[cbkh2bankai]

I've been pointed to a program called Raptor and it's a flow chart based program that is supposed to help with coding. I've found tutorials about this program, but none of them are really helpful. If anyone out there knows something about it I need some help learning the basics about it.

[turboscrew]

You are the first one from whom I've ever heard about that.

[WolfCoder]

What are flow charts?

[cbkh2bankai]

Here is the program Raptor for anyone that wants to know. If one of you have seen it though please point me in the right direction? :]







haha this is a flow chart ^

[modi123_1]

Bah.. the only raptors I recognize are the ones ridden by Dr. McNinja.

Spoiler

On a more germane note - if you are having a hard time finding anything about this 'raptor' flow charting nonsense perhaps it is time to find a different flow charting program?

[DarenR]

off topic but when i read the subject this is what I thought off.


https://www.google.c...iw=1024&bih=678

[nK0de]

Irrelevant

[WolfCoder]

Quote

You win

[SpartanGuy07]

I have some experience with diagramming and using flow charts for programming (at work and in classes). Honestly, if your project isn't big, it's probably not worth the time to diagram it out.

For my class I have used NClass, which is more of an OO design planner. For flow charts I just simply use Vizio or the Draw program in Libre Office.

Who pointed you to Raptor? Is there any specific reason you are looking to use this tool?

[cbkh2bankai]

A bunch of students taking programming at this college. Their teacher keeps praising it supposedly so I thought I'd look into it. I must say from the videos I have seen it appears to be a good program, but using it wise? That I have no idea how to use it. xD

If any of you have downloaded it I've done a test file so far of what I can grasp from this program so far.

I apologize for got to attach it.

Attached File(s)

•  Test.zip (2.26K)
  Number of downloads: 15

[supersloth]

WolfCoder, on 19 April 2012 - 12:25 AM, said:

What are flow charts?

/thread

[SpartanGuy07]

The point of using a program like Raptor, or any diagramming tool for that matter, is to focus on designing the project before coding it. This helps save time and aggravation (especially if you are producing the program for a customer). It gives you the opportunity to lay things out and explain your logic to others who might not necessarily understand code.

I'd say if you aren't working on any particularly large projects, you don't have much of a reason to use such a tool. However, if you are just looking into learning how it works, take a simple program (that does anything i.e. a simple calculator) and write out the logical steps you need to get from point A (inputs) to point B (operations, outputs).

An alternative would be to take the flow chart you showed us above and write a program from it. Maybe that will give you an idea of how organizing it before, leads you to spend less time to create the program in the end.

[WolfCoder]

Quote

The point of using a program like Raptor, or any diagramming tool for that matter, is to focus on designing the project before coding it. This helps save time and aggravation (especially if you are producing the program for a customer). It gives you the opportunity to lay things out and explain your logic to others who might not necessarily understand code.

..and then you end up completely trashing the diagrams with an entirely new design later, wasting all the time you spent per-production in over-designing a project.

Only design what you need.

[SpartanGuy07]

WolfCoder, on 19 April 2012 - 02:42 PM, said:

Only design what you need.

Exactly my point.

But also when you think about it, writing code and completely trashing it later cause you decided to change something is more (time and budget-wise) costly than just a layout.

Also, if the group working on the project is large it's a good idea to have good pre-design specs in order to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Other than that, don't bother.

[WolfCoder]

Quote

But also when you think about it, writing code and completely trashing it later cause you decided to change something is more (time and budget-wise) costly than just a layout.

You're fatally assuming layouts prevent this.