projects or UDF based on  others projects: * _sql.au3 UDF  * POP3.au3 UDF *  RTF Printer - UDF * XML.au3 UDF * ADO.au3 UDF SMTP Mailer UDF * Dual Monitor resolution detection * * 2GUI on Dual Monitor System * _SciLexer.au3 UDF * SciTE - Lexer for console pane

Useful links: * Forum Rules * Forum etiquette *  Forum Information and FAQs * How to post code on the forum * AutoIt Online Documentation * AutoIt Online Beta Documentation * SciTE4AutoIt3 getting started * Convert text blocks to AutoIt code * Games made in Autoit * Programming related sites * Polish AutoIt Tutorial * DllCall Code Generator * 

Wiki: Expand your knowledge - AutoIt Wiki * Collection of User Defined Functions * How to use HelpFile * Good coding practices in AutoIt * 

OpenOffice/LibreOffice/XLS Related: WriterDemo.au3 * XLS/MDB from scratch with ADOX

IE Related:  * How to use IE.au3  UDF with  AutoIt v3.3.14.x * Why isn't Autoit able to click a Javascript Dialog? * Clicking javascript button with no ID * IE document >> save as MHT file * IETab Switcher (by LarsJ ) * HTML Entities * _IEquerySelectorAll() (by uncommon) * IE in TaskSchedulerIE Embedded Control Versioning (use IE9+ and HTML5 in a GUI) * PDF Related:How to get reference to PDF object embeded in IE * IE on Windows 11

I encourage you to read: * Global Vars * Best Coding Practices * Please explain code used in Help file for several File functions * OOP-like approach in AutoIt * UDF-Spec Questions *  EXAMPLE: How To Catch ConsoleWrite() output to a file or to CMD *

I also encourage you to check awesome @trancexx code:  * Create COM objects from modules without any demand on user to register anything. * Another COM object registering stuffOnHungApp handlerAvoid "AutoIt Error" message box in unknown errors  * HTML editor

winhttp.au3 related : * https://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/206771-winhttpau3-download-problem-youre-speaking-plain-http-to-an-ssl-enabled-server-port/

"Homo sum; humani nil a me alienum puto" - Publius Terentius Afer
"Program are meant to be read by humans and only incidentally for computers and execute" - Donald Knuth, "The Art of Computer Programming"
:naughty:  :ranting:, be  :) and       \\//_.

Anticipating Errors :  "Any program that accepts data from a user must include code to validate that data before sending it to the data store. You cannot rely on the data store, ...., or even your programming language to notify you of problems. You must check every byte entered by your users, making sure that data is the correct type for its field and that required fields are not empty."

Signature last update: 2023-04-24

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If you're not proficient in both languages, you're going to have a bad time.

Even simple things like data types can be different in closely related languages. Maximum value of a char in C++ is 0xFF, but in C# it is 0xFFFF.  The correct way to translate is to use a byte in C#, which has a maximum value of 0xFF. These are closely related languages. Good luck handling overflows and "bitfucking" in other languages.

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